As most Australians got out the carving knife and sliced their way through some Christmas ham, Simon Kennewell was on the training field slogging it out just in case the cards fell his way.
Having stepped away from his sevens career, the 26-year-old was ramping up his bid to return to the game he loved.
On Saturday, the control of staying away from the bubbles and the extra servings around the lunch table could well pay off after being named as John Manenti’s 13th man for the Hamilton Sevens.
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His return to the squad comes after a three-year absence from the World Series Sevens circuit, which saw one-half of an Australian rugby power couple step away from the game.
The Australian Sevens star hadn’t so much as hung up the boots but changed lanes.
Sevens player Simon Kennewell has been named as Australia’s 13th man a year after quitting the sport. Photo: Matt King/Getty Images
While Kennewell was on track to make the Tokyo Olympics side, a shattering ACL injury scuppered his dreams of running out in Japan.
Already intent on shifting to the 15-person-game, Kennewell’s pre-Olympics season-ending injury harmed his chances of making a move to a Super Rugby program.
Without a contract, relatively unproven in the 15s game and coming back from a major injury, the second in 12 months, some hard conversations transpired.
“My parents were in my ear and thought I needed to sort of bite the bullet and get a real job,” Kennewell told The Roar.
Kennewell took up a part-time job working four days a week and joined Sydney University’s Shute Shield side under respected coach Sean Hedger.
“We won the whole thing and I played all 22 games for the season, which was great because at the start of the season I was struggling to get through back-to-back sessions,” Kennewell said.
“That was a huge tick to back-up week-in, week-out for 20-odd weeks in a row.”
But after returning from holidays, another spanner was thrown into the works.
Kennewell was made redundant from his construction management job in Sydney.
“I was in no man’s land,” he said.
But a series of conversations with former Super Rugby players James Dargaville and Tom Kingston, whom Kennewell had played alongside at Sydney Uni, sparked a desire to return to the game he loved most.
“I had a few good chats with some older sort of the older heads at Sydney Uni like James Dargaville and Tom Kingston, who have had careers and injuries, and they said you have a timeframe to play footy and if the fire is still there, which is burning brighter than it was when I started here six years ago when I was 18, they were like put everything you can to giving yourself the best shot to get back to where you want to be,” he said.
“It was a little lightbulb moment.”
Without a contract, but with many friends still left in the Australian Sevens side, Kennewell turned his attention to making a comeback.
No promises were made, but a conversation with Manenti gave him hope that if an opportunity arose, he would be considered.
For eight weeks he trained by himself, paying his own way at a lower North Shore gym, before being put through the ultimate test by his girlfriend Hayes.
“Dem (Hayes) was on holidays, but she was still training,” Kennewell said.
“I was in a place where I was like, I don’t need a break. I’m in a place where I need to do everything I possibly can and if that means missing out on a few things, so be it, so there wasn’t much ham.
“I put on a couple more kilos being back in 15s and was doing a lot less running, so I jumped into a few of her Tom Carter conditioning sessions which is high-speed, repeat-speed running.”
With injury striking the reigning world champions, Kennewell returned for the past three weeks and is on a week-to-week contract.
It comes with a carrot, however, the chance to play in New Zealand and a week later with the Sydney Sevens.
He returns to the squad alongside former track star Trae Williams, while Henry Hutchison will captain the team in the absence of Nick Malouf.
Meanwhile, Tim Walsh has named a star-studded women’s side featuring Charlotte Caslick and Maddison Levi.
Australian men’s squad: Henry Hutchison, Stu Dunbar, Dietrich Roache, Tim Clements, Henry Paterson, Josh Turner, Dally Bird, Maurice Longbottom, Nathan Lawson, James Turner, Ben Marr, Trae Williams, Simon Kennewell
Australian women’s squad: Charlotte Caslick (Co-captain), Demi Hayes (Co-captain), Madison Ashby, Lily Dick, Dominique Du Toit, Tia Hinds, Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea, Maddison Levi, Teagan Levi, Faith Nathan, Sariah Paki, Bienne Terita, Sharni Williams
Women
Saturday, January 21 (times AEDT)
Australia Women v Japan Women, 9:22 am
Australia Women v Canada Women, 12:50 pm
Australia Women v France Women, 3:56 pm
Men
Saturday, January 21
Australia Men v Great Britain Men, 8:38 am
Australia Men v New Zealand Men, 12:06 pm
Australia Men v Tonga Men, 5:05 pm
Tony Harper
Editor
I missed the bit where IF was charged by police for alleged sexual assault, but I'm sure the policy would have been the same regardless of who the lawyers were.
