This was published 5 years ago
Malouf's mission: Olympic gold in Tokyo driving sevens star
It didn't take much to bring home Nick Malouf.
The experienced sevens star was deep into a gap year in the UK Premiership, making his presence felt in the 15-man game with six tries in the 2017/18 season for the Leicester Tigers. But a simple pitch from new Australian sevens coach Tim Walsh was enough to turn the winger's head.
Stars in his eyes: Nick Malouf has returned to Australia with a big dream to realise.Credit: AP
"It was basically about the potential the team had ... he asked, 'Do you want to be in Tokyo in 2020 with a gold medal around the neck'. That's the short story," Malouf said.
"That's what we're striving for every day when we rock up at training. When someone floats that idea to you, well, you don't get many opportunities like that in your life. That's why I'm back."
The Olympics may be some 18 months away but the Australians are in the midst of a crucial qualification battle. The men and women must finish in the top four of the current HSBC Sevens Series to secure automatic entry into Tokyo next year.
The Aussie men are sitting in sixth spot after two tournaments, with the USA, New Zealand, Fiji, England and South Africa on top.
Flying effort: Malouf tackles Samoa's Alamanda Motuga at the London Sevens in 2017.Credit: AP
Their next opportunity to topple some of the big guns comes at the end of the month in Hamilton, New Zealand, before the Sydney Sevens gets underway at Spotless Stadium in the first weekend of February.
"I haven't actually played in Sydney because I'd done my knee the first time it was there and last year I was England," Malouf said.
"The last time I played a home tournament it was on the Gold Coast and I know even from playing there, the home crowd was great and now it's even bigger. I'm buzzing at the chance to run out there."
The Australian men and women will be hoping to reprise their triumphant 2018 home-soil double at the tournament's new home at Sydney Olympic Park.
It was the first time the men had won a tournament since 2012. Malouf was enduring an English winter but watched on with pride.
"It was good that we could do it there last year and I know they'll all definitely want to replicate it this year," he said.
In their way will be no shortage of hurdles, including the emerging strength of series leaders the USA.
Speed to burn: The United States, including Carlin Isles, is proving an emerging force in world sevens.Credit: AAP
The men's circuit used to be a three-way battle between Fiji, South Africa and New Zealand with England and Australia knocking on the door, but Malouf said America's strong start was a product of a maturing international field.
"It reflects that they've got a group of players who have been together for quite some time now, under the same coach [former England sevens captain Mike Friday]," he said.
"They've got a very clear game plan, big powerful ball runners, silky guys in the middle and pure pace out wide. As much as you want to defend that, the brute power of Danny [Barrett] and those guys and the pace of Perry [Baker] and Carlin [Isles], it's simple but it's very effective."
Australia have their own threats, including Maurice Longbottom and Ben O'Donnell, but have battled to put – and keep – it all together across the brutal two-day format of a sevens tournament. Malouf said he was confident the squad was building nicely into the season.
"We've been putting in plenty of hard work since [Cape Town] around our defence and restarts to make sure they're better than they were," he said.
"Our attack is quality with guys led by Moz [Longbottom] – he's unbelievable – so if we can keep our attack where it is and bring up the other elements it will mean we're in the competition for longer."