Wallabies discards selected in Australia sevens squad as Michael Hooper’s Olympic dream remains intact

Former Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper’s dream of representing his country at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris is still alive after he was named in Australia’s sevens squad to face Fiji in trial matches next week.

Hooper announced his switch to the shortened version of the game at the end of last year after former Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones sensationally omitted him from his squad for the Rugby World Cup in France.

He represented Australia at the World Rugby SVNS tournaments in Hong Kong and Singapore but earlier this month it was announced that Australia’s sevens coach, John Manenti, had given the legendary openside flanker some time off to rest to give him the best chance of being in contention for the Olympics.

This, after he was diagnosed with osteitis pubis, which is inflammation of his groin. And that decision looks like it has paid off as it has freshened up Hooper for the matches against the defending Olympic champions in a series of matches over two days.

“We got really good bang for our buck out of resting him. He’ll talk about the new mattress but probably the decision not to travel was the big breakthrough,” coach John Manenti told Rugby Australia’s official website.

Looking good in training sessions

“He’s trained really well the last couple of days and (has) no symptoms at this stage.

“We’re looking to push him hard in Fiji. The reality was he wasn’t going to be a big-minute player in Madrid and he was always going to play reasonably big minutes in Fiji.

“There’s a lot of things which would have struggled to settle (the injury) and he would have to keep running so the decision was made to give him rest and get him to 100% for the best chance rather than playing under stress and fatigue.

“We’re a few days out still but he’s training what that plan which has worked.”

Meanwhile, Waratahs and Wallabies flyer Mark Nawaqanitawase and Western Force’s Max Burey have also been included in Australia’s squad for their trip to Fiji.

The bizarre solution to Michael Hooper’s injury keeping his Olympic Games dream alive

Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt opted to leave Nawaqanitawase, who will join NRL outfit the Sydney Roosters in 2025, out of his training squad ahead of next month’s mid-year internationals against Wales and Georgia.

Nawaqanitawase and Burey are not strangers to Australia’s sevens set-up with the former being part of their squad at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham while Burey helped his country to their maiden World Rugby Sevens Series title in Los Angeles that same year.

“Mark has been with us before and Joe’s (Schmidt) decision not to take players that aren’t going to be around next season has freed him up,” said Manenti.

“There’s obviously some conversation around the Roosters potentially wanting him early but at this stage he’s keen to be here…he’s training with us, coming to Fiji and putting his best foot forward.

“Max had a good stint there in Super Rugby and with Moz (Longbottom) working towards being back for Paris ultimately he’s had a few hiccups along the way so Max is that instinctive player that can give us some creativity.

“He’s someone we want to have a look at and what he’s like around the boys to see what that looks like.

“He’s keen to have a crack at it and see what he can do.”

Australia sevens squad for trial matches against Fiji

Dally Bird, Max Burey, Tim Clements, Ben Dowling, Connor Hickey, Michael Hooper, Michael Icely, James McGregor, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Henry Palmer, Henry Paterson, Dietrich Roache, Hayden Sargeant, Josh Turner

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