Madison Ashby (rugby 7s) was elevated to the Australian team leadership group in 2022 under co-captains Demi Hayes and Charlotte Caslick ahead of a year of big fixtures which saw the all-conquering Australians crowned World Series champions, Commonwealth Games gold medallists in Birmingham and World Cup Sevens champions in South Africa. Her outstanding form also saw her feature in World Rugby’s Dream Team for the World Series.

The former McCarthy Catholic College student grew up in Penrith in Sydney’s west and initially played rugby league and touch football before being identified by coach Sy Laga’aia as a potential national team member when she was just 13. Madison made her Australian debut in 2018 as a precociously-talented teenager and went to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 as a rising star of the sport.

The wily playmaker grew up in Penrith west of Sydney where she played her junior football with Faith Nathan and Sariah Paki.