Australia Sevens lock in Longbottom, Dennis as re-signing spree continues

Australia Sevens have continued their re-signing spree ahead of the 2025/26 HSBC SVNS Series, with two-time Olympian Maurice Longbottom and rising star Heidi Dennis among five who have also re-committed to the program.

Longbottom has been a core part of the Australian Men’s Sevens side for multiple seasons, with the 30-year-old adding a wealth of leadership experience and playmaking x-factor to a dangerous side on the international sevens circuit.

In February 2023, Longbottom spoke with RugbyPass about once being considered “too small” to pursue a career in rugby league. Almost three years later, Longbottom is the vice-captain of the national sevens side and is primed for another season in gold.

New Zealand-born SVNS regular Josh Turner and Ben Dalton have also put pen to paper on new deals with the men’s team. Paris Olympians Kahli Henwood and Tia Hinds re-committed to the program last week, and the re-signings for the women’s side haven’t stopped there.

In the last couple days, Australia Sevens have revealed fresh contracts for two younger players and an established SVNS campaigner. Kiiahla Duff and Heidi Dennis are back, and so is Tokyo Olympian Demi Kennewell (maiden name Hayes).

Dennis was named the Player of the Final at SVNS Perth in January, after Australia ended their title drought on home soil with a famous win over rivals New Zealand. The No. 13 scored two tries in the decider at Perth’s HBF Park.

Piper Simons, Amahli Hala and Mackenzie Davis are another three younger players confirmed to return for the next SVNS season. Davis was named the Junior Women’s Player of the Year at the Rugby Australia Awards in Sydney last month, also nominated for Rookie of the Year.

“We’re so excited for the season to come,” Rugby Australia’s Junior Women’s Player of the Year Mackenzie Davis told RugbyPass and Rugby.com.au last month.

“We’ve got amazing girls coming back from injury so the depth of our group is incredible this season.

“We’re just pushing each other this long pre-season and just getting ready for the season ahead.”

The new SVNS Series gets underway at Dubai’s The Sevens Stadium on November 29-30, before the circuit heads to Cape Town the following weekend. Singapore, Australia, Vancouver and the USA are also hosting regular season events, before the new-look World Championships.

Hong Kong China, Valladolid and Bordeaux are the three stops for the World Championships. Australia Women won the first-ever winner-takes-all Grand Final in Madrid in 2024, before New Zealand claimed the top prize in Los Angeles earlier this year.

“The standard of our playing group is incredible. We have Olympians amongst our group but they put so much time and effort into making sure that we’re all ready,” Davis said.

“Our coaching staff and our playing group just give so much confidence in one another and we support each other. I think it’s easy just to go out there and back yourself when you’re supported by such an incredible group of women.”