'Quadzilla' Trae Williams told to 'run fast' in rugby sevens debut for Australia

news.com.au

4 Dec, 2019 05:39 PM2 mins to read

Trae Williams (R) is about to make his mark on the rugby field. Photo / Instagram.

The advice for Australian sprinter Trae Williams turned rugby sevens player ahead of his debut this weekend is pretty simple. 'Run fast'.

That's the message from Australian sevens coach Tim Walsh ahead of the Sevens World Series in Dubai this weekend.

Williams who switched from athletics to sevens in May, has a 100m personal best of 10.10 seconds, ranking him fifth on the Australian all-time list.

The 22-year-old Williams, nicknamed "Quadzilla" because of his massive legs, has earned the call-up after impressing in pre-season.

"I'm not expecting much from him over the weekend at all," Walsh told AAP.

"I really want him to enjoy himself and to get a feel for it and the players around him will hopefully allow him, or create space for him, to use his weapon – speed.

"It's a huge occasion and despite his background and the work he's done, it's still a massive step so there's absolutely no pressure on him."

Williams played schoolboy rugby and rugby league in Brisbane and attended academy training sessions with NRL club North Queensland in 2014.

"I'm really excited about this new adventure with the Aussie 7s," Williams said in May after signing a contract with Rugby Australia through until 2021.

"I've always loved rugby and to be able to potentially chase an Olympic dream through rugby is something I never expected. I want to grab this opportunity with both hands."