Not even an incoming Cyclone could dent Australia Sevens skipper Bella Nasser's excitement as she prepares for her Super Rugby W debut for the Queensland Reds.
Nasser was named on the bench for the Reds' trip to Lautoka alongside Sevens teammates Kahli Henwood and Teagan Levi.
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The 22-year-old will cover the back-row as part of a stacked forward pack that includes five Wallaroos, with a further four in the backline.
The side flew out on Wednesday in order to avoid the effects of Cyclone Alfred, set to hit Brisbane in the next 24 hours.
“I’m really excited to be debuting on Saturday, hopefully, so just making sure my family will be okay here and then heading over," Nasser told reporters.
“I’m really looking forward to it and there’s been so much support and help from the staff. They've been really awesome.
“…I think with Sevens we travel all around the world and not to this extent, but lots of things do happen that may interrupt our preparation and our performance. So I think that's been good practice for something like this.”
Nasser's experience with the 15s program is limited, with the former touch football player inspired to join the Sevens program after the Rio 2016 gold medal success.
It means there are certain quirks to the game she's still getting used to, the biggest being that there are over double the players on the field than Nasser is used to.
It's something Nasser is learning quickly as she pushes her case for selection in August's World Cup squad.
“I'm super excited. I had my first opposed run against the Brisbane Grammar Boys last night, and I'm just that much more keen to give it a crack on Saturday,
“Hopefully I can give some Sevens knowledge into the 15s game and then I'm already learning so much from the 15s girls.
"...Being a dual international is a dream for so many people or being an international player full stop. I think the opportunity we have to potentially be selected in an Australian side and then further be potentially selected in a World Cup side is an opportunity that I was definitely going to take with two hands.”
