Maddison Levi stars as inaugural Ultimate Sevens champions crowned

In Brentford, West London in the Gtech Community Stadium, the hallowed grounds of the past glory of the London Irish Rugby Union team, the final leg of the new Ultimate 7s series concluded in a thrilling evening of top-quality sevens.

Fans were treated to the very best of international women’s sevens, with heavily favoured Australian and Fiji-dominated Pacific Current pushed to the limit by the North American-styled Atlantic Novas in a 12-6 final.

After the final, Pacific Current captain Kahli Henwood reflected “I’m really proud of the girls and what they put in. It’s really hard to bring a group of girls together from so many cultures. English is a second language for most of them so we’ve had to adapt to them and they’ve had to adapt to them. So to come out there in the final and produce some really good performances and some plays with only three weeks under our belt is awesome. So I’m really proud.”

The six franchise teams, Clan Taran, Athletic Albion, Altantic Novas, Foundre Bleue, Sol Feroz and Pacific Current all in front of Athletic Albions ‘home ground’ in an evening of two qualifying matches, two semi-finals and grand finale to take home the trophy.

Here’s a quick round up all the best of the competition.

The Qualifiers

Match 1 – Sol Feroz 18-20 Athletic Albion

Spanish styled Sol Feroz exchanged tries like for like against the white and red ‘English glory’ Athletic Albion. Australian Olympian Kaitlin Shave took first blood for Albion with an automatic seven pointer, before GB sevens captain Emma Uren replied in kind for Sol Feroz, with seven points of her own. Ilona Zaishliuk scored wide with a one point conversion by Nicole Heavirland for Sol Feroz before Carmen Izyk took a try, with Abbie Brown opting for the one point conversion for Albion to bring the game level 13-13 with 1 minute 30 seconds to go.

An outside switch sent Kaitlin Shave for Albion’s third try from 70 metres out, for an automatic seven points. With Sol Feroz needing seven points to stay in the game and the clock red, Ruby Nicholas carved up the left hand side, but hesitated before the try line, aiming to get under the posts. Isabella Nasser covered brilliantly, taking Nicholas to ground at the 15 metre mark. With the clock dead, Sol Feroz were forced to go for the further two point conversion, but were unsuccessful. Total jeopardy at the death.

Match 2 – Clan Taran 7 – 20 Foudre Bleue

Flairy French Foudre Bleue proved too much for Celtic themed Clan Taran. Though Clan Taran scored first through Mackenzie Davis who went on the outside arc to get an automatic seven points. A great solo effort from Maria Garcia including stepping one and bumping another allowed Foudre Bleue to equalise with their own automatic seven after four minutes.

But errors for Clan Taran enabled Foudre Bleue to work their way up the pitch, before Verenaisi Ditavutu danced her way through the middle of the Clan Taran line to go in under the posts for an automatic seven.

Foudre Bleue sealed the deal when a dummy short line allowed Carmen Miranda Miralles to go down the outside, taking the one point conversion to lead 7-20 until the final siren.

The Semi-Finals

Semi-Final 1 Athletic Albion 7 – 19 Pacific Current

Champions from the second leg Pacific Current were too smooth for Athletic Albion, including a hat-trick from the face of World 7s (and Ultimate 7s), Maddison Levi.

Levi beat two to go in under the posts for an automatic 7 points in the opening minute. Athletic Albion fought back through a brilliant solo effort by Kaitlin Shave, who was in form all evening, as she shimmied past Bianca Silva to get a seven point try herself.

But it was too easy for the Pacific Current on the kick off, and a simple overlap sent Levi in for her second try unmarked, with one point conversion by Kahli Henwood.

Some superb footwork from Olympic Bronze medallist Fijian Reapi Ulunisau weaved through four breaking down the left wing, but humbly offloaded to Levi who would stroll in for her hat trick. Another one-point conversion by Kahli Henwood.

Albion put up a good fight but Pacific Current’s plan was simply to get it to Levi, which is hard to deny for the World 7s Player of the Year, who is in unbelievably rapid form. Though shoutout to Albion’s Georgie Lingham who put an absolute shot on Levi, suggesting the only way contain the speedster is to hit her hard, and early.

Semi-Final 2 Atlantic Novas 12-6 Foudre Bleue

In their first outing of the day, Atlantic Novas were fast and physical. Japan’s Chiharu Nakamura broke up the field for Atlantic Novas, before moving through Sesenieli Donu to Candian and Exeter Chief Sabrina Poulin, with Silvia Morales taking the one point conversion.

Poulin would bag her brace in a brilliant outside arc beating the Foudre Bleue defence, with Isla Norma-Bell taking the one point conversion to have Atlantic Novas leading 12-0.

Foudre Bleue matched the physicality but possession neither team maintained possession well. After a quick tap penalty, Carlota Caicoya Garcia backed herself down the outside and earnt Foudre Bleue a try back, with a one-point conversion from Carmen Miranda Miralles. But the clock ran out, with Atlantic Novas maintaining their lead to the end of the game, and headed to the first grand final.

The Final

Atlantic Novas 6 – 12 Foudre Bleue

Pressure from the kick-off forced an Atlantic Novas knock on, with Pacific Current capitalising on the scrum in the twenty-two.

Atlantic Novas GB teammates Ellie Boatman and Isla Norman-Bell would combine to deny Levi and Pacific Current’s first try on the line. Though not for long, as the beautiful stepping of Reapi Ulunisau gave her second assist to Levi that night, with Kahli Henwood taking the one-point conversion.

But Atlantic Novas used their pace and power to strike back, as Pacific Current bit high in defence, putting Ellie Boatman in space for a clinical finish, a one-point conversion by Isla Norman-Bell.

Pacific Current were under pressure and a chaotic exit almost delivered Atlantic Novas the lead before the try was disallowed for a tackle off the ball in the lead-up. Momentum ebbed for Novas as the Pacific Current stole a lineout, earned two penalties, and Atlantic Novas USA Eagles Alev Kelter was dealt a yellow card for tackling from an offside position.

With the numbers stacked Pacific Current’s Gabriela Lima of Brazil went on the outside arc to go in under the post for an automatic seven points, with one minute to go. Despite conceding a penalty in the final minute, the Current remained in control under the final siren, to take the game and the 2026 Trophy.

Post-match Levi said  “We knew whoever we’d have in the Grand Final would be tough fight and we knew we’d have to stick to our strengths and we’re building game by game and to be able to play out there and win the grand final is awesome.”

She continued  “I think it’s an awesome product to help grow as an athlete and a rugby player. We’re so used to a structured type of rugby and to be able to play in the chaotic-ness of fiji touch, I felt like I was conditioning the whole time.

“But to learn from the best of the best and play with the people you step out against is a pretty cool experience”