Legacy goes on the line for Australia and their rugby sevens rivals in Paris.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The trick, according to coach Tim Walsh, is trying not to think about it.
Rugby sevens debuted in Rio 2016, when Charlotte Caslick and Sharni Smale from Australia's gold medal side became inspirational figures for many of the women they'll play alongside on Sunday.
Caslick is contracted beyond this year but contemplating a 15-a-side cameo while Smale will retire from sevens after this Olympics and so will Dominque du Toit, who was an unused travelling reserve eight years ago.
Since then NRLW, AFLW and Super Rugby Women's have taken off.
Rio golden girls Evania Pelite, Emma Tonegato and Chloe Dalton have all successfully transitioned to the domestic codes.
Current sevens sisters Maddison and Teagan Levi went the other way, lured back to rugby from the Gold Coast Suns to be the fresh faces of the program.
New Zealand won gold in Tokyo to even the ledger of a brilliant, ongoing rivalry while the French seek to emulate their men's team and storm to gold on home soil.
"Third time in the Games now and it's been very successful and certainly the women have pioneered and athletic ability and skill ability particularly in contact sport," Walsh told AAP ahead of games against South Africa and Great Britain.
"The catalyst for AFLW and NRLW and an explosion of women playing contact sport in a way that's really enjoyable and entertaining.
"It's trying to normalise it and block out those discussion but in reality it's on every four years and the one you want to win."
Walsh agrees this Olympics feels like the completion of a generational circle that began in 2016.
"It's big and that's a distraction really and what we've got to manage," he said.
"Same with New Zealand and French ... imagine them winning a medal in France and nearly all of them retiring.
"Whoever can do their job at consistent level and not get distracted will fare well."
Men's coach John Manenti, who assisted Walsh to gold in Rio then coached the women in Tokyo, has implored them to soak it up.
"It is an incredible atmosphere and it's going to come and go so quick," he said after his men finished fourth on Saturday.
"Take a minute to smell the roses."
Australian Associated Press
