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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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ChrisP 2 hours ago
South Africa's 'universal soldier' typifies the Boks' rise to the summit of world rugby

84.61%


All sports have uncontrollable variables which can change the course of games.


You have to plan to limit the amount of “luck” required to win closely contested games but even more importantly recognise those moments when they inevitably happen and be able to adjust in real time.


So, to your point, I’m sure Rassie wouldn’t have planned to lose to the ABs in the group stage but his ability to keep the squad motivated and believing they could still go on and win the WC (even though never done before) instilled a character and belief in the players, even in the face of adversity, that can’t be ignored.


Invincibility is a mind set. An idea that when a team goes onto the pitch in any game, they’re thinking “we’ll win.” You could see this in the Arsenal invincible team where players stood in the tunnel waiting to go on to the pitch, looked at their team mates and thought “yeah, we’ve got this.” (Even they got “lucky” against Portsmouth)


If you plan to limit the variables (something Russie does exceptionally well) and luck is on your side you win three in a row by one point. When you plan to limit the variables and luck swings to the other side you lose two games by 1 point each (Ireland and Argentina)


The top end of world rugby is probably the most competitive we’ve ever seen, South Africa, New Zealand, France and Ireland all playing exceptional rugby. Even teams like England, Argentina and the Aussies, despite their inconsistency, have shown they can still win playing classy rugby against the current top four squads.


In such a competitive climate, Rassie has used some old tricks, some new (you show me an international match where a winger has taken a line out throw) in the modern game to keep opponents thinking, adjusting styles (2019 - 2024) but also in the background planned and trained the basics.


Mostly though, yip, every single team faces uncontrollable variables but Rassie has built the character and belief in every player in that squad to think that no matter what, “we can win.” The instilled belief of being unbeatable. No one else is managing that at the moment.


Simple man management is often the hardest task of all (even more so with 51 caps)


Genius (whom I to say), but I think it’s a smidgen disingenuous to write that off as myth.

21 Go to comments
D
DJ 5 hours ago
Sir Steve Hansen's verdict on Scott Robertson's All Blacks

Geez, Shag has gone down in my opinion.   His & Fozzies ‘bromance’ must be pretty intense eh?   This team, i.e. the current squad, should have the won the World Cup.   Eh?   This squad is now missing Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Aaron Cruden, Richie Mounga etc.   Even in Shag’s & Foster’s time they couldn’t make up their mind between Mounga & Beauden Barrett.   In Shag & Foster’s time, they should/could have won both the 2019 & 2023 RWCs.   Talk about carrying a grudge Shag.

 

Having said that, I agree with his sentiments about comparing SA’s & NZ’s situation.   Playing overseas doesn’t always mean the player is available & return in tip top condition.   Look at how long it took Retallick to toughen up after his spell in Japan.   The Boks flooded the NH competitions, particularly the Top14, prior to RWC23 for those players to gain experience of the NH players & stadiums.   The NH comps finished in May, they all returned to SA for a 3-4 month ‘camp’ before RWC23 started.   Plenty of time.   Since RWC23, how many of them are still playing in the NH?   Hardly any.   Kolisi even cut his contract short & returned to SA. The vast majority of the players now overseas are the Backs plying their trade in Japan.   There are so many other reasons why overseas players shouldn’t be picked for the ABs eg. Jet Lag travelling to/from the NH which the NH Clubs might not agree to allowing their players a month off to effectively play 1 test.   Maybe the teams in the East of Aus, with conditions, but no further afar.

9 Go to comments
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