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LONG READ Paris Olympics: Women’s sevens team-by-team guide

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Rikki Swannell By Rikki Swannell
Paris Olympics: Women’s sevens team-by-team guide
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4 months ago

Twelve women’s sevens teams will set out on Sunday, 28 July, on a three-day quest for Olympic gold at Stade de France. But who will top the podium at the end of the women’s rugby sevens competition at the 2024 Olympic Games? Here’a rundown on the teams bidding to make history in Paris.

AUSTRALIA

Australia had a disaster at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics when they were stunned by Fiji in the quarter-finals – but this is an altogether different team and they will go into the tournament as joint favourites, albeit with a slight caveat. 

They have suffered a brutal run of ACL injuries, with Demi Hayes, Maddie Ashby, Lily Dick and Alysia Lefau-Fakosilea all ruled out, testing their much-vaunted depth to destruction. Bella Nasser and Tia Hinds have become increasingly critical to Australia’s cause, with the latter’s ability to be the foil for the great Charlotte Caslick, not to mention her clutch goal-kicking, could be a significant factor if Australia are to win.

Player to watch: Maddison Levi. The superstar try scorer with the rugby world at her feet, Levi scored at will all season and now has a chance to do it on the biggest stage. So often her team-mates find her and she obliges with a finishing ability like no other … keeping her out of the game must be the aim of any opponent. 

BRAZIL

Brazil has come a long way since the last Games and could make the quarter-finals, but they’ll need a bit of luck to go their way. When you consider the factors against them, it’s remarkable how competitive Brazil have become in the past season. 

In Thalia Costa they have a player who is a joy to watch in full flight. A whole-hearted side led by the inspirational Raquel Kochhann and the hard-working Luiza Campos and Marina Fioravanti, Brazil will make life uncomfortable for the teams ranked around them. 

Player to watch: Thalia Costa. One of the smallest players in the women’s sevens game, Costa’s out-and-out gas allows her to defy her size. But she’s much more than a finisher, with an impressive work rate and willingness to be Brazil’s ‘go-to’ strike weapon time and again.  

CANADA

Canada’s women’s rugby programme has always been strong, but their women’s sevens team needed a near total rebuild after internal and cultural issues saw things fall apart through Covid-19 and the Tokyo Games. 

That rebuild has seen them have the largest turnover of players of any squad since the last Games and, after a hugely challenging 2023 season, which was also blighted by injuries, the fruits of that labour have started to show. 

In the likes of Krissy Scurfield, Florence Symonds, Carissa Norsten and Fancy Bermudez, Canada has some of the most exciting talent in the game and a captain in Olivia Apps who has grown into her leadership and is flourishing as a player. If they can string three good days together, Canada will be medal contenders. 

Player to watch: Krissy Scurfield. When Scurfield burst onto the scene in 2022, coach Jack Hanratty said she had a potential to be a “rockstar” of the game. This season, Scurfield has started to live up to that billing. She’s fast, tenacious and hits like a truck on defence, so if Canada’s playmakers can get her in the game then she could have a huge influence. 

CHINA

The only team not to play on the main HSBC SVNS 2024 Series, China swept all comers on the second-tier Sevens Challenger – and beat core teams Japan and Spain on the way to earning their place back among the big guns for next season. 

They’ve only lost one tournament match all season and were dominant in securing their Olympic spot in the repechage in Monaco. Seventh at the last games, China are a well-connected, well-drilled side with a couple of real game-breakers in Chen Keyi, Liu Xiaoqian and Dou Xinrong, and a hardworking captain Yan Meiling. Every team playing China will need to be cautious.

Player to watch: Chen Keyi. The mainstay of this team for many years, Chen was often China’s everything. Now, with a few more strike weapons in the team, she can pull the strings a little more in the middle for others, while still having the individual ability to pounce.

FIJI 

Fiji stunned the women’s sevens world in Tokyo by knocking out Australia, then going within a whisker of beating New Zealand in the semi-finals, before winning the bronze medal. 

They doubled down with a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games – but since then have failed to fire. Fiji have hardly featured in the business ends of tournaments over the past season, reaching just one semi-final and rarely challenging the top sides. Despite an average season, however, opponents will be wise to be very wary of another Fijian ambush.

Player to watch: Reapi Ulunisau. She was the breakout star of the Tokyo Olympics and has become Fijiana’s most important player. Everything goes through her and she can cut teams to ribbons, but has been slowed a little by injury this season. Fiji need her on top form if they’re to threaten. 

FRANCE

The Tokyo silver medalists will be right in the mix again and are, perhaps, in better shape than they were three years ago with plenty of depth and experience in their squad. It feels like the challenge for France is more a mental one than a physical one. 

It beggars’ belief they’ve never won a world series title and haven’t fired in the finals they have made of late. With a vociferous home crowd behind them in Paris, there’s no better opportunity for this powerful French side and no one will want to be anywhere near them in a knockout game. Maintaining discipline will be critical.

