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The seven must-watch superstars of the HSBC SVNS Series opener in Dubai
By Finn Morton
Rugby sevens is unlike anything else. As world-class athletes battle it out in a bid to be the best on the field, while a genuine party goes off in the stands and around the venue, the experience of going to any HSBC SVNS Series event is one that anyone would enjoy.
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Last season, the Australia women’s side and France men took out the overall Series titles after overcoming the pressure of playing at the circuit’s first World Championship. It’s almost a blur to look back on the season – there are genuinely a lot of highlights to list.
But it all started at Dubai’s The Sevens Stadium, and that will be the case again this season from November 30 to December 1. Whether you’re new to sevens or a seasoned fan, here are the seven names you need to look out for during the season-opening event this weekend.
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MARCOS MONETA (ARGENTINA MEN)
Marcos Moneta was incredibly unlucky not to make World Rugby’s Sevens Dream Team. Moneta’s form in 2023/24 was deserving of a nomination for the top Player of the Year gong, with the speedster stealing the show by guiding Argentina to history-making success on the Series.
Argentina emerged as the team to beat during the opening few rounds of last season. With Moneta lightning it up with speed to burn on the edge, Los Pumas Sevens bounced back from a second-place finish in Dubai to win Cup Finals in Cape Town, Perth and Vancouver.
But absence makes the heart grow fonder. Moneta’s importance to Los Pumas Svens became even more noticeable when the talent wasn’t there. After suffering a seemingly significant leg injury at the world-famous Hong Kong Sevens, other players were in tears.
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They may have been sitting in pole position on the HSBC SVNS Series standings at the time but that leg injury to Moneta affected the other Argentina players. Argentina fell to some poor results that weekend, and they were uncharacteristically poor the following month in Singapore too.
Ireland needed results to go their way to steal the League Winners tag at Singapore’s National Stadium but Argentina had done enough. There would be no luck of the Irish as Los Pumas Sevens were brought to tears once again, but this time in a state of celebration.
Moneta deserves praise for that. In a team that boasted world-class talent across the board that included Luciano Gonzalez, captain Santiago Alvarez, playmaker Tobias Wade and more, it’s truly fascinating to note just how much Moneta seemed to stand out last season.
Blink and you’ll miss him. Moneta possesses lightening quick pace, an unbelievable ability to create special moments out of nothing, and a knack for scoring tries when Argentina need points to go their way. There is no one on the SVNS Series quite like Marcos Moneta.
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JORJA MILLER (NEW ZEALAND)
Expectation can make or break young athletes on the rise. Pressure can lead them to either sink, swim or stagnate in the deep waters of international rugby. There’s never been a player in Black Ferns Sevens history who’s had more expectation and pressure to deal with than Jorja Miller.
In November 2023, Miller signed the longest contract that had ever been given to a female player by New Zealand Rugby. As a teenager, Miller had been earmarked as a key play for the New Zealand national team as they looked towards SVNS Series and Olympic titles.
It was 12 months ago that this writer described Miller as a “generational talent.” To point out the obvious, it’s not very obvious that a player of Miller’s talent comes around, but the New Zealander passed pretty well every test during a career-best season last time out.
The reigning Rookie of the Year took things to an all-new level with some especially impressive work around the breakdown. But, if there’s one match that stands out it’s the Singapore Sevens Cup Final, with Miller delivering a masterclass in all areas of the game.
It wasn’t a surprise to see Miller nominated for World Rugby’s Sevens Player of the Year, and it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see her win it either. Jorja Miller is a generational talent and fans should expect to see the Kiwi handle the pressure that comes with that once again.
HENRY HUTCHISON (AUSTRALIA MEN)
When the nominees were revealed for the Shawn Mackay Medals, which recognises the best player in both the Australia men’s and women’s teams, it was a surprise not to see Henry Hutchison’s name right up there with the best in the nation.
Nathan Lawson went on to win that award amid rumours of a potential code switch to the NRL with the St George Illawarra Dragons, while Dietrich Roache and Ben Dowling were also in the running. All three were deserving of their nominations, and that’s important to note.
But Hutchison is such an important part of this Australian side that it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see the 27-year-old’s name up in lights. The three-time Olympian returned from a lengthy injury spell to play a pivotal role in most of the Series and the Paris Games.
With former captain Nick Malouf retiring and coach John Manenti moving on to take up a role with San Diego Legion in Major League Rugby, the Aussie men’s sevens side is going to need leaders like Hutchison to step up if the team is going to challenge for silverware in 2024/25.
Hutchison isn’t the biggest guy but that’s never been a problem. The Sydneysider is a workhorse with a seemingly never-ending desire to keep running, and that usually leads to points or much-needed stops in defence. Hutch’s importance to this team can’t go unnoticed.
MADDISON LEVI (AUSTRALIA WOMEN)
Maddison Levi is the key to success for the Australian women’s sevens side. At just 22 years of age, the former Aussie Rules draftee has broken numerous try-scoring records, and last weekend was crowned Sevens Player of the Year at the World Rugby Awards for the first time.
To put it simply, Levi scores tries for fun. While elite-level players line in defence opposite the Australian, Levi is able to almost break tackles at will; showcasing rapid pace, unconquerable strength and an intimidating physical presence that sees her stand taller than most.
