Faith Nathan and Matt Gonzalez know they don't have to look far for support when a hostile crowd awaits the Australia Sevens at the Stade de France.
The pair of Sevens superstars are preparing to take on the best of the world together as a couple at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The two have been inseparable throughout the SVNS world series as Gonzalez worked his way to his first Olympic selection.
“This is my first Olympics so it might be different for 'Faithy' but I’m really proud for both of us to be selected for this team and I couldn’t ask for a better partner by my side to go through this journey with," Gonzalez told Rugby.com.au
“It’s pretty special to have family and friends come over and support us," Nathan added.
“In Tokyo, we didn’t really get that because we were playing in a ground with no one there so it’ll be awesome to have people over there to support us along with Matt in the village as well.”
Nathan and Gonzalez were reunited in the Olympic village just 24 hours before the men open their Olympics, with the men based in Tours (two hours south of Paris) whilst the women were situated at the other end of France in Montpellier.
“We’ll be in slightly different schedules playing before the girls so there will be a lot going on but I think we’ve been pretty lucky to share a fair few (world series) tournaments together," Gonzalez said.
“We make time for each other at the end of the day and it’ll just be about doing that and if we can’t see each other we know we have the complete and utter support of one another.
“We’re in there together at the same time before we play and stay a couple days after but we’ll make it work and we’ll see each other which is really cool
“It’s really important to have that full understanding of what’s going on and we’re excited about doing it together.”
Injury has been a central part of the couple's season, with Gonzalez crediting Nathan's support for getting back from an elbow injury suffered in April that threathened to end his Olympic campaign.
“At first when the injury happened I was in a bit of a hole and I was fortunate Faithy was able to guide me through it," he said.
“She was saying to not think about what’s happening, reassuring me we’ll get through this.
“Getting selected for an Olympics is an absolute dream and the injury is now on the behind so we can focus on what’s ahead.”
For Nathan, it was focused on the mental anguish of seeing several of her 'sisters' pick up Olympic-ending injuries, especially best mate Madison Ashby, who suffered an ACL injury.
"I think when all the girls got injured, it hit me really hard because Matt and I have grown up with Madi and we’ve known her for a long time," Nathan said.
“Matt was there supporting me and making sure I was ok every day, telling me it’s okay not to be okay so we’ve been calling them to check on them, see how they’re doing and knowing that they’ve got my support which is nice.”