Tony Harper
Editor
Thanks for your feedback Rugger but... "To be honest" ... I'm not changing our editorial approach based on what you'd rather we did. That's my job and I don't believe I need to take direction from an unnamed guest who throws around accusations of hypocrisy.
El Gamba
Roar Guru
TBF Dr, there wasn’t an ongoing criminal case around Folau but accept your point that the discussion blurred the lines between on and off field around controversial issues
El Gamba
Roar Guru
Thanks for the response Tony and you’ll see I’ve been around the roar for a while, and keep coming back! To clarify though, I wasn’t suggesting no news, just not only news like the SMH’s. Not well put on my behalf. Thanks again and keep up the good work
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
They had no such problem letting everyone off the chain to give their opinion on Israel Folau. All I can say is if I ever get into hot water where I need the internet to not discuss it, I'll get Kurtley Beale's lawyer onto it.
Rugger
Guest
This is very disappointing Tony No matter what spin you try to layer this with, it is a political decision from website management to prevent users from doing exactly what the site is designed for on articles your management pick and choose as too controversial. To be honest, I’d rather you didn’t publish some articles at all if you’re not willing to allow users the chance to discuss. Blatant double standards and hypocrisy.
Tony Harper
Editor
So am I, so from there.
Short Arm
Roar Rookie
Beinsports channel on foxtel
Tony Harper
Editor
Thanks for the feedback. While it's difficult to cover everything in the game I don't think you'll find an Australian outlet that comes at rugby coverage from as many angles. An example from last year was the excellent Roar Rugby Project series by Allan Eskdale - well worth a read if you missed it at the time. As for leaving the news feed to the SMH - that won't be happening. The Roar is striving to be the must-read site for rugby fans and that means covering stories that have both wide and narrow appeal.
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
I note GA tickets for Sydney from only $20 which is great value. Am guessing GB team is to align with the Olympics. It doesn’t bother me too much. My major issue is ensuring the World Series continues to be well funded by World Rugby even if they reduce the number of tournaments as they have. Good luck to your NZ teams, it would be nice for them to win
Mungbean74
Roar Rookie
Christy or Tony, lI know you both do a good job in covering rugby for the Roar , but I was wondering why there are know articles covering the The NZ 7’s yesterday in Hamilton? We have 2 World Champion teams in the men’s and women’s Australian sides winning, and a great Australia vs NZ game went down as well. And I saw no news articles covering what went down yesterday.
Mungbean74
Roar Rookie
You can watch it live on the web. https://www.world.rugby/sevens-series/stage/2119/match https://www.beinsports.com/site-locator
El Gamba
Roar Guru
One last thing though Tony and apologies that you’re on holiday, if you get down this far that is! As a request, would it be possible to focus on some articles in other areas of Rugby that the community can: - discuss - listen and give opinions respectfully (always :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: ) - learn more about the ever evolving game of rugby An example would be about this new tackle law. I’ve done a very skin deep into the details and the information on who, what, where,….and how this is supposed to work (clean outs, pick and drives etc) is more than murky, it’s a vacuum. I know I should take the time to write something myself and who knows… where’s the time these days! The Roar is The Roar, let SMH et al be the news feeds of any set narrative about things outside of the game. Let’s talk rugby!
El Gamba
Roar Guru
Yes - how? Let me know if you find out
Roeper
Guest
If people want a reality check, 2021 Wallabies doing what they did against France and South Africa. Was brilliant stuff and brought the crowds and the ratings are published for all to see. That’s Australian rugby at its best. I don’t care what names you say. That’s the style. Do that. I’ll be happy.
El Gamba
Roar Guru
Thank you Tony, appreciate and support the roar’s position
Adsa
Roar Rookie
"Some people have a loose hold on reality and float all types of ideas" I'm from Qld Tony, I am unsure where you get these ideas from?
Mo
Guest
Cheers tony. 17 December is funny. Michael Clarke was allegedly busy that day
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
TBH it’s more to do with the sign of the times, as many in Aotearoa are doing it pretty hard. A mate of mine over there, told me he was going a couple of months ago, before learning that it was going to be the final one there, & also the price of tickets were, or are very high. He said quite a few had given it a miss due to that. It’s not a good look on WR, especially having a combined nations there in Great Britain. I’ve always looked upon the series being nation against nation, not a nation against a combination of nations. So farcical!
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
It is disappointing but unfortunately NZ is a small country, surprised the crowd has been small for the last tournament. The issue is the World Series is expensive to run so need to reduce the number of tournaments. Fiji has been very successful but hasn’t had a tournament. Actually will be interested to see what the crowd will be like in Sydney next week.