Australian women win Rugby Sevens Dubai World Series ahead of Commonwealth Games, results
They are best mates and now these Rugby Sevens young guns are international stars together after playing a pivotal role in Australia’s magnificent World Series success in Dubai.
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They have grown up together, played with and against each other for years and now two-try hero Madison Ashby and great mate Faith Nathan have starred together in a sensational win by the Australian women’s rugby seven side.
For the first time in almost four years, the Australian women claimed back-to-back World Series crowns with their second tournament win in Dubai in just sevens days.
With Ashby and Nathan playing starring roles along with veteran Charlotte Caslick, the Australians beat Fiji 15-5 to lift an impressive piece of silverware with just six on the pitch after. Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea was controversally sin-binned.
A week ago they beat Fiki 27-15 for a much-celebrated World Series win after a disapponting result at the Tokyo Olympics.
Northern beaches duo Ashby and Nathan were standouts with the former scoring two tries and the latter named player of the final.
At the end of the tournament Nathan has scored a sensational six tries for Australia - one in every match.
“I am so happy,’’ Nathan said. “This team have worked so hard over the last fortnight and we can build from here.”
Caslick also racked up six tries in the tournament.
“We are stoked,’’ said Australian captain Demi Hayes. “We came to Dubai to win two tournaments and that is what we have done.
“We knew that Fiji are a physical side, so we tried to play with width and move them around the pitch and we battled really hard.’’
With the Sydney Sevens cancelled last month, the next tournament for Australia will be in Spain in January.
AUSTRALIAN WOMEN WIN DUBAI WORLD CUP
A revitalised team boasting teenagers, World Series rookies and rock stars of the international game has returned Australia to the top of the heap in Rugby Sevens.
They were disappointed with their performance at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this year and determined to make amends and that’s what this new-look Australian women’s teams did in Dubai as they swept the competition to lift the winners trophy.
Bursting with youth, enthusiasm and the wily ways of an established stars like Charlotte Caslick and Warringah rugby gun Sharni Williams, the Australian women strung together five victories en route to their sensational win at the Dubai Sevens.
Caslick, the player of the final, notching up her 100th World Series try at the event while Williams celebrated a try-scoring half-century during her 36th tournament.
RUGBY SEVENS WORLD SERIES DUBAI RESULTS, TOP AUSTRALIAN PERFORMERS
The Australian side, now with eight players under the age of 22, failed to play their way out of the quarter-finals in Tokyo but in Dubai scored a walloping 163 points while conceding just 39.
In the grand final they defeated Fiji 22-7 with Demi Hayes, one of the more senior players at 23, starring with a double alongside fellow scorers Lily Dick and Charlotte Caslick.
And it's @Aussie7s who are crowned champions at the Emirates #Dubai7s! ðŸ†
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) November 27, 2021
The women in green and gold were in outstanding form throughout the tournament and are worthy winners!#HSBC7spic.twitter.com/VIAuFwSI5o
Caslick was the most effective player at the event and No.1 on the performance tracker. She also scored five tries at the tournament as did teammate Hayes.
Batlow-born Williams topped the list for most points scored with 34 with Caslick third on this list with 25 and Hayes also 25.
Williams was also ranked eighth on the impact table with seven tries, four breaks, four offloads and 16 carries. Caslick racked up 14 tackles, six breaks, eight offloads and 23 carries
Caslick also topped the offloads with young Randwick teammate Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea making seven.
Hands up who's absolutely astonished to see @CharlieCaslick at the top of the DHL Impact Player standings? The @Aussie7s superstar was in rich form from start to finish and heads a high-quality field @DHLRugby | #DHLImpactPlayerpic.twitter.com/7LQatKpkVc
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) November 27, 2021
Australia beat the US 45-5 in the first match of the tournament, then Spain 34-0, Brazil 38-5 and France 24-22.
Lily Dick scored four tries at the event as did Williams while northern beaches youngster Faith Nathan scored two.
“As a team, we had a lot of discussion around making sure we had a positive attitude in all of our matches and then leaving everything out on the field in the final, and the team was fantastic in doing this,’’ Hayes said.
“I’m incredibly proud of the efforts of the entire squad, we go from one through to twenty, and every member alongside the coaching staff played a part in our success this weekend.’’
AUSTRALIAN TEAM FOR DUBAI WORLD SERIES SEVENS RUGBY
The team to play in the Dubai World Series this weekend is one of the youngest fielded by Australia in any sport with an extraordinary eight sevens players under the age of 22.
And half of these players are set to make their World Series debut at the tournament - including Sydney teenager Tia Hines who was a late selection for the Olympic Games in Tokyo earlier this year.
Selectors have adopted a youth policy as the team amps up it’s preparations for next year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and then the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Australian women’s team won Rugby Sevens first ever Olympic gold medal in Rio but failed to make it out of the quarter-finals after a 14-12 defeat at the hands of Fiji.
Joining Sutherland Shire athlete Tia Hinds as a potential World Series debutant are fellow Tokyo Olympians Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea and Madi Levi and new recruit Teagan Levi.
Other youngsters in the side include northern beaches pair and best mates Faith Nathan and Maddy Ashby.
Sharni Williams, with 35, and Charlotte Caslick, with 33, have more caps between them than the entire rest of the Australian Rugby Sevens team in Dubai.
“There is no fear or expectations with this youthful side, it’s a great opportunity for them to express themselves and continue to grow, to highlight the work they’ve done and be resilient enough to adapt to everything the World Series can throw,’’ said coach John Manenti.
“It’s an action packed year with the Commonwealth Games and a World Cup so I look forward to seeing who puts their hand up for the privilege of wearing the gold jersey.”
AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S SEVENS TEAM FOR DUBAI WORLD SERIES
Sharni Williams, 35 caps, Lily Dick 5 caps, Faith Nathan 4 caps, Dominique Du Toit 15 caps, Rhiannon Byers 5 caps, Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea*, Charlotte Caslick 33 caps, Madison Ashby 5 caps, Tia Hinds*, Sariah Paki 10 caps, Demi Hayes 12 caps, Maddison Levi*, Teagan Levi*. *denotes uncapped Sevens World Series
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