The Australian Women's Sevens team has claimed Australia's first ever Rugby Sevens Commonwealth Games gold medal in Birmingham.
The Australians defeated Fiji in the Final, 22-12, after beating New Zealand 19-12 in the Semi-Final - the team that downed the Aussies in the gold medal match on the Gold Coast in 2018.
The squad's success in 2022 - taking Commonwealth Games gold and winning the World Rugby Sevens Series in May - completes a remarkable 12-month turnaround after a disappointing fifth place finish at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Rugby Australia CEO, Andy Marinos, paid tribute to the achievement.
"The Australian Women's Sevens team has returned to its position as one of the most outstanding sporting teams in the country - after a tough period following the Tokyo Olympics just one year ago.
"The squad has now won the World Series and Commonwealth Games gold in just over two months - and will head to the Rugby World Cup Sevens in September with great confidence.
"The girls are some of the most impressive role models in sport - for all athletes, not only other women and girls.
"They are wonderful people that are hugely dedicated, successful and amazing team players, each displaying impeccable character though adversity, and showing great pride, and especially, joy in what they do - something that all sports people can aspire to.
"As perhaps the only entirely full-time, fully professional women's team in a football code in Australia, they are an incredible advertisement for Rugby, and for female athletes in general.
"Just Charlotte [Caslick] and Sharni [Williams] remain from the Olympic Gold medal team at Rio in 2016 - and we have seen a regeneration of the squad with a host of young players joining the experienced members.
"Congratulations to [Coach] Tim [Walsh] and the entire squad - we are extremely proud of everyone that has contributed to this remarkable achievement."
The Australian Men's Sevens team missed out on a medal despite a strong campaign, falling to eventual gold medallists, South Africa in the Semi-Final, before going down to the New Zealand team in the bronze medal match.
The Men's team will head to the final round of the World Rugby Sevens Series in Los Angeles later this month, where the squad sits second in the standings - and with a chance to win the title.
Both the Men and Women will then head to Cape Town in South Africa for the Rugby World Cup Sevens starting on 9 September.
The squad of the gold medal-winning Australian Women's Sevens team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games:
- Charlotte Caslick (Co-Captain)
- Demi Hayes (Co-Captain)
- Madison Ashby
- Lily Dick
- Dominique Du Toit
- Tia Hinds
- Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea
- Maddison Levi
- Teagan Levi
- Faith Nathan
- Sariah Paki
- Jesse Southwell
- Sharni Williams
- Tim Walsh (Coach)
