Sevens sister act resist NRLW lure to re-sign with RA

Joanna Guelas |

Teagan Levi and her sister will remain with Australia’s rugby sevens program.
Teagan Levi and her sister will remain with Australia’s rugby sevens program.

Maddison and Teagan Levi have turned their back on a cross-code move to the NRLW, re-signing with Rugby Australia on a two-year deal.

The Levi sisters will remain with Australia’s rugby sevens program until at least the end of 2028, giving the star siblings another shot at Olympic glory at the LA Games.

The pair were expected to announce a one-off NRLW cameo this year, with various media outlets reporting RA had ticked off negotiations with a rugby league club.

Maddison Levi
Maddison Levi says she hasn’t fully completed her rugby sevens bucket list just yet. (Richard Wainwright/AAP PHOTOS)

It’s not the first time Maddison, 23, and Teagan, 22, have expressed interest in a cross-code move, with Rugby Australia knocking back a request at the end of 2024.

The older Levi sister has also played AFLW, featuring in eight games for the Gold Coast Suns in 2021.

Maddison, recognised as perhaps the world’s best women’s sevens player, said her rugby sevens bucket list had yet to be completed.

“I’m super excited to extend my contract with Rugby Australia and keep building and developing as a player with this talented bunch of women,” Maddison Levi said in a statement.

“There’s still so much I want to achieve in the space of rugby sevens, and to be able to commit until the next Olympics will help me achieve these goals.”

Both Gold Coast sisters competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with Australia falling short of the podium in fourth.

Teagan and Maddison Levi
Teagan and Maddison Levi competed at the Paris Olympics and are now targeting the 2028 LA Games. (Belad Al-Karkhey/AAP PHOTOS)

The older Levi heads to Singapore for the third round of the sevens world series in red-hot form, after becoming the all-time Australian leading try-scorer last year.

Named World Rugby Player of the Year in 2024, Maddison is also the fastest woman to reach 100 and 200 tries, completing the feat from 2022 to 2025.

“Extending Maddi and Teagan’s contracts through the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 is a positive outcome for Australian Rugby,” RA high-performance boss Peter Horne said in a statement.

“Both Maddi and Teagan are important players in the women’s Sevens program and excellent ambassadors for the game in Australia and around the world.

“We are pleased the Levi sisters have extended their commitment to Australian Rugby and look forward to their ongoing contributions on and off the field.”

AAP