'Learning to walk again': Aussie 7s ace opens up about devastating injury

Defending World Series champions Australia will be desperate to bounce back in Los Angeles this weekend following their disappointing result at the Sydney Sevens last month.

But they’ll have to do it without one of their inspirational leaders.

Australian Sevens ace Henry Hutchison will miss the rest of this year’s World Series campaign after sustaining serious injuries to his right knee and left ACL at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium.

Hutchison, who captained the team throughout that event, attempted to play through the pain before leaving the field with a grimace on his face.

As the 26-year-old was helped from the field, the despair, agony and frustration was clear for all to see. But his injuries were far worse than fans probably imagined.

The Sevens veteran had sprained his wrist and broken several ribs during the World Series leg in Hamilton the week before, but it didn’t bother him.

For Hutchison, it’s all part of being a professional at the highest level. The speedster bleeds green and gold, and just wants to do his country proud whenever he takes the field.

Speaking with RugbyPass and Rugby.com.au about two weeks post-surgery, Hutchison opened up about the injury and why he has no regrets.

“Things could have been very different,” Hutchison told RugbyPass and Rugby.com.au.

“I could have continued on and kept playing, the boys are in LA soaking up the sun, getting ready to play the LA Sevens. I think yesterday when they landed, I opened up my Instagram and all I could see was them at Venice Beach.

“You can lose sleep over it (but) at the end of the day it was my decision to play, and that’s the type of player I am, the player I’d like to show my teammates that playing with niggles and playing with injuries is part of the deal of being a professional rugby player.

“I think playing at home also gave me that extra drive that I wanted to go out and show the rugby community in Sydney, put on a good show, so that was a big driver for me to play.

“Injuries are a part of it. ACL, fractured wrist, broken ribs, whatever it is, they come with the territory of playing football.

“I guess the rugby Gods decided it was my time to have a stint on the sideline.”

Playing against France in the Cup quarterfinals, Hutchison “heard a bop” after stepping into contact – a symptom of an ACL injury that he described as “pretty typical.”

After falling to the ground “like a sack of potatoes”, the veteran attempted to play through the game, and even got to halftime.

But as his body began to cool down, the pain and extent of the injury became clearer to Hutchison. After falling back down early in the second-half, he knew it was time to come off.

While his teammates are preparing to take the field in the City of Angels this weekend, Hutchison is Canberra getting around on crutches.

In fact, he’s “learning to walk again.”

“Responded well the surgery, the surgeon did a good job so that all went pretty smoothy,” he added.

“However, I did find myself pushing the knee a little bit too soon, a little bit early so I’m down in Canberra now and I’m working with Tim McGrath who’s the guru in the Australian landscape on ACLs.

“My homework is ‘less is more’ for this period of the rehab stage, so I’m learning to walk again and nothing else.”

Every event on the World Series is crucial, and this weekend’s leg in LA will be no different.

The top four nations at the end of the season automatically qualify for next year’s Olympic Games.