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Dubai Sevens champs Australia select new debutant for SVNS Cape Town
By Finn Morton
Coach Tim Walsh has named another debutant to represent Australia for the first time on the HSBC SVNS Series ahead of this weekend’s event in Cape Town, South Africa. If MacKenzie Davis takes the field, the young gun will become Australia’s fourth debutant of the season.
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Olympian Kahli Henwood, Kiiahla Duff and Piper Simons played on the world-renowned sevens circuit for the first time at the season-opening event in Dubai. The three newcomers all contributed as Australia claimed their fifth consecutive women’s title in Dubai.
Australia started their quest for glory at the Dubai Sevens with an emphatic 54-nil win over newly promoted China before also beating Fiji and Ireland. They only conceded 12 points across those three games as the women in gold finished pool play with a +106 points differential.
Maddison Levi continued to run in a flurry of tries as the Aussies beat Olympic silver medallists Canada 39-nil in the quarter-finals and Great Britain 35-7 in the semis. But, their toughest task awaited them in the Cup Final with arch-rivals New Zealand also vying for silverware.
Faith Nathan and Teagen Levi scored early tries as the Aussies took a 12-nil lead, but Jorja Miller and Risi Pouri-Lane helped the New Zealanders hit back. But with captain Isabella Nasser running in a long-range try to end the half, the Australians would go into the break up 21-12.
The Black Ferns Sevens scored the next two tries through Theresa Setefano and Manaia Nuku, but Maddison Levi’s intercept try in the 12th minute ended up being the match-winner. That was also Levi’s 15th try in Dubai, which is a record for a women’s player at a single SVNS event.
Following their practically perfect start to the season, Australia have only made one change for Cape Town with MacKenzie Davis replacing Demi Hayes. Hayes returns home after returning from a lengthy stint on the sidelines with an ACL Injury at Dubai’s The Sevens Stadium.
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“Statistically it was one of our best tournaments in Dubai and to win with three players on debut is a testament to the program and demonstrates the depth of talent coming through,” head coach Tim Walsh said in a statement.
“We have a much more mature team now and a very balanced leadership group. A great way to kick off the new season.”
Potential debutant Davis impressed during the Next Gen Sevens in October. The 19-year-old only picked up rugby sevens two years ago after transitioning over to the sport from a touch football background.
Davis was part of the gold medal-winning Australia U18 team at the Youth Commonwealth Games and Global Youth Sevens, and he’s been part of the Australia A representative side throughout 2024.
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SVNS Cape Town is from December 7 to 8.
Catch up on the action from the HSBC SVNS Series live on RugbyPass TV, which you can sign up for HERE.
Australia Women’s Sevens team for HSBC SVNS Cape Town
Faith Nathan, Mackenzie Davis*, Teagan Levi, Charlotte Caslick, Tia Hinds, Isabella Nasser (c), Maddison Levi, Heidi Dennis, Bridget Clark, Kahli Henwood, Ruby Nicholas, Kiiahla Duff, Sariah Paki
*Denotes debut