The Olympic women’s rugby sevens is oh so different to the men.
It is getting ahead of itself but all the talk is that the Gold medal final of the rugby sevens will be New Zealand and Australia.
Based on this year’s World Series SVNS results it is not an outrageous perspective to have.
But it is worth noting in the men’s competition Australia was the only team in the top four of the World Series SVNS standings, (after the seven tournaments), to make the Olympic semi-finals.
The women’s competition is very different. While in the men’s only four of the twelve teams were not in with a chance of a medal.
In the women’s arguably there are only four maybe five teams with a realistic shot at a medal. But stranger things have happened.
For the Australian women a medal is a minimum, with Gold being the dream and goal.
The World Series Grand Finale in Madrid entailed a couple of Gold Medal performances. But to get Olympic Gold, despite the star power of the Aussie team, still a lot needs to go right for them.
For the casual observer, the expectation is that the Aussies will make the Gold medal match, and they should, but it is not a walk in the park.
Some have also said the Aussies are the favourites. In short no they are not, the Kiwis are easily the favourites.
There are not any real Pools of Death. In terms of finishing in the top two of the Pool arguably Pools A and B have the most competition.
If you want a dark horse to possibly stir things up, keep an eye on China.
Women’s Pools
Pool A New Zealand, Fiji, Canada, China
Pool B Australia, Ireland, Great Britain, South Africa
Pool C France, USA, Japan and Brazil
From the outside, it looks like the Aussies will be building into the tournament with Ireland expected to be the hardest of the three Pool matches.
Maddison Levi. Photo: World Rugby
Monday, July 29
Australia v South Africa, 12:00 am AEST
Australia v Great Britain, 3:30 am AEST
Australia v Ireland, 10:30 pm AEST
A few things that cannot be ignored and need to be considered.
The Aussie Sevens women’s squad has been hit by a very big injury stick.
Actually, it’s an ACL injury stick. Four ACLs. The only positive it meant picking the squad was pretty straightforward.
Sure coach Tim Walsh and the players will play down the injury losses but it cannot be ignored. In particular, the loss of Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea and her physicality is huge. So is not having Madison Ashby.
But will say Tia Hinds has stepped up as the secondary playmaker behind Charlotte Caslick.
Bella Nasser has been outstanding this season bringing much-needed physicality and punch through the middle.
In the physical stakes Teagan Levi, Bienne Terita and Sariah Paki will be vital go-to players.
Being completely biased let us hope to see Maddi Levi and Faith Nathan racking up a lot of tries.
Charlotte Caslick. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
The Aussie women still at times struggle against very physical sides like the Kiwis, USA and France. So a high-possession, error-free game is critical.
The Black Ferns will be chomping at the bit to get revenge for the loss to Australia in the Madrid semi-final. The Black Ferns also welcome back from injury taliswoman Sarah Hirini.
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and Tyla King are retiring from the sevens program so they will be more than keen to send them out winners. Also, they arguably have the best sevens player in the World Jorja Miller.
On the flip side, the Aussie women have stalwart Sharni Smale and Dom Du Doit retiring so they will want to win for them.
The French will have the crowd behind them. As Stan Sport commentator Sean Maloney described the crowd during a French men’s match, ‘heaving’.
The French have been playing very, very well and are very physical.
When Australia defeated them in the Madrid final it is worth remembering that one of their absolute stars Cecile Ciofani came off early with an injury.
It will be interesting to see how Great Britain go, as they have lost their captain Abbie Brown to injury.
While Australia has generally had their measure over the years they have brought in a couple of their Red Roses stars Ellie Kildunne and Meg Jones into the squad.
While they have not played a lot together, they may add that X factor.
In the final Pool game, you have Ireland who defeated Australia in the Perth final earlier this year.
Australia always has a tough battle against them. They have some stalwarts in Lucy Mulhall, Stacy Flood and Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe who cannot be underestimated.
Obstacles, injuries, hard work done, now it is “réaliser les rêves”…Time to make dreams come true.
Australian Women’s Olympic squad:
1. Bienne Terita
2. Sharni Smale
3. Faith Nathan
4. Dominique Du Toit
5. Teagan Levi
6. Sariah Paki
7. Charlotte Caslick (c)
8. Kaitlin Shave
9. Tia Hinds
10. Isabella Nasser
11. Maddison Levi
12. Bridget Clark
Reserves: Kahli Henwood and Sidney Taylor
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