Aussie star’s big World Cup move

World Rugby Sevens player of the year Maddison Levi has put a bigger space between any potential shift to the NRLW by linking up with the Queensland Reds women’s team with a view to playing for the Wallaroos in the 2025 World Cup.

Levi had became a target for a code-swap after the try-scoring machine dominated the Sevens scene for Australia with the Wests Tigers and Gold Coast Titans approaching her and fellow sevens gun sister Teagan about joining them for the 2025 season.

Both vowed to honour their contracts with Rugby Australia and added next year’s World Cup to their ambitions and will both play with the Reds, along with superstar Sevens teammate and Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Caslick in the women’s Super Rugby competition to try to push their claims.

They are among nine members of the Australian Sevens program who will join pre-season training at their respective clubs next week and look to take advantage of a gap in next year’s Sevens schedule to test themselves in the elite competition with Wallaroos Head Coach Jo Yapp keeping a close eye on their progress.

There is a four-week break in the Sevens schedule next year which could allow the players to participate in at least two rounds of Super Rugby Women’s in March.

The Wallaroos will also play seven Tests before a final squad is picked for the Rugby World Cup in England at the end of the year.

Yapp said a meeting with Australian Women’s Sevens Head Coach Tim Walsh settled on the plan to give players including the Levi sisters the chance to “prove themselves”.

“After Tim and I met collectively with players from our 7s program, we were really pleased how many have put their hands up,” she said.

“Super Rugby Women’s will offer invaluable game time and experience for each player.

“It is an immense honour to pull on the Wallaroos jersey and we need to ensure that all players are given the opportunity to prove themselves whilst keeping our team values at the heart of everything we do.”

Sevens coach Walsh said the extra experience could also aid the long-term quest to win a medal at the 2028 LA Olympics, which come before the 2029 World Cup which will be held in Australia

“Individualised performance modelling is the key to both programs delivering sustained success,” he said.

“It will need to be a carefully planned and well executed strategy, and done well will provide a competitive advantage for the immediate future and the long-term leading into the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and a home Rugby World Cup in 2029.”