Australia national rugby sevens team

The Australia national rugby sevens team represent Australia in men's rugby sevens. The team participates in the annual World Rugby Sevens Series competition and the quadrennial Rugby World Cup Sevens. Australia, being a member of the Commonwealth, also compete in the quadrennial rugby sevens event at the Commonwealth Games, as well as the Summer Olympics. Australia's best performance at the Commonwealth Games was silver at Delhi 2010, while at the Summer Olympics it is fourth at Paris 2024.

Team name The Australia national sevens side does not have a nickname as of 2016. The team is sometimes erroneously referred to as the Aussie Thunderbolts in sections of the media, but that name refers to Australia's developmental sevens side (the second team) rather than the official national team.

At the inaugural Hong Kong Sevens tournament in 1976, Australia was represented by a selected team under the name Wallaroos, originally the name of one of the foundation clubs of the Southern Rugby Union in 1874, but now used for the Australian women's team in 15-a-side rugby. Australia has also been represented at international sevens tournaments by the Australian Barbarians club.

Tournament record

A red box around the year indicates a tournament played in Australia. An asterisk (*) indicates a shared placing.

Rugby World Cup Sevens Rugby World Cup 7sYearRoundPosition 1993Final 10 7 3 0 1997Quarterfinals5*5 3 1 1 2001Final 8 7 1 0 2005Semifinals* 7 5 2 0 2009Plate final10 6 3 3 0 2013Quarterfinals5* 4 2 1 1 2018Challenge final10 4 2 2 0 2022Bronze Final4 4 2 2 0 2026to be determinedTotal0 Titles8/848 31 15 2

World Games World Games Rugby 7s YearRoundPosition 2001Final 6 5 1 0 2005did not participate 2009 2013Total0 Titles1/4 6 5 1 0

Olympic Games Olympic Games Rugby 7sYearRoundPosition 2016Quarter-finals86240 2020Quarter-finals76240 2024Bronze match46 4 2 0 2028to be determined 2032Qualified as hostTotal0 Titles3/3 18 8 10 0

Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games 7sYearRoundPosition 1998Third playoff 5 4 1 0 2002 Quarterfinals5* 4 3 1 0 2006Third playoff4 6 3 3 0 2010Final 6 4 2 0 2014 Third playoff 6 5 1 0 2018Fifth playoff5 5 4 1 0 2022 Third playoff 4 6 3 3 0Total0 Titles6/638 26 12 0

Oceania Sevens Oceania Rugby 7sYearRoundPosition 2008did not participate 2009 2010 Final 6 6 0 0 2011 Third playoff 4 7 4 3 0 2012 Final 6 6 0 0 2013 Third playoff 6 4 2 0 2014 Third playoff 4 6 4 2 0 2015 Final 6 6 0 0 2016 Third playoff 6 4 2 0 2017 Semifinals* 4 3 1 0 2018 Third playoff 4 5 3 2 0 2019 Final 6 6 0 0 2021 round-robin 5 1 4 0 2022 round-robin 6 4 2 0 2023Seventh playoff 7 5 3 2 0 2024 Fifth playoff 5 6 4 2 0 2025to be determinedTotal4 Titles13/1675 55 20 0 Notes: a. Rugby Sevens was discontinued at the World Games after 2013 due to the sport returning to the Olympics in 2016.

b. Australia VII or development team entered

World Rugby Sevens Series

Key to tournament locationsAfrica and Middle East Americas Oceania

2000s

World Sevens SeriesI99–00II00–01III01–02IV02–03V03–04 5th Dubaird* Dubai no status** Dubaird* Dubai 6th Dubai 5th Stellenboschrd* Durban 5th Durbanrd* George 7th* George rd* Wellington st Wellington 7th* Wellingtonrd* Wellington 10th Wellingtonnd Brisbane cancelled‡ Brisbane st Brisbane 5th Brisbane –rd* Suva – – – – 5th – 7th* Santiago – 9th Los Angelesrd* –† 5th – – rd* Hong Kongrd* Hong Kong 5th* Hong Kong 5th* Hong Kong 5th* Hong Kongrd* Tokyond Tokyord* Singaporecancelled §Singapore 7th* Singapore –st Shanghaird* Beijingcancelled§Beijing – –st Kuala Lumpurrd* Kuala Lumpur – – –nd London 5th London 5th London 7th* Londonrd* Parisnd Cardiffrd* Cardiff 6th Cardiff 6th Bordeaux 10/10118 pts rd 9/9150 pts nd 11/11108 pts 5th 7/7 66 pts 5th 8/8 34 pts 8th Notes: * Shared placing (play-off matches for third were eventually introduced in 2012). ** Downgraded to non-series status in wake of September 11 attacks in 2001. † Mar del Plata hosted the Sevens World Cup instead of a leg in the 2001 series. ‡ Tournament cancelled by IRB in response to government sanctions against Fiji. § Tournament cancelled due to concerns about the SARS outbreak in Asia in 2002.

IRB Sevens World SeriesVI04–05VII05–06VIII06–07IX07–08X08–09 7th* Dubai 7th* Dubai 7th* Dubai 9th Dubai 7th* Dubai 9th George 7th* George 9th George 11th* George 10th George 5th Wellington 7th* Wellington 11th* Wellingtonrd* Wellington 11th* Wellington – – 5th Adelaide 7th* Adelaide 6th Adelaide – – – – – rd* Los Angeles 7th* Los Angeles 7th* San Diego 12th San Diego 9th San Diego – – – – – –† 5th* Hong Kong 5th* Hong Kong 5th* Hong Kong 5th* Hong Kong 6th Singapore 7th* Singapore – – – – – – – – – – – – – 6th London 11th* London 6th London 9th London 7th* London 7th* Parisrd* Paris 11th* Edinburgh 9th Edinburgh 6th Edinburgh 7/742 pts 7th 8/840 pts 8th 8/832 pts 7th 8/8 30 pts 8th 8/8 30 pts 8th Notes: * Shared placing (play-off matches for third were eventually introduced in 2012). † Hong Kong hosted the Sevens World Cup instead of a leg in the 2005 series.

