Jarrah McLeod's sevens history is easy to follow: 2025 Coral Coast 7s with the Australian Select Team. That's all before the ACT Brumbies bruiser will take his place in the Australia squad at this week's Perth Sevens event.
McLeod was rushed into the squad late after Dietrich Roache failed to overcome a hamstring injury picked up from last week's event in Singapore.
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The former Australia U20s centre got the call from Matthew Sontar, RA's First Nations Rugby Manager, and jumped at the chance after the blessing from Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham.
“I finished training Tuesday afternoon and got the call if I wanted to have a run in the Sevens. I was star-shocked at the moment when I first heard him say it," McLeod recalled to Rugby.com.au
“I had to make sure they checked with ‘Bernie’ [Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham] and then I get the all clear to go…With every opportunity, he just says to go hard. You’ve just got to stay in it and win that moment and he’s pretty hard on that and being mentally tough.
“I think that's going to be a big difference for me this weekend, just being mentally tough and trying to stick it out and communicate with the boys on the field and off the field when I do get on and just have fun."
McLeod has been around the fringes of the seven-a-side program in the past, with a call-up into the Brumbies Runners squad preventing him from playing with Lloydies late last year.
“So I went to Coral Coast with the Aussie Development side and that was the first time playing Sevens, which I hadn’t played much but that was great fun," he explained
“I went over there and you can see how tough it is over there with the Fiji boys and how much they love the sport of Union so that was tough, but I thought I'd give it another shot.”
It continues McLeod's rise, who has become a magnet for the big stage at just 21 years old.
The centre was thrust into the action for First Nations Pasifika against the British & Irish Lions after a series of injuries, impressing with the same physcality he'll look to bring to the SVNS World Series.
“I was talking to my mum the other day and saying I haven’t even got my Super cap yet so that still takes time and I’ll get my time when it’s due but another opportunity came up like this and I’ve got to take it," he said and smiled.
“Representing Australia, my mob and my family, it means a lot to me.”
