‘Incredible depth’: Australia ready for new SVNS Series challenge

Australia are looking to reclaim their HSBC Women’s SVNS Series throne this season, spurred on by “incredible” depth as Rugby Australia’s Junior Women’s Player of the Year Mackenzie Davis explained one month out from the season opener in Dubai.

With it all to play for at the World Championship in Los Angeles on May 3-4, Australia charged into the winner-takes-all Series fianle after a flawless three-from-three run in pool play. After beating Paris Olympics silver medallists Canada 33-7 in the semis, a familiar foe waited in the big dance.

New Zealand had fallen heartbreakingly short of the Series’ top prize 12 months earlier, with Australia scoring two tries with mere seconds on the clock to send the Kiwis packing, but the chance to go a couple better was there for the taking.

The Black Ferns Sevens stormed home with a dominant 31-7 win at Dignity Health Sports Park, which backed up their streak of three consecutive Cup Final triumphs to round out the regular season, and another title at SVNS Cape Town in December.

It’s been a long off-season for the Aussies, who are raring to go one month out from the first stop of the 2025/26 season in Dubai. With key players returning, and youngsters like Davis preparing for their second season on the circuit, the Aussies can’t wait for the season to start.

“We’re so excited for the season to come,” Davis told RugbyPass and Rugby.com.au at the 2025 Rugby Australia Awards.

“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.”

Davis was crowned the Junior Women’s Player of the Year at the Rugby Australia Awards last Friday at Sydney’s Town Hall, chosen for that honour ahead of Wallaroos fullback Caitlyn Halse and winger Waiaria Ellis.

After the first stop of the season, Australia coach Tim Walsh selected the then 19-year-old Davis in the playing squad for Cape Town. That completed a remarkable rise through the ranks, having first been noticed as a talented touch footballer.

Davis scored a hat-trick at SVNS Singapore against a confident Canadian side, and the rising star seemed to grow in confidence with every match. With a squad of talented sevens stars in her corner, Davis “felt at home” from day one in the sevens program.

“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 “