The Aussie broke her own record by scoring 69 tries in eight SVNS tournaments last season, and that purple patch continued on the world’s biggest sporting stage at the Paris Olympics with Levi crossing for a best-ever 14 five-pointers.
In a team of superstars that includes younger sister Teagan Levi, three-time Olympian Charlotte Caslick and try-scoring machine Faith Nathan, there’s absolutely no doubt that Levi was a leading not-so-secret reason behind Australia’s success on the Series last season.
Having spoken to Levi one-on-one at the Rugby Australia Awards in Sydney about one month ago, this writer can confirm that the prolific try scorer is intent on getting better. While remaining humble, Levi dismissed the idea that she was the best of the best in women’ sevens.
“The thing I like the most is that I’ll never be the best or I’ll never be good enough – which sounds pretty bad as an athlete – but you’re always constantly critiquing yourself to get better,” Levi told RugbyPass in October.
“I think that’s why as athletes we keep breaking that stereotype and we keep raining the bar to become better athletes.”
As a generational athlete with the ability to become a sporting icon in Australia, it should strike fear into the hearts of international rivals to know that Maddison Levi is nowhere close to her peak. With a burning desire to get even better, this season could be another for the ages.
OLI MATHIS (NEW ZEALAND MEN)
Oli Mathis had New Zealand sports fans talking during this year’s National Provincial Championship (NPC) season. The teenager started the season in the backrow with Waikato but ended up making a seamless transition to the wing.
Mathis showcased incredible versatility to start three of four appearances at openside flanker before dropping back to the bench. The young Kiwi wore the No. 23 jumper in a round nine loss to Canterbury, where he came off the pine to score two tries at Apollo Projects Stadium,
Fans started to murmur around then about the talent from Waikato, who started on the right wing in the quarter-final upset win over Taranaki and the semi-final loss to Wellington. But to add to this rugby tale that’s still being written, Mathis scored a try in both knockout games.
Having been part of a small press conference with Mathis last week, this writer can say that even the man himself is unsure about what his best position is. But that’s also a conversation for another day, with Mathis signing a multi-year deal with New Zealand Sevens.
Mathis boasts the breakdown and defensive skills needed to shine in the backrow, and also the try-scoring brilliance to light it up on the wing. Without piling the pressure on him, that makes the teenager the perfect mould for a sevens player.
CARISSA NORSTEN (CANADA WOMEN)
Following the last match on the 2023/24 season, the Australia women’s side and Antoine Dupont’s France were crowned overall SVNS Series champions. They celebrated on a stage at Madrid’s Civitas Metropolitano as the euphoria of victory continued to sink in.
But amongst all the celebrations, it was also time to crown some award winners after the SVNS Series season that was. Dupont was named the men’s Rookie of the Year, and the equivalent award in women’s sevens went to Canada’s Carissa Norsten.
Norsten comes from a town in Saskatchewan that has a population of around 1,000 people. The 21-year-old has come from humble beginnings but has gone on to take the sevens world by storm with a sensational first season on the circuit in 2023/24.
The Canadian claimed the rookie award ahead of fellow nominees Kaitlan Shave (Australia) and Juana Stella (Spain). With a noticeable ability to deliver under pressure on attack, as well as stand tall on the defensive side of the ball, Norsten was certainly deserving of the award.
But a couple of months after the Rookie of the Year was crowned, Norsten suited up for Team Canada at the Paris Olympics. Canada shocked sevens heavyweights France and overall SVNS Series champions Australia in the knockout rounds to book their place in a battle for gold.
Canada put up a valiant fight but went down swinging against a red-hot New Zealand outfit. Norsten is still an Olympic silver medallist, and after being named in the squad for Dubai, the sevens talent from Waldheim will be desperate to help Canada push towards Cup Final glory.
JORDAN CONROY (IRELAND MEN)
Ireland finished second overall on the SVNS Series standings last season. The men in green showed fight, consistency and passion as they recorded some confidence-building wins over the best teams in the sport, including a clinic against Argentina in the LA quarter-finals.
But the Irish didn’t win a single trophy during the season that was, which makes it quite incredible that they finished second when the round-robin was all said and done. They had been consistent to a point, but they weren’t good enough to take that next step when it counted.
It was a regular talking point with players. This writer spoke with Jordan Conroy at least a couple of times during the 2023/24 season about what it was going to take for the Irish to take that next step as a team, only for them to be bested in the semi-finals regularly.
They’ll be hurting from the Paris Olympics, with Team Ireland failing to make it past the quarter-finals. Fiji got the better of them 19-15 in a thriller, which rubbed salt into the wound after Ireland’s season of promise that didn’t lead to silverware.
But, what’s done is done.
The past is the past.
Ireland have a chance to voyage out on a new frontier in 2024/25, and that all starts at Dubai’s The Sevens Stadium. Conroy will be the main man for the green team, with the team list on the SVNS website not including Sevens Player of the Year nominee Terry Kennedy or Harry McNulty.
Conroy is a proven try scorer who is right up there with the best in the world. Mark Roche and Hugo Lennox will also be important for Ireland in their SVNS Series opener, but Conroy needs to be at his best if Ireland are to snap their curse and challenge for a trophy.
HSBC SVNS Perth takes place on 24-26 January at HBF Park. Plan your ultimate rugby weekend in Western Australia with the help of flexible travel packages including tickets and accommodation. Buy Now or Find Out More.
