Live

Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE starting June 12 2026

Women's rugby unearths Pearls for Rio

Australia's sevens women, genuine contenders for gold at the Rio Olympics, are set to surprise the fans this weekend in a rare home appearance.

They're not playing for the big silverware and there are no household names among them, but Australia's classy, yet unheralded, women's sevens rugby team will capture the imagination and plenty of hearts at the Sydney 7s.

Unlike their higher-profile male counterparts, the Pearls are odds-on to win a medal at this year's Rio Olympics and have already shown this season they are front-runners for gold.

The Pearls sit on top of the world series standings after winning the opening tournament in Dubai and will showcase their skills and power in a three-game series this weekend against Ireland.

Coach Tim Walsh says his team, well used to flying under the radar, is savouring the rare chance to play in front of a big, home crowd at Allianz Stadium.

"It's awesome, and that's the battle for them - changing perception of what people think, or even making perception of what people think, of women's rugby sevens," he told AAP.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

"These guys are Olympians in terms of their professionalism. They're fit, they're strong, they're lean and very entertaining and very highly skilled.

"A lot of people who haven't seen them will be very surprised by seeing what these girls can do in showcasing their sport."

Walsh, a former Australian men's sevens player, will give game time to 15 of his 20-strong squad in the three matches, while resting five injured troops, including captain Sharni Williams (knee).

He fully expects they will feed off the buzz of the sellout crowd.

"The girls do perform well in front of big crowds," he said. "All the tournaments we've won have been at the bigger stadiums in front of the bigger crowds."

Walsh is also the brains behind a 'Classic Sevens' exhibition match between Queensland and NSW which will feature former Wallabies captain Nathan Sharpe in his sevens 'debut' and Lote Tuqiri playing his first rugby match for Queensland.


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world