It wasn't long ago that Toole was solely focused on developing within the Brumbies system, eyeing a Super Rugby debut.

But in the aftermath of the pandemic, the depleted Australian sevens team presented a chance for Toole to also don the green and gold. After making his debut at the Dubai World Rugby Sevens late last year, Toole is now part of the 13-man squad chasing gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

"I wasn't really doing sevens back when COVID was around. I was just in the Brumbies Academy," Toole said.

"Then quite a few boys left the sevens program to join other clubs and go back to 15s. It opened up an opportunity for the first leg of the series in Dubai last November, I took it, and I've been in sevens ever since."

Toole had a two-try man-of-the-match performance in their fifth-place finish at his debut tournament for Australia, and was again a standout in the final against South Africa the following week in Dubai, scoring the team's only try in a three-point loss.

"It was pretty crazy, but I loved every minute of it," Toole recalled of that whirlwind experience in Dubai.

"I think I was told two weeks beforehand [that I'd play], and there were about eight debutants, so it was a very fresh team but we managed to go alright.

"When you're playing in front of thousands of people, I've never heard or experienced anything like it. It was a bit surreal."

The former Gungahlin Eagle from Wagga Wagga said the squad is in a strong position to claim gold in Birmingham when the sevens tournament at the Commonwealth Games begins on July 29 at Coventry Stadium.

Toole's speciality as an electric X-factor with ample speed and a knack for try-scoring is expected to be influential in their gold medal campaign.

As part of a young squad featuring 12 Commonwealth Games debutants, a promising display in Birmingham could get Toole a spot in the Australian lineup at the next Olympics.

"There is the possibility that I could be involved with the Olympics team, but that's a couple of years down the track, so we'll cross that bridge when it comes," he said.

"There's a lot larger squad right now than what they had for Dubai. So it makes all the boys train really hard and it's really competitive which reflects in the results."

Toole is also hoping his success can inspire the next generation of rugby stars from the Wagga Wagga region to put on the Brumbies or Australian jersey, with Aussie Rules and rugby league more popular youth sports there.

The 22-year-old said he played Aussie Rules growing up because all his friends played, but it was in rugby with the Brumbies that he had an opportunity to turn sport into his profession.

"Being from Wagga, people don't really realise how close it can be," he said. "There's not as many opportunities in Wagga but Canberra is just down the road, so hopefully I can inspire some kids there that they can have an opportunity to play for the Brumbies too.

"You can translate a few skills to union like kicking and under the high ball catching. When I was about 17 I jumped back and started playing rugby in grade and haven't looked back."

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