Teen Saw Gold in 2016, Now She's Australia's Rugby Captain

When 13-year-old Isabella Nasser turned on the TV to watch the 2016 Rio Olympics, she had never seriously considered playing rugby. Then Australia made history by winning the first-ever women's rugby sevens gold medal, and everything changed.

"I sort of never looked at rugby as a female sport until that moment," Nasser recalls. The Brisbane teen took up the sport immediately, inspired by what she'd witnessed on screen.

Fast forward ten years, and Nasser is now co-captain of the Australian rugby sevens team. She made her debut for Australia in 2022 and competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, living out the dream that sparked in her teenage bedroom.

Rugby runs deep in the Nasser family. Her father Brendan won the 1991 men's Rugby World Cup with Australia, and her older brother Josh plays for the Wallabies. But Isabella is carving her own path in the seven-player version of the game.

She's not the only one who found her calling watching that 2016 victory. Wallaroos star Piper Duck says the Rio Games was the first time she'd ever watched rugby at age 15. That single gold medal created a wave of young girls who suddenly saw a future in the sport.

Why This Inspires

Nasser now finds herself in the same position as those 2016 players she idolized. As co-captain, she's aware that young girls are watching her the same way she watched Charlotte Caslick and her teammates a decade ago.

"Representing my country has been a dream since I was a young girl," she says. "Wearing the Australian crest on my chest is really a dream come true."

Her immediate focus is the Rugby Sevens World Championship, which wraps up next month across tournaments in Spain and France. Australia faces fierce competition from New Zealand, losing to them 19-14 in the Hong Kong final last month. The rivalry between the two nations is intense, with New Zealand winning five of six finals this season.

But Australia proved they can dominate when they crushed New Zealand 26-12 in Cape Town in December. Nasser was named player of the final in that match.

Looking ahead, Nasser has her sights set on the 2026 Los Angeles Olympics, where Australia will try to reclaim gold for the first time since that inspiring 2016 victory. She's also eyeing the 2029 women's Rugby World Cup, which Australia will host.

"It wouldn't only be so wonderful for us individually and the team, but it would hopefully inspire so many other young girls hoping to be in our position one day," Nasser says about winning gold in LA.

The cycle of inspiration continues, one Olympic moment at a time.