Five key talking points for the Sevens program heading into 2025

Mon, Dec 23, 2024, 2:25 AM
Nathan Williamson
by Nathan Williamson
The two Sevens sides have hit the reset button as they look for results in the 2025 season. Photo: World Rugby
The two Sevens sides have hit the reset button as they look for results in the 2025 season. Photo: World Rugby

The two Sevens sides have hit the reset button as they look for results in the 2025 season.

New captains, coaches and players stepped up to finish 2024 as the SVNS World Series cemented its status as one of the most unpredictable competitions in world sport.

Catch every game of SVNS World Series LIVE, ad-free and on demand on Stan Sport.

With the fallout from the Olympics underway, Rugby.com.au looks at the five key talking points for the Sevens program in 2025.

1. New era

Tim Walsh has issued a fresh look to the Women’s Sevens side amid the plethora of ACL injuries affecting the program.

It has allowed the squad’s depth to be tested and players to make a name for themselves after years in the Australia A program.

Kahli Henwood was thrown into an Olympics without a World Series debut but looked comfortable in Dubai. On top of this, Heidi Dennis has taken on a bigger role in 2024 after her injury-interrupted season last year.

The likes of Piper Simons, Mackenzie Davis and Kiiahla Duff all got their first taste of the gold jersey in December, looking to cement a permanent spot in the 13 heading forward.

2. Barry’s home opener

Liam Barry will officially take charge of the Sevens side in Perth after watching from the stands in Dubai and Cape Town.

He takes charge of a side in rebuild mode following the departure of Nick Malouf and Nathan Lawson, with Maurice Longbottom and Dietrich Roache dealing with injuries.

The extended squad is packed with teenage talent, including recent debutants Sid Harvey and Aden Ekanayake.

With the Sevens circuit as competitive as ever, Barry needs to team firing at home to build confidence and valuable points ahead of May’s Grand Final

3. New captain in town

Bella Nasser’s opening stint as captain delivered silverware as the Aussies made it five straight wins in Dubai.

Winning in the UAE has never been a problem for Australia, it’s backing it up later in the year. This was on display in Cape Town after their fourth place finish.

The 22-year-old will be tasked with getting the best out of the squad consistently if they want to wrap up a regular season title.

Nasser looms as a central piece of the future, given the chance to leave her impact on the squad

4. Balancing the two

The majority of the Sevens stars will undergo a new challenge as they balance Super Rugby W with SVNS actions.

The likes of Charlotte Caslick, the Levi sisters and Tia Hinds will balance Sevens and 15s in a quest to feature at the 2025 World Cup.

There is crossover between Singapore and Hong Kong, with the superstars set to go between the two during the busy period.

It will add extra pressure on the players heading into the back end of the season as they look for back-to-back SVNS titles.

5. Kicking it

The biggest issue for the Men’s side in the opening rounds has been their goal-kicking following the loss of Dietrich Roache.

They showed they could match with the best, including pushing France and Argentina all the way in the quarter-finals.

However, the loss of Roache was clear to see as they failed to convert multiple kickable opportunities throughout the weekend.

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