Australia have just given their Toyko Olympics chances a Rocket boost

Veteran flyer Rod Davies has signed a two-year deal with the Australian men's sevens squad as they push to qualify for next year's Tokyo Olympics.

Known as the Rocket, Davies played for Australia in the 2018-2019 Sevens World Series where he appeared at the Canada Sevens, before returning for duties with the Western Force.

Head coach Tim Walsh said 30-year-old Davies would add maturity and speed to the line-up. “Rod has a professional maturity and ruthless edge in the way he applies his trade," Walsh said. 

"An experienced rugby player, he will bolster our depth in speed and mental toughness as we continue to build ahead of our Olympic qualification."

Davies won the Super Rugby title with Queensland in 2011 while he has also played in the French Top 14 with Biarritz. A one-Test Wallabies winger in 2011, Davies said the qualifying for the Olympics was his goal.

“It’s a young team, although I am inexperienced with sevens, I have been around rugby for a long time so I can bring some experience to the squad," he said.

“One of my goals is to help this team qualify for the Olympics and to put on a jersey at an Olympic Games would be very special for me.”

Davies returned to Australia after stints in Japan and France to play for the Force in 2018 and was drafted in by the Australian sevens team for the Vancouver leg of the World Series earlier this year.

Walsh told RUGBY.com.au: “Speed is what we were chasing but then you add his maturity, his professionalism, his defence and it’s a really good acquisition for us in many aspects, on and off the field.

"He is someone who really knows his trade. You know how to be professional, you know what’s going to work and you can start challenging yourself in different ways, such as mentoring and also leading. 

“Rocket has a very unique style in which he plays but also leads, and he does that by example. He is going to bring that jet speed but he also has all the other attributes that are clinical.”

- AAP

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