Sevens star Pama Fou ruled out of Olympics

Australia’s men’s sevens team have suffered a major blow to their hopes of an Olympic medal.

Pama Fou has been ruled out of the Olympics through injury.

Australia’s men’s sevens team have suffered a major blow to their hopes of an Olympic medal with strike weapon Pama Fou ruled out of the Rio Games.

The towering Fou has been among the Thunderbolts’ most-dangerous attacking players on the world series circuit but shoulder surgery has grounded him this year.

The 196cm flyer had made a full recovery, and returned last month to the Australian side, but ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in a freak accident at home this week and will undergo a knee reconstruction

Meanwhile, Western Force captain Matt Hodgson may be left with no choice but to play for a rival club next season in the wake of coach Michael Foley’s sacking.

Foley was shown the door on Thursday following the team’s 2-10 start to the season.

Hodgson was upset Foley wasn’t allowed to see out the season and said the players would dedicate their final three games of 2016 to the sacked coach.

The Force have already started the search for a new head coach, and chief executive Mark Sin­derberry will continue contract negotiations with the likes of Hodgson, Kyle Godwin and ­Nathan Charles.

Hodgson has been the Force’s best and most inspirational ­player since taking over the captaincy in 2013, and the 34-year-old des­perately wants to play on with the Perth-based franchise next season.

The hard-as-nails flanker, who started his career with the Force in 2006, has previously spoken about his desire to finish as a one-club player.

Had Foley stayed on as coach next season, Hodgson would have been a lock-in to be re-signed.

But the player said he has yet to hear from the Force as to whether they want him next season.

“I’ve told them I want to play on. But it’s all up in the air. It’s undecided at the moment. I’m still waiting to hear back from the Force,” Hodgson said.

“I want to play football next year. Hopefully it’s at the Force. I don’t want to retire yet. I’ll try to play football wherever (if no Force offer comes through).”

Assistant Dave Wessels has taken over as interim head coach for the remaining three games of the season, starting with the July 2 match against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

Hodgson, the Force’s most-capped player with 131 appear­ances, will miss the rest of the season after shoulder surgery.

AAP