Two minute man: Why Mark Nawaqanitawase was barely sighted amid hot Aussie sevens start
PARIS: Australia's men's rugby sevens team has kept its medal chances alive with two wins from two on day one of competition but it was a quiet start to the tournament for the team's highest profile player as Mark Nawaqanitawase got less than two minutes of time.
The Roosters-bound former Wallaby came on as a late substitute when the Aussies had a win against Samoa locked up, with his only involvement a defensive sprint from one sideline to the other after sensing a Samoan try-scoring chance that he was hungry to prevent. Despite making up the ground, he was evaded by a big right foot step, with the Samoans scoring a consolation try to get within seven points on the stroke of full-time, the Aussies holding on for a 21-14 win.
He was then unused off the bench as Australia stepped it up in the second game to outclass Kenya 21-7, setting up a chance to top their pool when they meet all-conquering world champions Argentina at 10.30pm (AEST) Thursday.
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A win in that match would set up a huge chance at winning an unlikely Paris 2024 Olympic Games medal, as it would earn them a quarter-final shot against one of the lower ranked qualifiers after pool play. Win that game on Friday morning (AEST) and they'd be guaranteed a place in a medal match on Sunday (AEST), with the tournament to resume after the opening ceremony.
Mark Nawaqanitawase reacts during Australia's win over Samoa on day one of the rugby sevens at the Olympic Games in Paris. Getty
Yet Nawaqanitawase's role, should Australia go deep in to the tournament, appears unlikely to be significant, with coach John Manenti revealing his limited involvement was "always the plan with him".
"He's not trained like the other boys around playing big minutes, you know, and in the forwards where he's playing, they're all big minute players," Manenti told reporters after Australia's win over Kenya.
"I mean, one's my captain (Nick Malouf), one's my vice captain (Henry Hutchison), and Nathan Lawson normally plays 14 minute games.
"So, you know, like I said, his opportunity will come.
"And Mark fully, he's fully aware of that, you know, like I said, there's no expectation or thoughts that I have to play for any more time, than the job needs to be done and while we're winning games of footy and he's contributing, I'm really happy."
Earlier, after his short stint on the field against Samoa, Nawaqanitawase admitted he'd had a difficult education, physically and mentally, to adapt to sevens in such a short space of time after the Super Rugby season finished, in his case at the end of May with the hapless Waratahs.
He said it had been "a long five weeks" integrating himself into the set-up prior to the Paris Games.
"Yeah, it's, it's been a long five weeks, you know, a lot of running, a lot of vomiting. But, you know, I feel good now I feel ready to, you know, run out there and play the game against someone," he said.
Of his late efforts to save the consolation try scored by Samoa he added that he was "just trying to get involved" and had chased across despite being "out of the system" they train to execute in defence.
"But, yeah, my time will come. (I'll do) just whatever was needed, you know, for the team. So I'm happy I'm happy to do whatever the team needs," he said.
While Nawaqanitawase was a peripheral figure, teammate Corey Toole, who was also added to the sevens squad for the Paris Games after completing the Super Rugby season with the Brumbies, looked every bit the strike weapon he was selected to be.
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Corey Toole celebrates scoring a try with Nick Malouf during Australia's win over Kenya on day one of the Paris 2024 sevens competition. Getty
He turned on the speed to burn his opponent and score the match-sealing try against the dangerous Kenyans, impressing Manenti with his X-factor.
"I've been waiting for him to let go," Manenti said of that try.
"I thought he had a few little half chances this morning that sort of come and go, and so I was really pleased that he backed himself and he made it look easy.
"It was like he just poked out the other side of the traffic and, you know, obviously we've seen that with his ability and that's why we wanted him so desperately to be with us.
"So hopefully we see a little bit more of that over the next couple of days."
