Australian rugby stars gear up for historic ‘quadruple header’

Maddi Levi had just one question when the sevens star was first told of plans for an unprecedented “quadruple header” of Australia’s rugby sides at Accor Stadium on Saturday.

How many games can I play in?

In a historic first for Australian rugby, all four senior rugby sides – men’s and women’s – will play on the same afternoon at the Homebush venue.

The day will begin with the women’s 15-a-side team, the Wallaroos, meeting Scotland at midday, and finish with the Wallabies taking on the All Blacks in a Bledisloe Cup match.

Wedged between the two Test matches, the Australian men’s and women’s sevens teams will play exhibition games against Olympic champions Fiji and New Zealand respectively.

“It’s super exciting, especially just to play in front of family and friends,” Levi said.

“We’re always on international time zones and travelling around the world, so to be able to be a curtain raiser for the Bledisloe, ahead of a huge match between the Wallabies and the All Blacks, that’s special in itself. And then to be on the same stage as the Wallaroos as well, that’s awesome.”

Levi’s conundrum was figuring out which of the games to play in, given the flying winger – who is regarded as one of the world’s best sevens players – also recently debuted for the Wallaroos.

“I also tried to put my hand up for Wallaroos and to see how many games I could play in the day,” Levi said.

The answer was one, so Levi will turn out for the world champion sevens side.

It’s a big occasion for the sevens teams given they only play at home on one weekend a year – during the home leg of the World Series, which is staged in Perth in February.

“My best mate has never seen me play sevens in Australia, so this is a chance for family and friends to see us play, and for everyone to come down to watch us play and put on a bit of a show,” Jimmy “The Jet” Turner said.

The Wallabies and Wallaroos have played double headers before – the last one was in 2024 – and they’ll likely do it again next year on Anzac Day against their respective New Zealand rivals after the introduction of a Bledisloe Cup match on April 25. The Wallaroos played the Silver Ferns on Anzac Day earlier this year.

Wallabies star Max Jorgensen said he loved the concept of the quadruple header.

“I haven’t heard of anything like it before. It’s very exciting. Getting both sevens teams, and the women’s [15s] team and the men’s team all in one stadium on one day, it’s going to be pretty cool and it’ll be a great atmosphere,” he said. “It’s great to show the unity and connection between all the Aussie teams and in Australian rugby in general.”

Wallaroos forward Piper Duck said she was looking forward to playing at Accor Stadium for the first time – Australia’s women’s rugby team hasn’t played there in eight years – and kicking off a massive day of rugby. The Wallaroos beat Scotland in Edinburgh in their last outing in September.

“All the teams are extremely excited, it’s incredible,” Duck said.

“We are looking to put on a good performance against Scotland set the tone of the day well, which will lead into some good wins for the rest of the teams.

“It’ll be awesome support. Any time you get to play at home is special, but it’s also great for the fans to get around rugby – with the men’s 2027 World Cup around the corner, it’s a really important time.

“And then for us with our World Cup in 2029, it’s a perfect way to build excitement and atmosphere for Aussie rugby.”