2010s

World Sevens Series XI09–10 XII10–11 XIII11–12 XIV12–13 XV13–14 5th Dubai 6th Dubai 5th Dubai 15th* Dubai 9th Dubai 7th* George 7th* George 7th* Port Elizabeth 9th Port Elizabeth 10th Port Elizabeth 5th Wellingtonrd* Wellington 10th Wellington 5th Wellington 5th Wellingtonrd* Adelaide 7th* Adelaide 4th Gold Coast 7th* Gold Coastnd Gold Coast rd* Las Vegas 7th* Las Vegas 10th Las Vegas 13th Las Vegas 6th Las Vegas – – – cancelled† Mar Del Plata – 5th Hong Kong 6th Hong Kong 7th* Hong Kong 7th* Hong Kong 4th Hong Kong – – st Tokyo 7th* Tokyo 5th Tokyo st London 6th London 5th Londonnd Londonnd Londonnd Edinburghnd Edinburgh 5th Glasgow 9th Glasgow 7th* Glasgow 8/8122 pts rd 8/880 pts 5th 9/9110 pts 6th 9/9 89 pts 8th 9/9 116 pts 5th Notes: * Shared placing (play-off matches for third were introduced in 2012). † Event cancelled due to demands on UAR joining The Rugby Championship.

World Rugby Sevens SeriesXVI14–15XVII15–16XVIII16–17XIX17–18XX18–19 nd Dubai 6th Dubai 5th Dubai 5th Dubai 4th Dubaird Port Elizabeth 7th* Cape Town 11th* Cape Town 9th Cape Town 7th* Cape Town 6th Wellington 5th Wellington 10th Wellingtonrd Hamilton 7th* Hamilton 7th* Gold Coastnd Sydney 4th Sydney st Sydney 6th Sydney 5th Las Vegasnd Las Vegas 6th Las Vegas 6th Las Vegas 7th* Las Vegas –rd Vancouver 7th* Vancouver 6th Vancouver 9th Vancouver 5th Hong Kong 4th Hong Kongrd Hong Kong 11th* Hong Kong 11th* Hong Kong 9th Tokyo 7th* Singapore 4th Singaporend Singapore 7th* Singapore nd London 10th London 6th London 7th* Londonnd London 7th* Glasgow 6th Paris 10th Paris 11th* Paris 11th* Paris 9/9120 pts 5th10/10 134 pts 4th10/10113 pts 6th10/10 123 pts 4th10/10 104 pts 7thNotes:

2020s World Rugby Sevens Series 2019–20 2021 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24

Notes

Players Current squad The following players have been selected to represent Australia during the 2023–24 SVNS tournament beginning in December 2023.

Note: Caps reflect the total number of SVNS events competed in as of the 2023 Dubai Sevens.

Records and statistics Player records The following shows leading career Australia players based on statistics from the World Rugby Sevens Series. Players in bold are still active.

+Tries scoredWorld Rugby website, current as of 15 March 2023 No. Player Tries 1 115 2 114 3 113 4 109 5 107

+Points scored No. Player Points 1Maurice Longbottom792 2Dietrich Roache753 3Nick Malouf410 4Nathan Lawson345 5Josh Turner277

+Matches played No. Player Matches1Nick Malouf3042Maurice Longbottom2213Josh Turner1704Dietrich Roache1595Nathan Lawson139

Award winners The following Australia Sevens players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2004:

+ World Rugby Men's 7s Player of the Year Year Nominees Winners 2018 Ben O'Donnell — 2022 Nick Malouf Corey Toole

+ World Rugby Men's 7s Dream Team Year Player 2024 5. Nathan Lawson

Olympic squads

Captains Name Year Ref Ed Jenkins 2011–2016 Sam Myers 2016 Lewis Holland 2018–2019 James Stannard 2018 Con Foley 2018 Jesse Parahi 2018

Coaches Name Tenure Ref Bill Millard 2002–2005 Glen Ella 2005–2007 Bill Millard 2007–08 (interim) Michael O'Connor 2008–2014 Geraint John 2014–15 Tim Walsh 2015 (interim) Scott Bowen 2015–16 (interim)Men's Sevens finish seventh in Cape Town Andy Friend 2016–2018 Jarred Hodges 2018 (interim) Tim Walsh 2018–2021 John Manenti 2022–present

Honours Australia has won the following:

World Rugby Sevens Series Champion: 2021–22 Runner-up: 2000–01 Third place: 1999–2000, 2004–05

World Cup Sevens Silver medal: 2009, 2022 Bronze medal: 2005

Commonwealth Games Sevens Silver medal: 2010 Bronze medal: 1998, 2014

Rugby sevens at the World Games Silver medal: 2001

Major tournament wins Hong Kong Sevens: 1979, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 2022 Australian Sevens: 1987, 2002, 2018 London Sevens: 2010, 2022 Paris Sevens: 1998 Wellington Sevens: 2001 Kuala Lumpur Sevens: 2001 Shanghai Sevens: 2001 Tokyo Sevens: 2012

Regional and other tournament wins Oceania Sevens: 2010, 2012, 2015, 2019 Oktoberfest Sevens: 2017

Australia national rugby sevens team

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