Nasser targets HSBC SVNS title and 2028 gold to honour women's rugby pioneers

Isabella Nasser arrives at the HSBC SVNS World Championship’s penultimate leg in Valladolid this weekend with a clear mission: end Australia’s losing streak against New Zealand and keep alive a winner-take-all finale in Bordeaux. The Australia Sevens co-captain is preparing for her 25th Sevens tournament, carrying the weight of a dynasty — her father Brendan was part of the Wallabies’ 1991 Rugby World Cup-winning squad, and her brother Josh made his Test debut in 2024.

The stakes in Valladolid are significant. The finals table reset means that if Australia reach the final and beat the Black Ferns Sevens, the Championship title will be decided in Bordeaux — a dramatic reversal of fortune given New Zealand’s dominance across the regular season.

“Every match we play them it comes down to the rub of the green really, because we’re both very good sides,” Nasser told ABC News. “That one in Hong Kong really hurt. I felt it could have gone either way. That was definitely a close game, but New Zealand got the better of us for that one, unfortunately.”

Nasser’s connection to Sevens runs deeper than results. She traces her passion for the format to Australia’s gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, a moment she describes as transformative for women’s rugby.

“It changed everything for young girls aspiring to play rugby,” she said. “I never looked at rugby as a female sport until that moment. I feel there’s no other words to describe it other than inspiring. They paved the way for the opportunities we’ve got now and where women’s rugby is heading.”

That inspiration now fuels a longer-term ambition. Having missed the podium at both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics, Australia’s ultimate target is reclaiming gold at Los Angeles 2028 — a full-circle moment Nasser believes would resonate far beyond the team itself.

“It wouldn’t only be so wonderful for us individually and the team, but it would hopefully inspire so many other young girls hoping to be in our position one day,” she said.

Looking further ahead, Nasser has not ruled out transitioning to the 15s game, with the 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup on home soil a compelling draw. “My focus now is very much sevens, but I’d love to experience the 15s path, particularly leading into a home World Cup in 2029,” she said. “I think that would be pretty epic to play in and something I’ll definitely look at in a few years’ time.”

Australia open their Valladolid campaign in Pool B against the USA, Fiji, and South Africa.