Rugby Union has often sought out how to tackle the issue of increasing First Nations participation, but a growing group of Sevens players is leading the way at the home event in Perth this weekend.
The history of First Nations participation within the Wallabies is well documented, with Wallaby #321, Cecil Ramalli, the first in 1838.
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It paved the way for the likes of Lloyd McDermott and the Ella Brothers to become intertwined within the history of the gold jersey.
Cross-code converts Andrew Walker, Wendell Sailor and Timanu Tahu added their flair; however, there was a 14-year gap between Matt Hodgson and Dylan Pietsch, who debuted in 2024.
With Wiradjuri man Pietsch, the flyer epitomises the value of Sevens as a pathway for First Nations talent to burst out and help bridge the gap, featuring at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
The history of the Sevens program is littered with First Nations players that stretches beyond Pietsch.
Players like Sailor, Hodgson and Anthony Fainga’a have featured at both Sevens and Test level for their country, while Triston Reilly and Harrison Goddard have also graduated into Super Rugby clubs.
It’s become part of the identity to such a degree that the away kit features First Nations artwork in its permanent design, worn during their win over Spain to claim fifth in Singapore.
Maurice Longbottom has been at the forefront of this since stepping his way through the Oktoberfest Sevens and into the team in 2017, becoming an icon of the program.
Longbottom headlines a growing group that includes recent debutant Wallace Charlie and wider squad members Bailey Roberts-Lintmeijer and Gage Philips.
“It’s massive to see those boys come through,” he told Rugby.com.au
“Wallace has already got his debut and continues to shine on the World Series, and [I] hope Bailey and Gage can follow in his footsteps. They’re both training really well and pushing super hard.”
Longbottom has particularly taken recent debutant Wallace Charlie, who hails from Erub, under his wing after the teenager debuted at the Los Angeles Grand Final last year.
“He’s like an older brother, he looks after me in and around training and picks me up every morning to come to training,” Charlie said.
“He shows me how I can be more of a professional coming in and using the hot bath and cold tub to get ready for the day.
“He’s been an unreal guy at training, always telling me what I can do better.”
“Anything Wallace needs help with, whether it’s being a voice at training or seeing things that he's not seeing, I’m happy to pass on any wisdom I’ve picked up throughout the Sevens journey,” Longbottom added, who will miss the Australian leg due to injury.
For Charlie, the seven-a-side program is the perfect showcase of the X-Factor that First Nations players can bring, taking him back to his days on Darnley Island playing backyard footy.
"With seven players on the field, there's heaps of space and it goes back to when I used to play with my cousins and my older brothers,” Charlie said.
“Coming up from North Queensland, there's heaps of talent up there so as a young kid coming from Cairns, I think it’ll pave a way for those young kids to strive and believe.
“I’d like to be that guy that they can look up and show them that I was one of them before.”
The newest member is Jarrah McLeod, a perfect example of the First Nations talent within the pathways, ready for a chance after being called into the squad late for Perth.
McLeod was the breakout find of the First Nations Pasifika team, who nearly took down the British & Irish Lions in Melbourne last year, despite having yet to debut for the ACT Brumbies.
"It means a lot because we don’t get many Indigenous players cause they end up in the [rugby] league, but just to see that there's a couple around in these teams, it means we can showcase to other young Indigenous people that anything can happen if you take your opportunity,” he said.
“Union’s a great sport and I think having [role models] in the women’s and men’s teams to show young Indigenous people anything you dream of can come true.”
The growing representation is also extending within the women’s program. Bo de la Cruz was a part of the first Women’s Sevens team, while Mahalia Murphy and Rhiannon Byers have pulled on the jersey in the past.
Junior Women’s Rugby Player of the Year Mackenzie Davis has had a meteoric rise even since the Dunghutti woman made the switch from touch football just over two years ago.
“I feel really connected to my culture through playing rugby and being able to represent my mob at home is really important to me,” she explained.
“I think having the Indigenous players that we do in our programs, I think that just really highlights the strength of our society and the value of having First Nations players in the programs.
Davis was recently joined by Quandamooka and Kullilli woman Rhani Hagan, who excites the Sevens phenom, eager to inspire further First Nations female athletes to make the switch.
“I think there are so many incredible young Indigenous girls coming through the pathways in rugby, and the support that's given now to young Indigenous players coming through is incredible,” Davis said.
“I think with more Indigenous players in the program, it makes you feel connected to those players in a way. We have such a diverse team as it is, so I think our Indigenous culture is celebrated a lot, and when representing your country, it comes with the opportunity to represent the First Nations people of our country.”
Longbottom hopes the growing group marks the new norm for the program and the sport.
“It’s definitely good to see. It's taken a long time and a lot of ex-Indigenous players have tried to push this for some time and it’s obviously nice to see this coming out now with a lot of Indigenous players and the men and the women,” he said.
For coach Liam Barry, it’s a sign of the team reflecting what makes Australia so great.
“I think the team encapsulates what Australia is, being so multicultural,” Barry believes.
“We have Ethan [McFarland] and Dietrich [Roache] who are Samoan, Hadley [Tonga] who is Tongan so all of a sudden we’re looking more like our 15s team and our women’s 7s and 15s teams and that’s Australia.
“They all bring their cultural background into the team, which only strengthens us.”
