Nick Malouf, the captain of the Australian men’s rugby sevens team and a three-time Olympian, has announced his retirement following the Paris Games. The 31-year-old player participated in 61 world series tournaments, scoring 82 tries for a total of 410 points. His retirement announcement was made through a statement from Rugby Australia on Saturday.
Malouf began his career as a flanker with the University of Queensland before joining the Australian sevens program in 2012, making his debut in the Dubai World Series tournament. He established himself as a key player over the next three years, despite facing a significant knee injury in 2015.
His Olympic journey began in 2016 when Australia made it to the quarterfinals in Rio. The following year, Malouf played a season with the Leicester Tigers in England before returning to the sevens program. He captained Australia in his second Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, where the team again reached the quarterfinals.
In the recent Paris Games, Malouf led Australia to the semifinals for the first time, where they were defeated 31-7 by Fiji, the two-time defending champions, who ultimately lost in the gold medal final to France.
Expressing his gratitude, Malouf remarked, “I could never have believed I’d be so lucky to enjoy the last 12 years playing the game I love in the company of such great people. Rugby has given me so much and I am so thankful. What a privilege it’s been.”
John Manenti, Australia’s sevens coach, praised Malouf as an “amazing leader,” highlighting his success in World Series wins, tournament victories, and Olympic performances. He also conveyed best wishes for Malouf’s future endeavors in the business world.