Australia Women's Sevens defeated New Zealand 26-19 in the Bordeaux final to claim back-to-back HSBC SVNS World Championship titles. Maddison Levi scored two tries and was named Player of the Match.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
Australia struck first through Heidi Dennis, who sliced through the New Zealand defence from midfield with a decisive step off her right foot and an explosive burst of pace, converting a period of sustained Aussie pressure into the opening try.
New Zealand hit back almost immediately. Manaia Nuku, who had been targeted in defence earlier, responded with a try of her own under the posts, levelling the scores at 7-7 in a breathless opening five minutes.
Just before the half-time hooter, the momentum swung Australia's way. Co-captain Bella Nasser produced a brutal fend to set the platform, and Maddison Levi — playing her first full match of the tournament after managing a knee injury sustained in Valladolid — finished the movement for a 14-7 lead at the break.
New Zealand came out strongly in the second half. Katelyn Vaha'akolo found the corner with a determined finish to bring the scores to 14-12, and the Black Ferns Sevens were right back in the contest with just under four minutes to play.
Then came the decisive sequence. From the restart, Kahli Henwood produced a thunderous carry, bumping off two defenders to release Faith Nathan, who raced away for an end-to-end try. The collision in the build-up left New Zealand captain Risi Pouri-Lane knocked out and requiring medical attention, and she was taken from the field.
Moments later, Vaha'akolo burst through the Australian defence again, but Maddison Levi chased her down from behind — saving a certain try and winning the turnover in a tackle that invoked memories of the finest cover defence in sevens.
Levi then put the result beyond doubt, collecting a pass and producing a trademark fend on Kelsey Teneti before racing 60 metres for her second try of the match, stretching the lead to 26-12.
Teneti scored a consolation try well after the siren to make the final scoreline 26-19, but it was too little, too late for New Zealand.
The Turning Point
Australia's response to Vaha'akolo's second-half try was the game's defining passage. Rather than letting New Zealand build momentum after drawing within two points, the Aussies struck straight from the kick-off — Henwood's explosive carry and Nathan's finish turned a moment of vulnerability into a 12-point swing. The injury to Pouri-Lane, New Zealand's defensive linchpin, compounded the damage and left the Black Ferns without their on-field leader for the final four minutes.
Key Performers
Maddison Levi (Australia) — Player of the Match. In just her second match in Bordeaux after two days of rest for her knee injury, Levi scored two tries, saved another with a chase-down tackle on Vaha'akolo, and created the searing 60-metre run that sealed the title. "The girls helped me get back and I wouldn't be here without them," she told ABC News after the final.
Heidi Dennis (Australia). Continued her breakout season with the opening try and was a constant threat with ball in hand, punishing New Zealand's defensive edges. She was also critical in Australia's 21-7 semi-final win over USA earlier in the day.
Bella Nasser (Australia). The co-captain delivered a try-saving tackle in the first half after chasing down her own intercept, and her powerful fend created the space for Levi's first try on the stroke of half-time. "To show up like that against a really quality side like New Zealand, I couldn't be more proud of the girls," Nasser told Rugbypass after the final.
Manaia Nuku (New Zealand). Responded to Australia's opening try with a well-taken score of her own and was New Zealand's most dangerous attacking weapon throughout. Her work-rate in defence kept the Black Ferns in the contest.
By The Numbers — Interpreted
Australia's 26-19 victory reflected their edge in the critical moments rather than sustained domination. The match was a classic trans-Tasman arm-wrestle — two elite defences forcing errors under pressure, with the scoring clustered around moments of individual brilliance. Australia's key advantage came in the depth of their programme: Maddison Levi was held back for two days of the tournament before making a match-winning impact, while New Zealand's injury toll — Stacey Waaka and Mahina Paul already ruled out before Pouri-Lane's exit — left them short of reinforcements in the decisive final passages.
What It Means
Australia claimed their third overall World Championship title in five years and their second in succession, adding the Bordeaux crown to the Valladolid title they won a week earlier. Their unbeaten run in Bordeaux (7-0) sealed the overall HSBC SVNS World Championship.
New Zealand won the first of the three tournament legs in Hong Kong but could not match Australia's consistency across the series. The Black Ferns Sevens came within a last-second try (Jorja Miller's winner over Canada in the semi-finals) of making the final, but ultimately finished as runners-up in the overall standings.
The 2026 season also confirmed the eight teams for next year's main HSBC SVNS Series: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA, France, Fiji, Japan and Spain — with Spain's eighth-place finish in Bordeaux enough to see them promoted at Great Britain's expense.
Verdict
Australia timed their run to perfection, peaking at the final two tournaments of the season to overhaul New Zealand's early lead. The combination of Maddison Levi's superstar return from injury, the relentless physicality of Nasser and Henwood, and the tactical discipline of coach Tim Walsh's system proved too much for a depleted New Zealand side. This was a World Championship won on depth, heart and big-game execution.
Rivalry since 2016
New Zealand 7s W vs Australia 7s W Head to Head Results· 35
New Zealand 7s W and Australia 7s W have met 35 times — New Zealand 7s W won 22, Australia 7s W won 13, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2016. New Zealand 7s W leads the head-to-head with 22 victories from 35 meetings. A combined 1364 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 38.97 per match (800 for the home side, 564 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 32 matches (91%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 35 games (100%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 34–26 in 2019.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 26 Jun 2026