Australia Sevens captains eye LA Olympics after signing new deals

Australia Sevens captains Isabella Nasser and Henry Hutchison have both signed new two-year deals through to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with Rugby Australia confirming the updates ahead of a first-of-its-kind event in Sydney.

Hutchison is already the most-capped men’s player in Australia Sevens history, and the record-breaker is now eyeing a fourth Olympic Games. ‘Hutch’ went to the 2016 Rio Games, and was also part of Team Australia squads in Tokyo and Paris.

The 29-year-old has been a core part of the Australia Men’s Sevens side for more than a decade, having debuted on the HSBC SVNS Series in 2015. Hutchison was recognised as the circuit’s Rookie of the Year and was shortlisted for the top individual honour last season.

Hutchison was nominated for SVNS Series Player of the Year after a strong end to the 2026 season, which saw Australia take out silverware in Valladolid. Tristan Leyds ultimately took out the accolade, but Hutch was named in the SVNS Dream Team in partnership with HSBC.

Nasser rose through the ranks quickly with the Australia Women’s Sevens. The Queenslander debuted at SVNS Cape Town in 2022 and took over the captaincy from Charlotte Caslick just two years later, after the Paris Games.

The 24-year-old was named in the SVNS Dream Team for 2026 after leading the Australian side to the SVNS World Championship title. Australia ended the season with Cup Final victories in Valladolid and Bordeaux, with Nasser leading that charge.

“Henry is our most-capped Men’s player in history who is now chasing a fourth Olympics campaign,” Director of High Performance, Peter Horne, said.

“He has taken his game to another level, highlighted by his recent Dream Team nomination, and he leads by example with outstanding work rate and leadership.”

Director of Women’s High Performance, Tim Walsh, added: “Bella is fiercely competitive, cares deeply about the people around her and knows when a laugh is needed. Watching her grow into the player and leader she is today has been a real privilege.

“She adds so much value to this team, but what excites me most is how much more she has to grow. Having Bella committed for the next two years gives us valuable continuity as we build towards Los Angeles and our ambition to win Olympic gold.”

Rugby Australia has made these re-signing announcements ahead of the Kick On 7s in Sydney on Friday. Then on Saturday, the sevens teams will both be in action, joining the Wallaroos and Wallabies in a historic quadruple header at Accor Stadium.

The men’s side will take on Fiji in a three-match series, while the women’s team will face arch-rivals the Black Ferns Sevens.