Maurice Longbottom is testament to how one moment can change your life.
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Now ensconced as one of the stars of the Australian men's sevens side, the 26-year old's ascension has been as fast as his feet.
"I'd never played union before I played one game of sevens four years ago and it changed everything for me," he recalled.
The former South Sydney junior was catapulted into the national program and made his debut in the 2017 Munich Oktoberfest 7s, where he played a starring role as they won their first silverware since 2012.
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Since then the man they call 'Moz' has become one of the most exciting talents in the game and one of Australia's biggest strike weapons.
Local rugby fans got the chance to see what the fuss is all about at Narrabri on Friday and Saturday, as Longbottom and his fellow Tokyo aspirants ramped up their quest for a spot on the plane in July as part of the Santos Festival of Rugby.
Taking on the NSW and Queensland sides, and an Australian Pacific outfit, it was the first of two Olympic trial tournaments the Aussie men will be involved in in the region in as many weeks. This Friday and Saturday they are in Armidale.
Back in full time training since just before Christmas, Longbottom said it was nice be playing some footy again, and great to be able to come out to the country.
"Because we haven't been able to tour for nine months it's good. It's like we're back on tour and everyone's a bit happier, and we're all a bit chirpy so it's good for us," he said.
Tokyo would be his first Olympics and is never far from his thoughts.
"That's the end goal, that's what we're here working hard for," Longbottom said.
"We're playing these games so we can better ourselves and see what we need to work on as a team and what needs to improve."
"It's massive and it's always in the back of our minds in training, out here."
Noted as a magician, Longbottom said he loves "everything" about the game.
"The speed of it, the amount of people on the field; there's just so many opportunities to score tries," he said.
