Dietrich Roache on injury battle and finding ‘happiness outside of rugby’

Dietrich Roache spoke with genuine excitement at the 2024 Rugby Australia Awards in Sydney, as the new HSBC SVNS Series campaign loomed – but a serious injury struck soon after, ending the playmaker’s season before it had even begun.

Australia Sevens confirmed on November 27 that Roache was expected to miss out on the entire 2024/25 SVNS Series with a knee injury. With Roache back home in Australia, the new campaign started a few days later at Dubai’s The Sevens Stadium.

Roache knew right away that it was a serious injury, but still “took my time to accept what happened.” While others were eternally positive, the Tokyo Olympian had to overcome plenty of mental and physical challenges throughout the rehab process.

RUGBY SVNS 2026 promo

RUGBY SVNS 2026 promo

Australia teammates continued to travel the world, competing with other Olympic-level athletes on the international sevens circuit. It’s been 13 months since Roache picked up the injury at training, and the 24-year-old is preparing to return, finally.

After missing the Dubai Sevens last season, Roache will run out onto the field at The Sevens Stadium on November 29-30 feeling 100 per cent confident. Roache wants to reach new heights after spending so long on the sidelines.

“I definitely had my personal battles, a lot mentally, just growing as an individual. Obviously, having that identity as a rugby player for a long part of my life now, just trying to find happiness outside of rugby,” Roache told RugbyPass.

“Throughout my rehab, I definitely made it a goal not to just come back the same Dietrich, I wanted to come back better than I was before,” he added.

“Just changing a few habits I have at home and just using what I went through to just become a better person and a better player.

“I definitely feel like I’m ready, got a few new things coming so I’m definitely keen to put on a show.”

That injury is in the past now. “It’s out of sight, out mind,” Roache insisted, having just walked out of a gym session at Rugby Australia. Roache is a world-renowned playmaker who has an elusive skillset, fast feet, and is considered one of the best goal-kickers in sevens.

Co-captain Henry Paterson, Shawn Mackay Medallist James Turner and Michael Icely are all out of the season-opener in Dubai – Paterson ruled out of the entire season with an ACL injury, while Turner and Icely will miss the first four events, making Roache’s return even more significant.

There are a few debutants in the squad, as the Australians look top Pool B this weekend. They will take on arch-rivals the All Blacks Sevens, an emerging powerhouse in Spain, and giant-slayers Great Britain in a new-look competition format.

Australia believe they’re one of the teams to beat this season.

They’ll get a chance to show that from Saturday.

“Being in sport, we are going to be very competitive so I see myself as a very competitive individual,” Roache reflected.

“On a personal note, it’s like out of sight, out of mind. Just coming back, it’s making sure that I can be in the best shape I can be in to help the team win, that’s all I can do.

“We’ve had a tough pre-season into the season now. I think that will obviously help us going into Dubai and Cape Town.

“I’ve been very impressed,” he explained when asked about the squad.

“Everyone’s come into the pre-season in really good shape so it’s been pretty competitive for spots, so that’s been really good for us.

“I just feel like a lot of our players have that edge about it, a bit of attitude towards where we want to go as a team – just really believing that we’re the top team, and then obviously using that belief to hopefully produce results.”