Women’s Rugby Takes Center Stage: Australian Sevens Side Set for Permanent Brisbane Move

The Australian women’s rugby sevens team celebrated a triumphant victory at the HSBC Madrid Rugby Sevens, securing the maiden SVNS Series Grand Final title. Led by inspirational captain Charlotte Caslick, the Aussies overcame a series of tough matchups, including a tense semi-final win over New Zealand, to emerge victorious in the winner-takes-all finale.

Preparing for the Paris Olympics

This championship-winning performance serves as the perfect preparation for the Australian women’s side as they turn their focus to the rapidly approaching Paris Olympics, where they will take on the world’s best in front of thousands at the iconic Stade de France.

Relocation to Brisbane

The success of the Australian women’s sevens team has not gone unnoticed. Rugby Australia Chairman Dan Herbert has confirmed that the national governing body is committed to the long-term future of the women’s sevens program, with plans to permanently relocate the squad to Brisbane.

“We are extremely proud of our Aussie Sevens women who have in recent years won a World Cup, a Commonwealth Games gold medal, the World Series and, just this month, the Madrid Grand Final of the latest (SVNS Series) season,” Herbert stated. “It makes perfect sense to have our elite women’s sevens program based at the same venue as our 15-a-side Wallaroos program because our strategy is to have them more closely integrated.”

The proposed move to Brisbane is contingent on the Queensland Government approving funding for a new high-performance center at the iconic Ballymore Stadium. The Ballymore complex, which has already become “an essential hub for women’s rectangular sport” in the state, according to Queensland Rugby Union Chief Executive David Hanham, would provide the Australian women’s sevens team with access to three dedicated training fields and other state-of-the-art facilities.

“Delivering the NRTC redevelopment on time and on budget for $31.5 million is proof the new Ballymore is as billed… multi-purpose and an essential hub for women’s rectangular sport in Queensland,” Hanham explained.

Inspiring the Next Generation

The relocation to Brisbane would not only strengthen the integration between the women’s sevens and 15-a-side programs, but it would also provide a platform to inspire the next generation of female rugby players. As the country prepares to host the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, where rugby sevens will feature, the Australian women’s sevens team will have the opportunity to captivate audiences and ignite excitement for the sport.

“We know rugby sevens is booming for women and girls. In 2023, there was a 26 per cent growth in sevens participation. The growth at 15s level was at 16 per cent,” Herbert noted. “RA has committed a further $3 million to the women’s game in 2024, and the move to Ballymore will be a significant investment in the future of women’s rugby in Australia.”

As the Australian women’s sevens team sets its sights on the Paris Olympics, their historic triumph in Madrid and the potential relocation to Brisbane underscore the growing prominence of women’s rugby on the global stage.

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