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SVNS Series star on players’ ‘interest’ in pursuing Rugby World Cup move

Players of Australia celebrate victory after the final match between Australia and New Zealand on day two of the HSBC SVNS at The Sevens Stadium on December 01, 2024 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Christopher Pike/Getty Images)

Australia captain Isabella Nasser has expressed excitement about the possibility of players from the HSBC SVNS Series switching to 15s ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup. The showpiece event in women’s rugby will be held in England from August 22 to September 27 next year.

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USA sevens superstar Ilona Maher, who has more Instagram followers than any other rugby player with 4.6 million, signed with Bristol Bears in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby as the social media phenomenon sets her sights on the upcoming World Cup.

That signing announcement has already sparked significant interest in PWR, with earlier reports indicating the Bears may move from Shaftesbury Park to Ashton Gate for Maher’s potential debut against Gloucester-Hartpury which could be rescheduled for January 5.

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Maher isn’t the only SVNS Series product who has at least expressed an interest in switching sports ahead of the Rugby World Cup. Former Australia captain Charlotte Caslick spoke with RugbyPass and rugby.com.au in October about the potential switch to Super Rugby Women’s.

At the last Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, Stacey Waaka, Sarah Hirini, Theresa Setefano and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe all contributed to the Black Ferns’ incredible run to the title. It seems that more SVNS Seres players will look to replicate those heroics in 2025.

“It’s definitely of interest for lots of girls, not only in our team but all over the Series,” Nasser said on RugbyPass TV’s HSBC Life on Tour in Cape Town.

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“To play both games, both platforms at a high level is incredible and it would do so much for the sport. So, 100 per cent of interest.

“Obviously, we have to earn our way there but yeah, definitely of interest.

“… There’s so much talent in sevens that could definitely transfer over to 15s and I think it would be awesome for the game.”

From Nasser’s Australia side, Levi sisters Maddison and Teagan have both previously spoken about their desire to represent the Wallaroos at the World Cup. Both Levi’s are among the world’s best players in women’s sevens, as last weekend’s triumph in Dubai showed.

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Teagan led the way with some bone-crunching stops on the defensive side of the ball and some playmaking brilliance in attack. That paved the way for Maddison to do what she so often does, which as fans around the world know means scoring tries.

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The reigning World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year was a class about during Australia’s run to a fifth consecutive Dubai Sevens crown. Levi scored 15 tries across the two-day event, which is the most by any woman in a single SVNS Series tournament ever.

But as coach Tim Walsh pointed out in an interview during the quarter-final demolition of Olympic silver medallists Canada, it’s the players around Levi that allow the try-scoring machine to shine. It’s players like captain Nasser who lay the foundations.

Nasser never stopped running at Dubai’s The Sevens Stadium, with the skipper leading by example in both attack and defence. The Queenslander scored a decisive try in the Cup Final win over New Zealand – a true captain’s knock in a thriller against the team’s big rival.

“I’m super honoured to obviously take up the captaincy role,” Nasser reflected.

“As I said before, Charlotte stepped away and she was always going to be such an important part of our team and world rugby.

“I feel really honoured. I probably haven’t really thought about it properly and looked back to see my journey but I feel really supported by my coaches and my teammates to take up this role.”

Following the Dubai Sevens, the HSBC SVNS Series heads to Cape Town’s DHL Stadium for the second event of the season. The upcoming tournament in the Western Cape will be held this weekend from December 7 to 8.

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W
Werner 2 hours ago
The All Blacks don't need overseas-based players

That's only the case if you think in terms of extremes. The reality is much more likely to be more underwhelming with only a few high profile player transmitting. I don't think you will ever find foreign 'developed' player making the majority of a team as the development rarely happens overseas, the European comps have enough talent to fill teams, they only look overseas to bolster or add something extra. Hardly be poaching uni or school boys.


1) if everyone is in the same boat then you're on equal footing and blooding new talent isn't really sink or swim. Again you're assuming entire teams are being sequestered overseas. It's not just extremes there is a middle ground. European comps aren't exactly known for poaching unproven talent ie SR or up not down to NPC.

