Australia
Don't stop at Speight, open Sevens floodgates
ESPN Staff
July 28, 2015
Alan Jones advocates opening the selection doors even to NRL players

Former Wallabies coach Alan Jones has called on the Australian Rugby Union to open the Sevens floodgates and bring in several Test stars in the hope of winning a medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.

The Australian team is yet to qualify for the shortened form's debut on sport's biggest stage, but still the ARU has already moved to bolster the playing ranks ahead of next year's HSBC World Series with the addition of Brumbies flyer Henry Speight to the squad. Speight will juggle Super Rugby and Sevens commitments in 2016, turning out at HSBC World Series events in Sydney, Hong Kong and London amidst his Brumbies commitments before, pending qualification, he joins the Sevens squad for their maiden tilt at an Olympic medal.

And there have been reports that Quade Cooper is about to sign a four-year deal with the ARU to remain in Australia and spearhead the campaign to win a medal in Brazil.

Jones believes Australia must add several other high-profile backs to the squad if they are to come away from the Olympics with anything besides a few snaps of Christ the Redeemer. In a wide-ranging interview with ESPN's Greg Growden, Jones said that he'd even open the door to NRL players.

Australia's Israel Folau poses for a picture after re-signing with the Australian Rugby Union, Sydney, July 1, 2015
Israel Folau hasn't ruled out a switch to Sevens © Getty Images
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"OK, so for the Australian Sevens, the Olympics, so you'd bring in a few weeks before the guys like [Israel] Folau, [Kurtley] Beale, [James] O'Connor, [Quade] Cooper," Growden asked. "You'd be guaranteed a medal wouldn't you? You don't need them playing endless Sevens tournaments."

"Would you bring in Billy Slater? Jones responded.

"Why not? It's the time to think outside of the square," Growden said.

"Exactly, we want to win a gold medal don't we? Jones said.

Alan Jones says "It's the time to think outside of the square" and consider NRL stars such as Billy Slater © Getty Images
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"[Rugby and rugby league are] both professional games. It is a Sevens side, you need a group of people to sit down and say: 'What is the best way of going about this? We want Australia to win the gold medal.' And that would be an example to everybody as to how it should happen. Now I'm not saying who should be there. But I'm simply saying open our minds, open the book and let's sort it out now."

An ARU spokesman told ESPN that no NRL players would be sounded out for a possible Sevens switch.

"The ARU has no intention of approaching NRL players to be part of the Australian Sevens team," the spokesman said. "We have already signed Brumbies winger Henry Speight to the Sevens program and are in serious discussions with a handful of other Super Rugby players."

Jones, meanwhile, was highly critical of the appointment of Welshman Geraint John as Australia Sevens coach. Australia finished fifth on the world standings, seeing them miss automatic qualification for the Olympics, and also suffered the ignominy of a loss to lowly Portugal at the Tokyo stop on the World Series. They did, however, finish the season with a strong showing in London, finishing runners-up to the improving United States.

Still, Jones slammed John's efforts and said the ARU would be better far off looking within its own backyard.

"Did anyone pick the phone up and say: 'Mark Ella can you come and see us please? Bring [David] Campese with you; Roger Gould; three of the great Sevens players. I know. They were in my teams; we won; great Sevens players. Were they asked? No, no, no. We've got a bloke, a Welshman coaching Canada; I've never heard of either of those teams doing anything in the Sevens, and here's where we are."

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