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Who will the Wallabies send to the Olympics?

Roar Guru
27th March, 2011
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Roar Guru
27th March, 2011
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1405 Reads

Watching the Hong Kong sevens today, you can’t help but be impressed with what Michael O’Connor has done with the Australian Sevens squad.

The only game I saw Australia play was Russia, and I was very impressed with the physicality of our players.

When one of our guys made a break, they hit the line, ran through the hole, pinned their ears back and went for the tryline like a dog after a bone – whereas the Russians seemed more hesitant.

Even when they got into clear space, you could see them looking around, hesitating and slowing themselves down- inexperience, mainly – the Aussies trusting, first their own ability and secondly, the fact that if they were brought down, there would be a mate there for the cleanout.

A superbly conditioned lot of athletes, and on average, one of the youngest groups on the tour.

However, I got to thinking – when the Olympics comes around, obviously some of the Wallabies will be hoping to be picked – what will be the policy?

Do the Sevens guys who have put in the yards (I’m not going to say “hard” yards, it wouldn’t be too onerous a job) get an automatic guernsey? Or does the Australian Olympic Committee, say to the ARU, give us your best players?

It’s an interesting conundrum and we do have precedent in that we contributed only about three Wallabies to the team at the last Commonwealth games.

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So, let’s assume that the Wallabies will allow three of their guys to join the squad, with the balance from the existing Sevens squad.

Who do you think would be picked on today’s form, if Olympics was to be held this year?

What a great Roarers’ debate this could be……. (says Gatesy, loving a bit of a stir, and a bit of debate.)

Personally, my choice would be Genia, Cooper and O’Connor, but think of the possibilities – Turner, Mitchell, Cummins, Horne (if fit), Lealifano, Giteau, Phibbs, Kingi, Ioane, Chambers, Ant Faingaa, Davies, Lucas, etc etc,, and notice that I have not even mentioned one forward yet.

And for the leaguies, who’s to say that the AOC couldn’t ask the ARU to allow some league players in …whoa, what a debate!!

Anyway, Genia, Cooper and O’Connor are my picks. Who are yours?

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