Two years ago John Manenti described his side as a “bunch of misfits”. Now, with an injection of star power from the Wallabies, they’re 14 minutes away from returning to Australia from Paris with a medal.
After spending years in the shadow of their superstar sisters, who took gold in Rio and have been winning ever since, Australia’s men’s sevens team finally have their moment in the spotlight after reaching the semi-finals for the first time.
After going through unbeaten through the pool stage, Australia’s defence came to the fore in the quarter-finals as they beat the United States of America 18-0.
Australia’s men’s rugby sevens team have beaten the USA to reach the semi-finals at Stade de France in Paris. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Despite scoring three tries, Australia’s victory wasn’t wrapped up until the final minute as Maurice Longbottom landed a close-range penalty to see them take a 13-0 advantage. Then, with no time left on the clock, Longbottom put the icing on the cake by taking advantage of a mistake by the USA to score.
Their shutout occurred after James Turner finished off some quick thinking from Nick Malouf, who freed up Nathan Lawson with a rocket pass centre field when the USA was on the ropes.
Then Corey Toole, the side’s quickest player after returning from the Brumbies, crossed out wide to hand Australia a 10-0 advantage after bursting onto a pop pass from Henry Hutchison. The try came against the run of play after the USA lost possession at the ruck and then had to deal with Hutchison fumbling the ball as he made his way to the ground at the ruck.
The victory was built on guts and determination – the hallmarks that Manenti’s side has lived by over the past three years since their disappointing performance in Tokyo, where his squad was halved and the coaches swapped.
Australia 7s head coach John Manenti speaks to his players. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Despite taking out the Hong Kong Sevens in 2022 and being a regular in the top four in the World Series in recent years, Manenti’s men came into the tournament as rank outsiders in a hot field wide open.
They weren’t the only ones either, with double gold-medallists Fiji not entering the Paris Games with the same favourite tag they’ve held in previous editions after an underwhelming World Series tournament.
Indeed, Ben Gollings was sacked in March and former gold medallist Osea Kolinisau was thrown in as coach.
He brought back Jerry Tuwai – arguably the best sevens player on the planet over the past decade – and made him captain.
It’s proved a masterstroke.
Now, the two nations, who met in June in a series of unofficial matches in Suva, where the rulebook went out the window and Kolinisau quietly apologised for their questionable tactics, will clash in the semi-final on Sunday morning (12am AEST) after Fiji came from behind to beat Ireland 19-15.
“It’s been a good couple of days,” Toole said. “We haven’t played the best we can but we’ve got the wins which is the most important thing.
“A lot of the pressure comes from our defence. We’ve connected as a line in defence and that’s what has won us our games.
“It’s special to not only represent myself and family but everyone supporting back home in Australia.
“Hopefully we can do everyone proud in the semi. We’ll go back and review Fiji and give it everything we’ve got.”
Australian captain Nick Malouf in action against the United States at Stade de France on July 25, 2024. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
They will take on a red hot Fijian side, who have rediscovered their voice and confidence under Kolinisau and Tuwai, and are the only other side in the semi-finals undefeated.
“A lot of things that happened a few months ago, it hurts me, it hurts me to my core that I was not able to compete on the SVNS Series,” Tuwai said on the Olympics broadcast.
“But I never lost hope. I always believed that I could make another Olympics.
“A few months later, I’m here. I just played my first game so it’s a blessing.
“He’s not a bad man, he’s not a bad coach – he’s a very good man. I respect him. He’s a good coach too, a very good coach,” Tuwai explained when asked about Ben Gollings.
“There’s a lot of misunderstanding between us, between the media, between the people that have caused a lot of drama, unnecessary drama, that I think carried onto my boys on the Series.
“But as I said, he’s a good man, he’s a good coach. It is all misunderstanding that caused a lot of drama.”
Earlier, having gone through the pool stages undefeated, Manenti had said that Australia wanted to make their mark and step out of the shadow of their female compatriots.
“We’re really proud of the girls and what they’ve done and have been doing for a long time, but that’s not saying the boys don’t want a piece of it,” said Manenti.
“What we want to do is write our own story. So as proud as we are of the girls, we don’t want to be necessarily living in their shadow forever. We’re pretty confident they will be high on the podium, and we’d like to be there with them.”
In the other semi-final, South Africa also rediscovered their feet by upsetting New Zealand 14-7 and will take on Antoine Dupont’s France.
Les Bleus beat reigning world series champions Argentina 21-7, who stumbled into the quarter-finals after being beaten 22-14 by Australia.
Semi-finals
France v South Africa, 11:30pm AEST, Saturday July 27
Australia v Fiji, 12:00am AEST, Sunday July 28
MEN’S RUGBY SEVENS FIXTURES
- Match 1: Australia 21 defeated Samoa 14
- Match 2: Australia 21 defeated Kenya 7
- Match 3: Australia 22 defeated Argentina 14
- Quarter-Final: Australia 18 defeated USA 0
- Semi-Final: Australia v Fiji, 12:00am AEST, Sunday July 28
WOMEN’S RUGBY SEVENS FIXTURES – POOL B
Monday, July 29: Australia v South Africa (12:00am AEST)
Monday, July 29: Australia v Great Britain (3:30am AEST)
Monday, July 29: Australia v Ireland (10:30pm AEST)
Christy Doranhttps://www.theroar.com.au/2024/07/26/bunch-of-misfits-shock-the-olympics-to-reach-semi-finals-and-step-out-of-the-shadow-of-aussie-sisters/‘Bunch of misfits’ shock the Olympics to reach semi-finals – and step out of the shadow of Aussie sisters
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