Williams has re-signed with the Australian sevens rugby program for 2021 as she sets her sights on securing back-to-back Olympic Games gold medals.

The 32-year-old admits her Olympic ambition looks vastly different to how it did little more than seven months ago. The globetrotting world sevens series has come to a grinding halt.

Williams' only rugby outlet is a return to the 15-a-side version with Warringah in Sydney's club competition, while sevens teammates like Charlotte Caslick, Ellia Green and Evania Pelite joined the NRLW.

The addition of another year to the Olympic cycle takes a gruelling schedule to another level for so many - yet for Williams it may serve as a blessing in disguise.

MORE RUGBY UNION

"You look at how tough it was for some of us older girls who want to go back-to-back with winning another gold medal. It's hard to get the timing right of everything, peaking at the right level for an athlete," Williams said.

"Through years and years of preparation and understanding your body, you can get yourself there. I'm really at the peak of my career. I was looking at maybe going for another stint in 2021 after the Olympics. Now I get to press that reset button.

"Some girls aren't continuing on because they've already put plans in place for 2021, and the beauty of it for me is I've been playing for so long, it's that reset button and an exciting time to see where my body can go and how far I can push it.

"It's feeling really good at the moment so I'm pretty stoked. It's a roller coaster. As an athlete you already go through that roller coaster of emotions when you're upbeat and then you've got to have some down time and get yourself back up, because you can't be on that level line all the time.

"That's prepared us for some of these unknowns that have been happening during COVID. Having the Olympics cancelled, that was massive.

"I keep saying I've stuck to the word of 'postponement'. Being postponed means there is still some hope there of the Olympics going ahead.

"You just can't have any regrets, it's full steam ahead and do what you can do to give yourself the best preparation for when that does happen."

Williams says a contract extension serves as "a security blanket" after players agreed to a 60 per cent pay cut earlier this year amid the fallout of COVID-19's impact on rugby union.

Because there were moments players wondered what the future held - Shannon Parry also re-signed and at one stage wondered if she would have to go back to teaching.

But $2.2 million in AIS funding provided a critical boost to the program in a year where sevens has effectively been wiped out.

"From playing for the love of it and the fun of it, to having some match payments, to then go full-time professional, I've been through the whole process," Williams said.

"To think we were maybe going to go backwards with our programs, we're very grateful to the AIS for coming on board and giving us more money to fund our dream of going back-to-back.