Player to Watch: Camille Grassineau. There are flashier and higher-profile players in this French women’s sevens team like Séraphine Okemba, Anne-Cécile Ciofani and Caroline Drouin, but Grassineau is the heart and soul of the team. In her red headgear, she is in the thick of everything, never knows when she’s beaten, and has an almighty engine.

GREAT BRITAIN

Fourth at the last two Olympics, it’s harder to see GB repeating that feat this time. However, this squad is nothing if not resilient and, despite being perhaps the least resourced programme of any side and the only team that doesn’t train together day-in-day out, they have a couple of world-class players to build their attacking game around. 

The loss of Abbie Brown to injury is unfortunate, but Emma Uren has deputised superbly for most of the season and will benefit massively from the return of Meg Jones to help shoulder the leadership load. 

They’ve struggled to consistently reach quarter-finals this season, and with a challenging pool, will need to keep a close eye on their for-and-against tally in the race for the top eight. 

Player to watch: Ellie Kildunne. If France have added the world’s best player to their men’s team, perhaps GB has done the same in the women’s division. England’s XVs fullback has been in stunning form this season and there’s huge expectation on Kildunne to translate that to the sevens field. 

IRELAND

Since the highs of their first-ever tournament win in Perth in January, Ireland have become something of an enigma – it’s almost as if they’ve been trying too hard since that famous victory. 

With a core group that have been together for years and younger players like Erin King and Megan Burns established and comfortable in their roles, the first-time Olympic qualifiers have a well-rounded squad who use their set-piece effectively. 

The return of captain Lucy Rock (Mulhall) is a huge boost; she’s the ‘follow me’ kind of leader that galvanises a team and her ability to unleash attacking weapons Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe and Beibhinn Parsons is key.

Player to watch: Lucy Rock. Whether Ireland’s captain can come back from a serious injury suffered in March and be the force she so often is, is the big question around this Ireland team. She is the key architect of their attack and a linchpin in defence. As president of her fan club, I hope to see her back to her best. 

JAPAN

Japan have become such a fun team to watch and have shown that they’re capable of upsetting more fancied rivals. They were one spilled pass away from an upset of Australia in the Hong Kong quarter-finals and didn’t blink in Madrid when they were fighting to retain their series status. 

With a possession-heavy style that relies on a massive work rate, an impressive passing and support game and a tenacity in defence, Japan are becoming increasingly comfortable on the big stage.

Player to watch: Yume Hirano. The absolute key to all Japan does. She has the ability to set her team-mates away with her great game smarts, but with fabulous footwork and a good turn of pace she has the capacity to change a game single-handedly.

NEW ZEALAND

At times it’s hard to find a weakness in New Zealand’s armour, yet this season they’ve also shown signs of fallibility and a brittleness in defence that hasn’t been there in the past. 

However, this team – joint favourites for gold with Australia – is full of proven winners, who’ve performed under pressure time and time again, and who had a wake-up call in the loss to Australia in the Madrid semi-finals. 

Throw in the imminent retirements of all-time leading try-scorer Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, all-time points scorer Tyla King and the remarkable return from injury of talismanic captain Sarah Hirini and there’s a couple of additional incentives for a New Zealand team that already has plenty.

Player to watch: Jorja Miller. Staking a claim as the world’s best player, having been named rookie of the year just last season, Miller at times defies belief. A tyro in defence with an engine that never stops, the way she can nonchalantly ghost around the outside of defenders and weave her way through an opposition makes her the ultimate threat.  

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa will be at their first-ever Olympics, having been denied a place by their national Olympic Committee in Rio and Tokyo. 

It represents a string of firsts for a union that has long dominated in the men’s game and is now resourcing its women’s sevens and 15s programmes, and while they’ll be hard pushed to challenge for the quarter-finals, these Games are another step forward for their fledgling set-up. 

Although they’ve now lost their place for next season, South Africa showed glimpses of what they could become during their first season as a core team on the world series. 

Player to watch: Nadine Roos. No team is so reliant on an individual as South Africa is on Roos – and she never lets them down. With electric pace and tremendous work ethic, her ability to kick in behind for herself has been a feature this season and will certainly be on display in Paris. 

USA 

Another team devastated by an early exit in Tokyo, USA have been consistent performers in the seasons since without having the big tournament win to validate their credentials. 

A strong, physical team with an ability to grind when needed, they’ll be looking for a more threatening attacking game to go with their hard-nosed defence. 

USA have a balanced mix of veteran experience and newer faces in their women’s sevens squad, while players like Alex  ‘Spiff’ Sedrick and Sarah Levy have elevated their game this season to give them a well-rounded look, so if they can find a bit of x-factor, expect to see USA in the mix. 

Player to watch: Ariana Ramsey. Ramsey will be looking to create some better Olympic memories after rupturing her ACL in pool play in Tokyo. In her short world series career (Ramsey only made her debut in 2023), she’s shown glimpses that she’s developing into the quality finisher that USA need. 

 

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