The top seven girls at Global Youth Sevens 2025

Taumoepeau-Williams was tournament MVP for good reason. The rising star from Howick College in Auckland was outstanding for New Zealand throughout the tournament and effectively led the team as captain. The Auckland Storm winger’s ability to break a game open was what stood out, as well as her physical attributes on both sides of the ball. Taumoepeau-Williams was destructive with the ball in hand, physical in the tackle, and her jackling skillset in the ruck was what set her apart from other players in the tournament. Bright future ahead as she is a talented individual who can contribute to a team in more ways than one.

Araia’s NZ Cavaliers team was the second-best team at the tournament, and a large part of that was due to the playmaker’s ability to get her team around the field. Araia’s work with the ball in hand often attracted enough attention from the defence that others found themselves in open space, which made her such a key part of the Cavaliers’ attack. One of the best steppers in the tournament, with raw pace and acceleration that made her a handful to defend throughout the three days. Missed the first half of the final for some reason, but could notice a difference in the attack when she had her hands on the ball. The Manawatu U16 rugby representative was a joy to watch and was deservedly named in the tournament team.

Another outstanding player out of Howick College and the Auckland Storm NPC side, whose raw talent explains everything you need to know about the Kiwi. In her first season at the NPC level, Motuliki won rookie of the year for Auckland and scored on debut against the Northland Kauri in 2024. For the New Zealand U18’s, Motuliki was often used as a main ball carrier into contact, where she was more often than not able to free her arms and put teammates through gaps in the opposition defence. She was always a handful to put down for her opposite number, and her skills in creating space for others were superb.

Edwards missed out on the official tournament team, but was a key cog in New Zealand U18’s victory over the weekend. Edwards often found herself on the wing, with open space in front of her, but it was her game awareness and ability to keep the ball alive that were impressive over the weekend. The New Zealand U18’s player often was forced into taking contact, but her late cuts from on the wing and offloads in the tackle was why she was used so often throughout the tournament. The New Zealand Touch representative scored some key tries for the U18’s over the course of the weekend and will no doubt be in the frame for a Super Rugby Aupiki contract in the future, with her home club, the Chiefs.

A player who needs no introduction. The Broncos NRLW and Samoan international is superb wherever she plays, but this tournament showed that whatever team the 18-year-old is in, she will excel and make that team a better unit. Sauaso was one of the youngest players in the NRLW last season, and she made a name for herself even more at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland when she played for Samoa. Her Pacific Tribe team on the weekend was strong, connected, and played an attacking brand of Sevens that lit up the Auckland tournament. Sauaso’s skills, as expected, were brilliant throughout the tournament, but her leadership and jump on my back attitude is what makes her a fantastic athlete. Her breakdown work is one of her strengths, as well as her ability to break the game open from anywhere.

Tebbutt, whose 100m best according to World Athletics is 12.16, was Rugby Vault’s secret weapon throughout the tournament. They benefited from being able to find Tebbutt in a bit of space anywhere on the field and knew that a try was likely going to come from it. Some players can often overuse their pace, but Tebbutt made sure that at times she mixed her game up, taking contact and offloading the ball to other players in space. Another one of Tebbutt’s attributes was her covering defence, chasing and tackling the ball carrier around the legs in a bootlace tackle. One to watch in the future, as her electrifying pace will differentiate her from other Sevens players.

One who may not get the spotlight that other players in the top-four sides might get, but Kerr was a standout for a Central Storm team that made the quarter-finals. Not the biggest of players, but Kerr’s desire and game nous made her stick out like a sore thumb in the white and yellow jersey. The up-and-comer from Wellington was exceptional at the fundamental skills and brought her teammates into play every time she got the ball. Never gave up on defence, and her support lines were like every great No.9, there when a break was made.