Australian sevens men make Olympics after rocky ride
Australia’s rugby sevens men have booked their ticket to the Olympic Games but only after a dramatic afternoon at Twickenham described by their skipper as “one of the biggest roller-coasters ever”.
Captain Nick Malouf’s team had quickly got knocked out by Fiji in the quarter-finals on Sunday morning as they sought to defend their season-ending London Sevens title.
Yet that was only the prelude to a nerve-shredding afternoon as they then got involved in a desperate struggle to nail down the final automatic place for Paris 2024.
With Samoa also battling for the coveted place, Australia blew two chances to seal the spot, first in the 19-5 defeat by Olympic champs Fiji in the last-eight and then when they had victory cruelly snatched away 22-19 by France at the death in the fifth-place semi-final.
After Frenchman Paulin Riva had bagged the winning try once Australia were penalised for a penalty with 10 seconds left, their players looked shattered, as if th ey felt their last chance must have gone.
But Samoa, who were then less than a couple of a minutes away from sealing their first-ever Olympic spot as they led Argentina 7-5 in their semi-final, were pipped by a late try, losing 10-5.
That gave the Australians one last chance to earn the Paris place if they could defeat hosts Great Britain in the seventh-place playoff.
This time, Malouf and his men made no mistake, producing by far their best performance of the weekend as they crushed the home side 34-5.
Star man Nathan Lawson, who finished with six tries over the whole weekend, went over for a decisive hat-trick while Maurice Longbottom and Matt Gonzalez also scored in the five-try demolition.
“Today was one of the biggest roller-coasters ever,” beamed a relieved Malouf, the evergreen 30-year-old Queenslander who had scored two tries himself in the French defeat.
“Two losses to start the day and then we just got lucky by some miracle and just got that chance to play for it against Great Britain.
“But there’s been so much hard work going into this – we’ve never qualified automatically before for the Olympics – so it’s a really big deal for us, I’m so over the moon.
“We’re so thankful, a lot of people follow us all around the world, and we’re just so proud we could put on a performance and lock down that Olympic spot down. Now, we’ve got 12 months to make sure we’re right in Paris.”
While the Aussies celebrated, there was heartbreak for the Samoans, who will now have to go through cut-throat Oceanian qualifying to get to Paris.
They would have beaten Argentina if not for a forward pass which meant their second, surely match-winning score was ruled out.
To add insult to injury, they then had to watch Argentina go on and lift the title, beating Fiji 35-14 in the final.
The Samoans’ consolation was to earn a come-from-behind 24-19 win over world series champs New Zealand in the bronze-medal match.
Comments on RugbyPass
Think you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
5 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
12 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
5 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
7 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
7 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
12 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
12 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
5 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
7 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
12 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
12 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
5 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
5 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
12 Go to commentsYou doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
44 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
12 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
12 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
12 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to comments