Tokyo Olympics: How Covid transformed club rugby’s Nathan Lawson into sevens star

This footballer watched Australia win Rugby Sevens gold on a phone under his school desk. Not in his wildest dreams did he imagine he would one day be playing at an Olympics himself.

Nathan Lawson never dreamt of being an Olympian.

Never imagined himself in a green and gold tracksuit.

Never visualised himself as part of an Australian team heading to Tokyo.

But he is.

Nathan Lawson said he was taken by surprise when named in the Australian team. Pic: Malcolm Chuck

When the 22-year-old Shute Shield flyer from Cronulla took a call late last year inviting him to play some Sevens Rugby, it kick started an extraordinary journey which will see him playing in Tokyo with the Australians men’s seven team this month

Lawson, who plays for Southern Districts rugby club, was a late call-up to the 487-strong Australian team on the weekend to replace the injured Henry Paterson and flies to Tokyo on Monday

“There were lots of negatives about the coronavirus pandemic but it’s changed my life,” said Lawson, who was caught off-guard when added into the team as he had no idea the call-up was coming.

Nathan Lawson on the burst in the Shute Shield for Southern Districts. Pic: Malcolm Chuck

“I always thought Sevens would be the right fit for me I just didn’t know how to get there.”

Following the Sydney lockdown in 2020, Lawson was invited to play for a NSW team formed to give Australian players vital match practice.

“This call came out of the blue just asking me to train. I thought ‘OK, I’ll probably get flogged, but I’ll have a go’,” he said.

Instead Lawson impressed so much he was offered a short-term contract and eventually made his way into the mix for the Australian team at the Tokyo Olympics.

“Without Covid I wouldn’t be here,” Lawson said.

“I was studying sport and exercises and playing with Southern Districts in the Shute Shield.

“I knew it would take a few years to impress so I knew I had a couple of boring years ahead working full-time and then playing Shute Shield.

“Then this all happened which is crazy.”

Henry Hutchison, Nick Malouf and Maurice Longbottom after being named in the Australian Rugby Sevens team in early July.

Lawson, a former member of the Waratahs Gen Blues squad, was at Newington College when the Australian women beat New Zealand for Rugby Sevens’s first Olympic gold.

“We were watching it on a mobile phone under the desk in class,” he said.

“To be honest, I can’t believe this is now happening.’’

The Australian men open their medal campaign against Argentina on July 26 with the not-to-be-missed match against traditional foes New Zealand the following day.

The women’s competition begins on July 29 with a first-up outing against Japan.