Connor Watson could be preparing for Olympic glory instead of a State of Origin decider if he had pursued an opportunity to represent Australia in rugby sevens.
Watson has made one of the most remarkable journeys to a NSW jersey, overcoming a career-threatening knee injury that sidelined him for 558 days. The Roosters utility will again come off the Blues bench for Wednesday’s decider, but his footballing journey could have taken a very different path.
Having impressed as a five-eighth at prestigious rugby school Knox Grammar, Watson was given a chance to trial for the Australian rugby sevens side. Not only was it an opportunity to travel the world as a professional athlete, but there was also the carrot of potentially representing his country at the Olympic Games.
“I’d spoken to the Aussie sevens,” Watson said. “They were keen for me to come; they essentially offered me a trial, but I had an offer of multiple years with money and that from the Roosters, so it was sort of a no-brainer for me.
“This was when I was just finishing school – I think I had a three-year deal from the Roosters when I was 18 or 19. I’m glad how it’s all worked out.”
Watson could well have trodden the same path as Roosters recruit Mark Nawaqanitawase. The Wallabies back will join the glamour club after he completes his Olympic commitments with the sevens side in Paris. While Watson’s versatility would have made him an asset in sevens, he will instead bring his unique skill set to the 13-man game.
Utility man: Connor Watson plays a crucial role for the NSW Blues.Credit: Rhett Wyman
“They have a couple of positions, they have wingers, a couple of halves and a few big boys [in sevens],” Watson said.
“I would have been in more of a halves role, like a link man or whatever. The prospect back then of going to the Olympics was quite appealing to me, that’s why I was considering going into the Sevens. But I think just the security of [league] and growing up, all I wanted to do was play NRL since I was five years old.”
Watson played both codes during his formative years, but found league more to his liking.
“I went down to Knox [on scholarship] and was going to play rugby and not worry about playing league for the two years while I was at school,” he said.
Connor Watson will again come off the bench for NSW in the Origin series decider.Credit: Getty Images
“I enjoyed playing rugby union, but I just found that it can be quite forward dominant; as a back, you can sometimes get a cold out there. So I ended up just having a run around on Sundays … in the South Sydney comp.
“I’d do that on Sundays, that’s how the Roosters saw me playing there. They wanted me to play SG Ball for them and the school was happy enough for me to do that. From playing SG Ball, I got contracted.”
Watson got only 17 minutes of game time on debut in NSW’s commanding 38-18 victory in Origin II. The 28-year-old said he may need to change his approach after burning up a lot of mental energy while waiting to be injected into the second half.
“I did a lot of laps – I probably almost did a little bit too much, I reckon,” he said. “For this game I’ll chill a little bit more, but I was just so pumped.
“You get that pumped up after warm up, the adrenaline’s really there, it’s something I’ll look at.”
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