SINGAPORE - The Australian Women's Sevens team has suffered a significant setback ahead of this weekend's HSBC SVNS series in Singapore, with captain Isabella Nasser sidelined due to injury. Nasser sustained a finger injury following the Hong Kong Sevens and has already returned to Australia for surgery, targeting a return for the World Championship in Los Angeles next month.
In Nasser's absence, playmaker Tia Hinds will step up to captain the side for the final regular-season tournament. Coach Tim Walsh has also recalled veteran player Vani Pelite to the squad following the ACT Brumbies' failure to make the Super W finals.
Pelite, who represented Australia at the Paris Olympics last year, had rejoined the Brumbies for the remainder of the season to push for selection in the Australian squad for the Women's Rugby World Cup in England. Three-time Olympian Charlotte Caslick made a similar decision, though her team, the Queensland Reds, are still in contention for the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Teagan Levi, who missed the Hong Kong Sevens due to a knee injury, and Carly Henuwood, who suffered a shoulder injury, have both been named in the 13-woman Australian squad for the Singapore SVNS.
The Australian women's team will be looking to bounce back from their final loss to rivals New Zealand at the recent Hong Kong tournament when they take to the field at the Singapore National Stadium. They also fell to New Zealand in the final of the Singapore leg last season, a match that saw a standout performance from New Zealand's Jorja Miller.
"Making the final in Hong Kong provided a lot of growth and experience for our program," Head Coach Tim Walsh said in a statement. "The present and future of the Australian Women's Sevens program is bright." He likened their youthful final appearance against New Zealand, with 11 players averaging 21 years old, to "taking a knife to a gunfight." He added, "This week is like a knockout tournament, every game is a final. It's important that we continue to grow heading into the Final in LA next month."
Nasser's absence will undoubtedly be felt this weekend. She has led the team throughout the 2024/25 season since being appointed captain just before the Dubai Sevens. Succeeding long-time leader Caslick, Nasser has already made a significant impact in the role, guiding the team to Cup victories in both Dubai and Perth. She is also the sister of Queensland Reds and Wallabies hooker, Josh Nasser.
"I'm incredibly disappointed to be missing the Singapore tournament due to injury, but thankfully it's not a long-term setback," Nasser said. "I have full faith in Tia to lead the team brilliantly this weekend, and I'm really excited for her. She's a fantastic leader in her own authentic way, and I think this is a great opportunity for her. I'll be cheering them on from home."
Men's Team Aim for Singapore Success After Hong Kong Third Place
Meanwhile, the Australian Men's Sevens team will be aiming for an even better result in Singapore after finishing third in Hong Kong. Teenager Shade Tuahine scored a dramatic try after the siren to secure a crucial victory over Fiji in their Hong Kong campaign.
Men's Head Coach Liam Barry has named an unchanged squad from the Hong Kong tournament for the Singapore leg, with Henry Hutchison and Henry Paterson continuing as co-captains. Paterson was particularly impressive last week, scoring a hat-trick against Great Britain in the quarterfinals.
"We were very disappointed to lose to Argentina in the semi-final in Hong Kong," Barry said. "We didn't take a couple of opportunities we created, and Argentina did. The team showed tremendous fight and composure to come back and beat Fiji after being down." He added, "Recovery is crucial this week with a short turnaround into Singapore. We are in a tough pool with Spain and Uruguay, so it will be like knockout rugby from day one."
Australian Women's Sevens Team (HSBC SVNS Singapore)
Piper Simons Amahlie Hala Faith Nathan Madison Levi Teagan Levi Tia Hinds (c) Maddison Levi Dominique Du Toit Carly Henuwood Vani Pelite Ruby Nicholas Kariah Duff Sariah Paki
Australian Men's Sevens Team (HSBC SVNS Singapore)
Henry Hutchison (co-c) Ben Dowling Henry Paterson (co-c) Matt Gonzalez Ben Dalton Maurice Longbottom Hayden Sargeant James Turner Shade Tuahine Dietrich Roache Josh Turner Nick Malouf Nathan Lawson
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