Australia Women's Sevens coach Tim Walsh is confident a maiden Commonwealth Games gold can help solidify the program's position as one of the premier national sides as they look to build towards the future.
Walsh has named a strong side for the Birmingham event, with Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea the lone change from Toulouse.
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After dominating the World Series, the Olympic gold-medal-winning coach is confident they have the right balance to deal with whatever threats the likes of New Zealand and Fiji will possess.
“It’s really well balanced,” Walsh believes. "I think we have some good experience in the Charlotte Caslick’s and the Sharni’s (Williams).
“Some of the girls coming through also have that winning experience, couple came from the Olympics and that was an odd experience being so sudden but they’re growing in stature and their skill set.
“We’ve got some speed, power runners and ball players so we’re balanced well.”
Walsh is like many in the squad with fond yet disappointing memories of the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
After the success of 2016, Walsh and the women's side loomed as the favourites for gold on home soil, before an extra-time try allowed the Kiwis to avenge their defeat in Rio.
“It was great memories. To have a Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast, we came off the gold medal in 2016 and we had an amazing season that year as well," he reflects.
“The New Zealand-Australia battle are always titanic and that was one of the greatest.
“I think the Friday night was just purely Women’s Rugby and it was a sellout, it just changing perception and pioneering what these girls are doing, both New Zealand and Australia.
“Obviously would’ve been nice to score that try at the end in extra-time but we didn’t and we have an opportunity to play at another Comm Games and come away with the gold medal."
Walsh along with fellow Sevens coach John Manenti have overseen a stark transformation of the women's squad after the disappointment of Tokyo.
Both coaches swapped mid-season, but their influence has been felt as the next generation of talent
This has seen the likes of Madison Ashby, Faith Nathan and Maddison Levi produce breakout seasons to earn Dream Team nominations, having entered the 2021-22 series with five or less caps.
The progression is all part of the process for Walsh as he looks to build for the future.
“We have a lot more clarity around roles and there are a lot of players here that are still inexperienced. To build a Sevens player, it takes about three years so some of them are world-class or making Dream Teams but only have a year of competition under their belts," he explained.
“When I say three years, it’s three years to be world-class, consistent, resilient, a Charlotte Caslick kind of player. You can run out and do well now but we’re talking the core group that consistently play well.”
To further this development and continue to attract the top women's talent in the country, Walsh knows sustained success in major events such as the Commonwealth Games and the upcoming Rugby Sevens World Cup is crucial.
“You look at the attraction of Sevens with the Comm Games, World Cup in Cape Town and the Olympics, you have an incredible World Series and athletes and funding so attracting the Jesse Southwell’s and the Levi sisters have all been a result of the way the girls have handled themselves…they’ve paved the way for a program girls want to be apart of,” he believes.
“You’re defined by your results. You can do all the training and do the right things but in sport, you're defined by results so (getting gold) is important but we’re again a process-driven team.
“We’ve got to find that balance of working hard and really enjoying ourselves. I think the product of Sevens is unbelievable, the opportunities and education it gives as a person is second to none but it is hard work.
“Winning gold medals and being put in the media can certainly attract people to the game and even beyond with Sydney in 2018. It helps and that’s our job as a coaching team and program so that remains the goal.”
