UniRoos Squads Bring Australian Rugby’s Rising Talent To FISU World University Rugby Sevens Championship 

The 2026 Australian UniRoos (UniRoos) Rugby Sevens squads bring together players with experience across Rugby Australia development programs, including the Australia A Sevens, Super Rugby pathways and strong state competitions. 

They are supported by coaches with professional and international experience, with the FISU World University Rugby Sevens Championship providing an opportunity for the athletes to test themselves on the international stage and continue their development. 

UniRoos women’s Head Coach James Erwin has seen the strength of the women’s rugby pathway first-hand. He leads the ACT Brumbies’ Super Rugby Women’s team and is their Head of Women’s Rugby and Pathways. 

“It’s great to see the genuine connection our UniRoos Sevens program has within Rugby Australia’s women’s pathway, with Lily Bone and Piper Flynn (WUC7s 2024) both on a plane to Europe for the Wallaroos 2026 WXV series in September,” he said. 

“The majority of our 2026 UniRoos squad were selected from Rugby Australia’s 2025 and 2026 NextGen7s series. This highlights the fantastic opportunity the WUC7s provides within our National 7s pathway and how integrated the UniRoos women’s program is within the Australian Rugby landscape.” 

That depth of pathway experience is evident across the current women’s squad. Leilani Hills (Griffith University, Bachelor of Education) has represented Australia A Sevens and was part of the squad that won gold at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games, while Reese Orcher (The University of Queensland, Bachelor of Health, Sport and Physical Education) captained the Queensland Reds Sevens team in 2025. 

Tahlia Evans (The University of Queensland, Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science) has progressed through the Queensland Next Gen 7s program, while Sonrae Lui (University of Canberra, Bachelor of Health Science) and Maroney Smuts (University of Canberra, Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science) have both come through the ACT Brumbies’ Next Gen program. 

Abbi Spooner (Queensland University of Technology, Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering) brings strong state-level credentials to the squad, having finished as the leading point-scorer in the 2025 Queensland Premier Women’s competition with 64 points. She is also the daughter of former Wallaby Nathan Spooner, who is the UniRoos women’s Assistant Coach. 

Nathan brings international playing experience to the coaching group, having represented the Wallabies in two Tests during his career. To him, the FISU World University Rugby Sevens Championship allows players to gain important international experience. 

“This is a fantastic opportunity for our Australian athletes to represent their country on a global stage. Our young players relish the chance to travel to wonderful South Africa, compete with world class athletes from all over the globe, and of course, wear the Australian jersey and give their best for the country,” he said.  

“For our women’s squad in particular, this is a really strong pathway opportunity for them to show their abilities and push for higher honours. The team is really excited to compete and go for gold!” 

The UniRoos squads also feature family ties to previous generations of Australian rugby. 

Xavier Howard (The University of Queensland, Bachelor of Advanced Business) is the son of former Wallaby Pat Howard, who represented Australia 20 times between 1996 and 2000. Milo Plastow (Queensland University of Technology, Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Law) also has a sevens link, with his father Andrew Plastow selected for the Australian Sevens team in 1998. 

The 2026 FISU World University Rugby Sevens Championship will be held in Stellenbosch, South Africa, from 4-6 September, with all matches available to stream live and free via FISUTV.  

The women’s team will kick off their campaign against Ireland on Friday, 04 September, at 11:21am SAST (7:21pm AEST), while the men’s team will face Zimbabwe at 1:19pm SAST (9:19pm AEST).