Rhani Hagan is diligently building her case to become the next Indigenous talent from Queensland to be recognised in an Australian sevens team.
The four-leg Next Gen 7s series, which makes a stop in Canberra on Sunday, is the shopfront for all she is learning on and off the field.
Hagan feels the difference in her game since leaving Brisbane to take up a full-time position with the all-star Australian women's sevens squad in Sydney at the start of 2026.
"The girls train at that higher intensity and speed so you are developing your skills at that level every day," Hagan, 19, said.
"It's off the field as well. All the girls have been really supportive.
"For the first time, I'm learning about the habits for a full-time professional environment and living away from home."
Hagan shares accommodation in Sydney with fellow sevens squad member Heidi Dennis and Australian sevens rep Wallace Charlie.
Hagan, a proud Quandamooka and Kullilli woman, brings to rugby sevens the speed and light-on-her-feet evasive skills that made her a success in touch.
Her progress has been continual. She won gold at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad and Tobago and has featured for Australia A in tournaments overseas.
A dose of inspiration goes a long way and she has found it in Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea, who made her return to the World Series stage at the New York SVNS after two years beating injuries and setbacks.
"What 'Lyss' has done is awesome and she so deserves it. She's been the greatest help to me with her support and advice from my first week in Sydney," Hagan said.
Lefau-Fakaosilea's comeback stepped up a gear with her Next Gen 7s outings for Queensland in Lennox Head and Sydney as a springboard to her national team return in New York.
"She's a dominant player and I think it was great for our Queensland team to get that experience playing with her," Hagan said.
"I think the whole Next Gen 7s series sits at the right time of the year. It's good footy coming off the pre-season rather than having everything jam-packed into the latter part of the year.
"Our combinations are getting better and better and we are looking forward to Canberra. Someone like (2025 World Cup squad Wallaroo) Caitlin Urwin has made a real difference. She has brought in her experience and is a really good influence around our young squad. You can see how well she is playing as well."
There will be a Queensland sevens debut in Canberra for Grace Buchanan, another promising player who has transitioned from touch.
Aimee Henry
Caitlin Urwin
Carys Dallinger
Grace Buchanan
Kaelyn Passi
Leilani Hills
Madison Pomerenke
Melita Hicks
Piper Flynn
Reese Orcher
Rhani Hagan
Tiki Calliste
