Olympic pain for Sevens' Malouf

Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 1:29 AM
Beth Newman
by Beth Newman

Nick Malouf’s Olympics dream is over, with the Sevens player rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament for the second time in a year.

Malouf originally ruptured his ACL in September, after playing every match in the previous two Sevens series, in a training drill.

Eight months on, Malouf found himself in an almost identical situation, injuring his knee in an innocuous training drill.

Speaking to rugby.com.au last week, Malouf was optimistic about his chances for Rio, having returned to training.

“I’m just transitioning back into training now,” he said.

“I’ve done a few contact sessions to get all that anger out that I've had over the last six months and running around and it’s good to be back with the boys again.”

Malouf debuted for the Sevens in 2012 and developed into one of the side’s most important players before his injury last season.

The 22-year-old is one of a long list of injured Sevens stars, including Pama Fou (shoulder), Tom Lucas (knee), Henry Speight (face), Simon Kennewell (ankle), Tom Cusack (wrist), Greg Jeloudev(foot) and Henry Hutchison (foot), Lewis Holland (syndesmosis) and Nick Cummins (ankle).

The Australian Men’s Sevens team plays its next tournament in Paris on May 13-15.

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