Australia’s Olympic sevens team could suffer major Rio hangover

HE may be 29, but ultra-fit Aussie skipper Ed Jenkins is not ready for retirement. Only problem is Rio could be his swan song in the sevens format.

HE may be 29, but anyone who has seen Ed Jenkins doing push-ups with his hamstrings (see below) will know the ultra-fit Aussie skipper is not ready for retirement.

But Jenkins has admitted the Rio Olympics may be his swan song tournament in the sevens format, and a move back into 15-a-side rugby is definitely on the cards.

Along with Aussie women’s star Charlotte Caslick, Jenkins was front and centre at the Olympic uniform launch this week and the buzz of talking to other Australian athletes had the veteran itching to get to Rio.

Ed Jenkins chats to a Brazilian dancer during the Olympic uniform launch.

It’s been a long journey for Jenkins, who debuted for the Aussie side in 2007 but early on also juggled duties as a 15s winger with the Perth Spirit and Sydney Uni.

In 2011 he became a fulltime sevens player and is now the most capped Aussie sevens player of all time.

But with the Olympic goal at their doorstep, Jenkins conceded he is one of a few players contemplating a return to 15s post-Rio.

“The body is in great shape at the moment so I would still like to play rugby in some capacity, whether that is here with in sevens or overseas. I am not sure yet,” Jenkins said.

“I have put a lot of years into the sevens program and foregone any opportunity to play any 15s while focusing on sevens. The Olympics was the end goal, it is here and it is my massive focus at the moment.

But 15s is something I will be exploring post Olympics as well as staying with the sevens.”

Jenkins said he would likely look to play overseas “for a lifestyle change” if he returns to 15s.

Cam Clark is also being pursued by Super Rugby clubs, including the Waratahs, and Jenkins has no doubt he’d succeed.

“He is obviously very young and could have a full career in 15s, and hopefully higher honours there as well,” he said.

“He would slot in nicely to any backline I would imagine. But we’d be keen to keep him in sevens too obviously.”

Jenkins said the lure of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and the Sevens World Cup in the same year, was also attractive.

“And I guess two years post that there is another Olympics. That’s the great thing about our sport, on top of the world series there are always other incentives for guys to hang around,” he said.

EXODUS CONTINUES TO HAUNT FORCE

Rory Walton is set to head overseas along with a host of Force players.

Another week, another round of departures from the Force.

Following our news that Steve Mafi and Junior Rasolea are heading overseas, we can reveal that both Rory Walton and Ollie Hoskins have also signed deals to play with foreign clubs after this season, with potentially even more to follow.

The Force are aware of their roster crisis yet have been contacting more South African players to fill the holes. The Force have the highest percentage of “non-local” players in Super Rugby.

WILL TAHS OR BRUMBIES PICK THE FITZ?

Michael Cheika met with former back-up Waratahs hooker Damien Fitzpatrick on his recent European visit. Both the Waratahs and Brumbies loom as potential destinations for Fitzpatrick next year. And with Australia in the midst of a hooking crisis, don’t be surprised if former Tah John Ulugia also returns to Super Rugby in 2017.

REBELS LEADING GRASSROOTS

There has been lots of debate about whether Australia’s expansion franchises are producing homegrown talent so it’s worth noting that Melbourne appear to unearthing a handy talent pool.

The Melbourne Rebels under 20s will play in the final of the Super 20s competition against Queensland at Ballymore on Sunday at 2pm (the match is streamed on the ARU and Reds websites).

The Rebels dusted NSW on their way to the final and are nearly all Victorian kids.

They’ve been helped by the fact the Melbourne Storm have moved their under 20s program to the NSW Central Coast, and several league players keen to stay at home have switched to union. One such player is vice-captain Eli Vole, a former Storm junior.

WATSON MAKING WAVES

Great to see Wallaroo Margaret Watson — a 2014 World Cup representative — making a name for herself as a coach in men’s rugby.

Watson coached the Hunter Region Junior Gold Cup team and has been appointed as the NSW Under 17s forwards coach for their clash with Queensland under 17s at Cranbrook on Saturday at 4pm. She is the first female to hold either role.

If you’re keen to see the next wave of talent, the NSW under 15s play the Queenslanders at 2pm at the same ground.

Originally published as Australia’s Olympic sevens team could suffer major Rio hangover