2) maximising revenue is done through growing fanbase, cutting costs or increasing prices. How do you grow the fanbase when you exclude the foreign fans completely, how do you cut costs when clubs have to vie for expensive elite players and keep them local. Only other option is to charge fans through the nose

3) again you're assuming the current state and rules apply. New terms can be added to those players playing overseas. Think more like the FIFA setup where clubs pay the salary and the nations supplement with the added honour of representing your country.

4) depends on the contracts. Very easy to add clauses in to limit a clubs control over a player and also very easy to add advertising rights over said player. More overseas players means higher profiles and overseas fanbase


Point is there isn't a firm stance and 'locked in' rule that needs to be taken just a more aligned view of the current rugby world and the drivers there in. Flexibility is rarely a bad thing!

93 Go to comments
D
DJ 3 hours ago
Sir Steve Hansen's verdict on Scott Robertson's All Blacks

For me the 2017 B&I Lions was down to SBW’s Red Card & a couple of dodgy officiating decisions which Shag had no control over.   We all know that Officials are just as human as us & makes mistakes along the way which is a part of the game but...

 

In the 2nd Test, SBW’s Red was as clear as day so Shag can’t be blamed for a Player’s Brain Fart as I’m sure every player was/is told/taught that such offences were illegal & would be punished accordingly.

 

Then Faumuina was given a yellow card for tackling a player in the air.   Faumuina was already in the correct/legal tackle stance ready for impact before Sinkler jumped into the tackle when jumping for a rubbish pass way above his head.   In situations like that, the Player jumping into the tackle should be penalized.

 

Then in the 3rd Test towards the end of the game, Romain Poite’s abortion of a Penalty for 'Offside for a Knock-on' to a 'Scrum for Accidentally Offside' was frustrating when the Ref had prematurely blown for Offside when ALB was beyond the Penalty/Scrum mark contesting for the loose ball which could have also lead to a try.

 

When Romain Poite thought it was a Penalty, he should have allowed ‘Play On’ & if no advantage was accrued then come back for the Penalty & (then) allow the TMO, who is junior to the Ref, to override/advise the Ref that it was just ‘accidental’ offside.   But for me, it wasn’t accidental offside.   The B&I player was in front of the Knock-on, caught the ball & when he realized what he had done, he dropped the ball (in guilt).   In those days, I wasn’t overly confident in Beaudie’s Place Kicking but at least the ABs would have had a chance to pinch the game.

 

No Coaching Group, Fans etc have control over the officials.   The best/only way to remove the influence of any dodgy/subjective officiating is to play so well that the officials don’t have any decisions to make.   Simples (to say)…

 

As for RWC2019, for me, as good a servant as Kieran Read had been for the ABs, that was 1 tournament/season too far & no succession/replacement plan had been put in place.   Shag was hoping Kieran could deliver like DC did in RWC2015 when lots of folk were saying that DC was past it.   The ABs had played their 'finals' in the wins over the Boks in the opening game and the Quarters against Ireland. In the Semi the ABs were simply ambushed by the English with Tuilagi’s very early try for England setting the tone for the rest of the game.   The tactic of Scooter playing at 6 didn’t work out either.   Shag had run out of players, ideas & tactics for that England game & maybe thought that the ABs would just walk into the Final.

 

As for Fozzie, back in 2012 I was airside having a pre-flight refreshment in Edinburgh Airport on my way back having watched ABs vs Scotland the day before when I overheard a chance conversation between Shag, Fozzie & Gats.   I've even got a pic of the 3 of them together having that convo.   Shag & co. were on their way to the gate for their flight to Italy for their next Autumn game while Gats had obviously just flown in & on his way to Arrivals.   They were speaking & questioning each other about their respective games, in which Arg had beaten Wales 26-12, & some of the comments I heard Fozzie make didn’t instil a lot of confidence in me.   At the time I gave Fozzie the benefit of the doubt thinking that he must have been a good Assistant Coach because with the comments he made, he wouldn’t have ever been a good Head Coach.   The rest is history…

47 Go to comments
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