Rookie Rush 'more skilful than his dad', All Blacks 7s joke

Despite only making his World Series debut last month, Brady Rush has been soaking in the All Blacks Sevens environment for a year now.

Covid restrictions delayed his first outing in the black jersey but Rush, the son of All Blacks Sevens great Eric, finally realised his dream in Singapore - and it was worth the wait.

"It was pretty surreal actually," Rush said.

"It was buzzy because it was dad's last tournament in Singapore and was my first one so that was a pretty cool connection."

That connection made the debut even more emotional as he was handed his father's No.2 jersey while both dad and mum watched in Singapore.

"I was flooded with emotions, I had a bit of a tangi [emotional moment] before I put it on but I felt like a bloody beast when I put it on, the black jersey makes you feel unstoppable," he said.

"[Dad] just said to go out and have a crack which I think anyone tells their son."

While the All Blacks Sevens team have been unable to win the last two tournaments [second in Singapore and fifth in Vancouver], the world is starting to catch on to Rush's talents.

"I've always thought it would be what I thought it was - real fast, strong, it was out the gate.

"It was pretty good to be mixing it with the best players in the world."

His coach Clark Laidlaw said Rush has worked hard to get his game right.

"There's been a big shift around his application and preparing and we've had good chats two or three months ago around how to take him forward and kick on a little bit because he had been here a little while," said Laidlaw.

"I think it shows that he's a great example of a player getting confidence from playing and yeah mixing it at this level."

A level which his coach believes can surpass his father's and could add a third Commonwealth gold medal to the family collection in Birmingham to go with the two Eric won in his career.

"He seems a bit more skilful than his dad, don't tell Rushy that," the All Blacks Sevens coach joked.

"The biggest similarity is he's craving sevens, he loves sevens he wants to be here he doesn't want to be anywhere else.

"He's now preparing really well as a young professional and he's getting his reward by getting a back up tournament."

But before Rush and his teammates can take to the field they have a long trip ahead to Toulouse.

The team flies out Friday and will be broken into two travel units that'll take separate routes to France ahead of next weekend's tournament.