Quade Cooper admits he faces a big challenge to establish himself in Australia's rugby sevens team for the Rio Olympics, as good mate Sonny Bill Williams has confirmed.
France-based Cooper returned to Sydney on Tuesday and immediately began training with the Australian squad for his debut in this weekend's Sevens World Series round at Allianz Stadium.
The former Wallabies playmaker has only secured a release from his club Toulon to play in three rounds of the World Series, giving him little time to adapt to the very different tactics and demands of the high-paced sevens game.
"It's a game I haven't played much of and I am under no illusions that it is going to be difficult," Cooper said.
Cooper revealed he had already spoken to Williams, the dual international superstar who made an up and down sevens debut for New Zealand in the World Series event in Wellington last weekend.