Australia’s men’s rugby sevens captain and three-time Olympian, Nick Malouf, has announced his retirement following the Paris Games. The 31-year-old made the announcement in a statement from Rugby Australia on Saturday, having played in 61 world series tournaments and scored 82 tries, totaling 410 points.
Originally starting as a flanker at the University of Queensland, Malouf joined the Australian sevens program in 2012, making his debut at the Dubai World Series tournament. He became a regular on the team over the next three years and overcame a serious knee injury in 2015.
Malouf was selected for his first Olympic appearance in 2016, where Australia reached the quarterfinals in Rio. He spent the following year with the Leicester Tigers in England before returning to the sevens program. He captained Australia at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where the team again reached the quarterfinals.
In Paris, Malouf led the Australian squad to the semifinals for the first time, only to lose to two-time defending champion Fiji, who subsequently lost the gold medal match to France.
Expressing his gratitude, Malouf stated, “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.”
Australia sevens coach John Manenti praised Malouf as an “amazing leader,” noting his success as the most accomplished Australian men’s sevens captain in terms of World Series wins, tournament victories, and Olympic performances. Manenti added that Malouf is a great person and wished him success in his future endeavors outside of rugby.