SVNS Series phenomenon Maddison Levi responds to NRLW rumours

HSBC SVNS Series phenomenon Maddison Levi has shut down talk of a potential switch to the NRLW next year, instead confirming a desire to pull on Wallaroos gold at the highly-anticipated Rugby World Cup in England.

Youngster sister Teagan won't be jumping codes next year, either.

On Wednesday morning, Michael Chammas from The Sydney Morning Herald revealed the Wests Tigers and Gold Coast Titans were apparently interested in acquiring the services of the Levi sisters for the 13-week competition.

While the NRLW season wouldn’t clash with the SVNS Series – Black Ferns Sevens ace Stacey Waaka was recently named in the Dally M Team of the Year after a stint with the Brisbane Broncos– a potential switch to league would see the sisters miss next year’s World Cup.

It was reported that the Levi’s are “reluctant” to make the switch to 15s as they would “prefer” to chase the payday that is apparently on offer in NRLW.  But, on Rugby Australia’s night of nights, Levi cleared the air about what the try-scoring machine intends to do.

Levi, who had just received the Shawn Mackay Award for Australia’s Women’s Sevens Player of the Year, insisted that a switch to rugby league is no on the cards right now. The 22-year-old is instead focused on creating a legacy with the Australian Women’s Sevens side.

“Obviously I was not ready for that when I got the call today from training,” Levi told reporters at the Rugby Australia Awards in Sydney.

“NRL is definitely on the sights in a couple of years’ time or whenever that time is, but right now I’m obviously signed until 2026… we haven’t won a gold medal with the Olympics yet so I’m definitely not stepping away from this sport.

“Whenever that time is, I’m definitely open to other doors. Obviously, having played AFLW and hopefully NRLW, but I really want to take home that (gold) medal and leave a legacy.”

Before flying out to France to compete at the Olympic Games, both Levi sisters revealed their desire in switching codes to play at the 15s Rugby World Cup. Levi said she “definitely” wanted to make the move after sevens skipper Charlotte Caslick declared her interest.

Caslick told RugbyPass and Rugby.com.au earlier this month at the Next Gen Sevens in Sydney that playing for the Wallaroos was still the plan. The three-time Olympian could even suit up in Super Rugby Women’s, as long as it’s for the Reds and no other club.

If sevens players like the Levis and Caslick do end up making the move, that would come as a major boost to a Wallaroos outfit who have already shown signs of promise. The women in gold won their first major trophy earlier this year by taking out the WXV 2 crown in South Africa.

Following the success of Jo Yapp’s Wallaroos in the Republic, Levi has once again insisted that pulling on the gold jersey is still what she wants to do. That said, the former AFLW draftee has never played 15s before, so said with a smile that “I might not ever make the team.”

“I think a dual international is something pretty special and I think they’ve only just had chats about us sevens girls but I’ve also never played a game of 15s before in my life so who knows how I’d go, I might not even make the team,” Levi explained.

“I’ve got to keep playing sevens at the moment with the Series coming up and then a dual international on the rise would be pretty awesome.

“They had an expression of interest last year for girls that would play 15s and I put my name down straight away. I think the beauty to play not just sevens but 15s on an international level is something pretty special.

“You look at the best nations in the world, England and New Zealand, and they’ve got all those girls playing sevens and 15s, cross-coding, and it’s just growing the game of women’s sport.

“If we can go over and play our part in the Wallaroos game and hopefully grow 15s in Australia, I think that would be pretty special.”

As for now, Levi still seemed supremely focused on what lies ahead with the Australian Women’s Sevens team. Following the heartache of missing an Olympic medal in Paris, the Aussies will look to move on with some solid performances on the SVNS Series.

The Series gets underway in Dubai at the end of next month, before going to the second stop of the season the week after in Cape Town on December 7-8. Perth, Vancouver and Hong Kong China are the other stops that have been confirmed at this stage.

“You can’t top this sport. You get to travel day in, day out.

“Just seeing the world from that point of view and actually being able to hop on a plane. I’m going to Dubai next week and it’s pretty insane that that’s my life and I get to do it with my sister and get to experience the world.

“Some people never get to leave Australia but I get to see all these beautiful cultures and play the amazing game that I love. It’s so fast-paced and just the growth of sport is getting bigger and better so I think that’s the exciting thing about sevens at the moment.”