Australian sevens star Maddi Levi will not play for the Wallaroos at the World Cup later this year after the prolific try-scorer withdrew from selection consideration.
On the day she named sevens converts Charlotte Caslick and Tia Hinds to make their starting debuts against New Zealand on Saturday, Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp revealed Levi and other sevens stars, including Teagan Levi and Bella Nasser, had made themselves unavailable for the national 15-a-side team.
Earlier in the year, nine sevens players elected to have a crack at making the Wallaroos’ squad for August’s World Cup, which entailed juggling a few games in Super Rugby Women with duties on the World Sevens Series. Caslick, Hinds and Bienne Terita then chose not to return to the sevens circuit to keep pushing for the World Cup.
Maddi Levi didn’t play for the Reds due to a hand injury, but given her standing as the world’s best women’s sevens player, the Wallaroos were still planning for her to be involved in Tests this month ahead of the World Cup.
But Levi’s manager, Mat Rogers, last month expressed reservations about the switch, and suggested it would increase “animosity” from the 15s players towards the sevens players.
Maddi Levi runs away to score yet another try.Credit: Getty Images
“I just don’t think it’s an appropriate step to take now,” Rogers said on Stan Sport’s Inside Line program. “I’m speaking from Maddi’s perspective purely out of care for her. I don’t want her to be set up to fail, and I think that’s what’s happening if they pursue it further this year.
“I don’t think she can [make the transition] in the time. She’s not going to have enough game time. It’s just unfair on her, and it’s unfair on the squad to throw her in there and expect her to be a world-beater that she is in sevens. It’s too much pressure.”
Yapp revealed on Thursday that the Levi sisters, Nasser, Kahli Henwood and Sariah Paki, had elected to take a break after the sevens season. Demi Hayes is also out after suffering another knee injury.
“The other players that had initially made themselves available for 15s that went to LA have returned and now made themselves unavailable for the 15s,” Yapp said.
“They’re taking that time. It’s obviously been a long season for them. They want to prioritise their rest and recovery, which we absolutely respect. So they won’t be available moving forward.”
Yapp said she was impressed with the way Caslick, Hinds and Terita had made the switch.
“They’ve done so well, and obviously we were really upset for “BB” [Terita] with the injury because she was really embracing the 15s, but it’s looking really positive for her to make a return before [the World Cup],” Yapp said.
“But really impressed with how both Charlotte and Tia have taken this opportunity and how hard they’re working for the squad and doing all their due diligence and their homework. It has been really impressive.”
Caslick will make her run-on debut on the wing for the Wallaroos in their clash with New Zealand in Newcastle on Saturday.
The Aussie sevens players who opted to have a crack at making the Wallaroos’ World Cup squad: Demi Hayes, Isabella Nasser, Kahli Henwood, Sariah Paki, Teagan Levi, Tia Hinds, Charlotte Caslick, Maddison Levi and Bienne Terita.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
The sevens star, who came off the bench against Fiji last weekend, has replaced injured winger Maya Stewart (knee). With Terita (hamstring) and Caitlyn Halse (hamstring) also out, Georgie Friedrichs will return at centre after a broken finger and Faitala Moleka will start at fullback.
Hinds, a two-time Olympian, has also won promotion to the No.10 jersey in only her second Test.
Tahs keen to keep Edmed as benched star gets a run
Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said he was keen to keep off-contract no.10 Tane Edmed out of the grasp of the Brumbies but has counselled him to not overplay his hand in a long-awaited start against the Reds on Friday.
McKellar lauded Edmed’s attitude during a stint on the bench as he also revealed he’d been “angry” after the Waratahs loss to the Brumbies last weekend, and confirmed several senior players had been dropped to revitalise the Tahs.
Tane Edmed passing against the Fijian Drua.Credit: Getty Images
Edmed is one of six changes to the Waratahs run-on side to meet the Reds at Allianz Stadium on Friday night, replacing Lawson Creighton. Hugh Sinclair, who captained the Tahs for much of the season while Jake Gordon was injured, was left out, and so too was Wallaby centre Lalakai Foketi.
Dave Porecki, Fergus Lee-Warner and Charlie Gamble all returned to the side from injury, as well.
Edmed will start at no.10 for just the third time this season, and for the first time since round 3. The 24-year-old ended last year in the Wallabies side but has mostly been on the bench at the Waratahs, with McKellar preferring new recruit Creighton.
Edmed’s time on the bench came as he began weighing up his future, and he has a very interested suitor in Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham, who has earmarked Edmed as the man to replace the departing Noah Lolesio.
Tane Edmed’s debut for the Wallabies was cut short due to a head knock.Credit: Sportsfile via Getty Images
McKellar said he’d stressed the need for Edmed to not overplay his hand in his return to the no.10. The temptation for Edmed to try too much against the Reds is heightened, too, given he will marking Tom Lynagh and looking to impress Joe Schmidt in a small window ahead of the Lions series.
“We’ve said to all the tens you don’t need to be the best player on the field, just go out there and do your job, guide us around the park,” McKellar said.
McKellar said he was keen for Edmed to stay with the Waratahs.
“He’s a New South Wales boy, loves the Waratahs and families here and that sort of thing.” McKellar said. “Retention of all of our players is the first thing we look at before we recruit. He’s certainly in the conversation.”
With four rounds left, the Waratahs have slipped out of the top six and are now, realistically, only an outside chance of playing finals. But they can still maintain an unbeaten home record, after five wins in Sydney this year, and use that as a platform for next season.
Watch all the action from the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season on Stan Sport, the only place to watch every match live and on demand.
