Demi Kennewell retires from Australian Sevens as a world champion after decade of service

Demi Kennewell has retired from rugby sevens after a decade with the Australian Women’s Sevens programme, ending her career on the highest possible note as part of the side that claimed the 2026 HSBC SVNS World Championship title in Bordeaux earlier this year.

Kennewell, originally from Mount Isa, joined the Australian Youth Sevens in 2015 and made her senior debut at the Canada Sevens in 2016, playing her first match against Brazil. Over the course of 33 tournament appearances, she played 166 matches and scored 38 tries, contributing to an extraordinary 13 SVNS Series titles. Her medal haul also includes a Commonwealth Games gold and a Rugby Sevens World Cup gold medal.

Her career was not without adversity. Kennewell missed the 2024 Paris Olympics after suffering a season-ending knee injury during qualification, and a second ACL tear cost her much of the 2025 season. She returned after seven months on the sidelines at the 2026 Vancouver Sevens and went on to play a key role in the victories over New Zealand at both the Valladolid and Bordeaux legs of the SVNS series that secured the World Championship.

“Winning the World Championship a fortnight ago was the picture-perfect finish for me,” Kennewell said in a statement. “I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better end with the girls, the wider squad and everyone who has been involved in my career. I’ve experienced the highs and lows of professional sport, from winning titles to injuries and non-selection, but overall I feel so incredibly grateful.”

Australia’s outgoing sevens coach Tim Walsh, who was this week appointed Rugby Australia’s new Director of Women’s High Performance, paid tribute to Kennewell’s character and impact on the programme.

“Demi embodies the essence of an Australian Women’s Sevens player and it’s been a privilege to work and grow with an athlete and person of her calibre,” Walsh said. “Incredibly we won 13 tournaments in her 33 caps, an incredible win-ratio of 38 per cent when she played, showing just how much of an impact she’s had on the programme.”

Walsh, who first joined the sevens programme in 2013, also recalled Kennewell’s arrival as a teenager: “She’s entered the programme as a young girl and is exiting as a strong, resilient, successful and tough woman.”

Kennewell did represent Australia at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, though the Australians were eliminated in the quarter-finals. She had been part of the squad that won the Dubai Sevens in 2024 before the second ACL injury disrupted her final seasons.