Tuqiri praises 'weapon' Levi after Oceania triumph

Sun, Nov 12, 2023, 10:36 PM
AAP
by AAP
Maddison Levi picked up from where she left off in 2022. Photo: World Rugby
Maddison Levi picked up from where she left off in 2022. Photo: World Rugby

Former Wallaby Lote Tuqiri has described Maddison Levi as a "weapon" after she led Australia to title glory at the Oceania 7s in Brisbane.

Levi scored eight tries across the three-day event as the Australian women's team posted four wins and a draw against a strong NZ Development squad before beating Fiji 26-0 in the Oceania gold medal match on Sunday night.

Watch every game of Oceania 7s LIVE on Stan Sport. Start watching Stan Sport now.

The former Sevens Rookie of the Year scored two tries against Fiji in the decider, with her bursting runs proving too much to handle.

Her hot form is a good sign for Australia heading into the new-look Rugby Sevens season, starting in Dubai in December, and the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

"She's a weapon," Tuqiri told Stan.

"Being an ex-winger myself, all she needs is one metre, two metres of space and she's gone.

"She's an amazing athlete. They need her to be fit and healthy going into the season proper, and come Paris next year."

Sister Teagan was another standout, continuing her rapid growth with a starring performance across the weekend.

The tournament loomed as their final hit-out before the opening 'SVNS' leg in Dubai on December 2-3, with the younger Levi believing they will enter full of confidence.

“We’ve been working pretty hard in pre-season and to finally go out there and prove why we’re up in the top two in the world is really awesome,” Levi said.

“Going up against New Zealand through all the pool games and Fiji in the Final was awesome with Dubai just around the corner. They’re great competitors out on the field and I think it’s awesome to play some footy against them leading into the tournament.

“It’s the start of the season, everyone wants to show what they are capable of and I think we came out and proved we’re ready for Dubai.”

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