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Demi Hayes is set to make her long-awaited return from injury while four players are in line for Australian Sevens debuts in the opening round of the 2024/2025 HSBC SVNS series in Dubai from November 30. Australian coaches Tim Walsh and Liam Barry have named their squads for the first tournament of the upcoming season with new-look teams following the Paris Olympics. Walsh continues his role in charge of the Aussie Women’s team while Barry joins Rugby Australia as Head Coach of the Men’s side following the departure of John Manenti. Hayes, who suffered an ACL injury in Cape Town last year, has been included in Walsh’s side after close to 12 months out of the game recovering from injury. Walsh has also named Kahli Henwood for an official Sevens series debut after a late call-up to the Olympic team in July, while Kiiahla Duff comes in for an injured Bienne Terita, who will miss the first tournament of the series. Australia’s Women are the reigning HSBC SVNS world champions after winning the title in Madrid in June. The wider squad consists of a strong mix of youth and experience, led by Charlotte Caslick and the Levi sisters – Maddison and Teagan – both of whom are coming off dominant years. Injured stars Madison Ashby, Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea, Kaitlin Shave and Sidney Taylor are all on the comeback trail after suffering knee injuries in 2024. The setbacks allowed for the likes of Bridget Clark, Ruby Nicholas and Heidi Dennis to make their Sevens debut last season at the international level. Retired legends Sharni Smale and Dominique Du Toit also bid farewell to the Sevens program in August, opening the door for the likes of Henwood and Duff to come into the squad full-time as well as Amahli Hala. Australia Women’s Sevens coach Tim Walsh said: “We have had a rejuvenating pre-season balanced with elite standards and positive attitudes. “We have enjoyed the mental and technical challenges and are determined to start the World Series where we finished last season as Champions. “With a youthful in age squad, we are like fine wine and want to get better with age and strongly believe the best is yet to come. “It is very pleasing to announce debutants Kahli Henwood and Kiiahla Duff who are poised to make their first appearances on the World Series. “Both have spent years in their apprenticeship and fully deserve the right to represent this incredible team.” Meanwhile, new Men’s coach Barry has named Aden Ekanayake and Sid Harvey for their Australian Rugby Sevens debuts in Dubai with the pair joining the top squad in 2024/2025. Following their best finish at an Olympic Games in history, the Men’s Sevens squad has undergone several changes in the off-season with Barry’s appointment most significant. Barry will oversee a younger group for his first season in charge following the retirements of captain Nick Malouf and former Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper. Experienced players Henry Hutchison, Hayden Sargeant, Matt Gonzalez, Ben Dowling, James Turner and Henry Paterson have all re-signed with the Sevens program and are included for the upcoming Dubai tournament. Josh Turner and Tim Clements have departed the Aussie Sevens program with Conor Hickey, Ben Dalton, Henry Palmer and Jayden Blake earning contracts for the first time. National Performance Manager Scott Bowen said: “Since Paris we have had several changes with a number of experienced players and key staff from both Men’s and Women’s programs departing and I want to acknowledge how well the players have applied themselves during the adjustments in preparing for the start of the season. “It is a new-look Men’s squad with Liam coming on board and we’re excited to get back competing and watching the progression of the young talent coming through particularly with Aden and Sid set to make their debuts next weekend. “The Women’s team saw plenty of debutants last season and that has created strong depth for Tim to continue their great success on the world stage.” The Aussie Women kick off their Dubai tournament against China while the Men’s team face South Africa in their first pool match. Every round of the HSBC SVNS series will be shown live and exclusive, ad-free and on demand on Stan Sport. Australia Women’s Sevens team for HSBC SVNS Dubai 2024/2025: Remaining 2024/2025 squad members: Madison Ashby, Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea, Kaitlin Shave, Amahli Hala, Sidney Taylor, Bienne Terita. Australia Men’s Sevens team for HSBC SVNS Dubai 2024/2025: *denotes debutant Remaining 2024/2025 squad members: Maurice Longbottom, Hadley Tonga, Dietrich Roache, Dally Bird, Conor Hickey, Jayden Blake. HSBC SVNS DUBAI MATCH SCHEDULE POOL A – AUSTRALIA WOMEN Saturday, November 30: Australia v China (4:44pm AEDT) Saturday, November 30: Australia v Fiji (8:05pm AEDT) Sunday, December 1: Australia v Ireland (12:35am AEDT) POOL A – AUSTRALIA MEN Saturday, November 30: Australia v South Africa (5:50pm AEDT) Saturday, November 30: Australia v France (10:20pm AEDT) Sunday, December 1: Australia v Kenya (3:44am AEDT)Fans divided over Zach Bryan’s response to mid-concert act

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Household wealth climbs to record on higher stock valuesBy Augusta Saraiva | Bloomberg US household wealth rose to a fresh record in the third quarter, fueled by a stock-market rally ahead of the presidential election. Household net worth increased nearly $4.8 trillion, or 2.9% from the prior quarter, to $168.8 trillion, a Federal Reserve report showed Thursday. The value of Americans’ equity holdings rose $3.8 trillion. The value of real estate eased by almost $200 billion after sizable advances in the first half of the year. In the third quarter, investors benefited from a stock-market rally in anticipation of interest-rate cuts from the Fed and that Donald Trump would return to the White House next year. Since his victory in the Nov. 5 election, the S&P 500 has climbed to new highs amid expectations that the president-elect will enact pro-business policies. Households have been the main driver behind robust economic growth in recent years, as healthy balance sheets and strong wage growth have supported resilient consumer spending. That said, economists generally expect a moderation in demand against a backdrop of still-elevated borrowing costs and a higher cost of living. The Fed’s report showed that consumers increased their borrowing at a faster pace last quarter, while business borrowing cooled. Business debt outstanding increased at a 3% annualized rate, while consumer non-mortgage credit rose at a 2.5% pace. Mortgage debt climbed 3.1% for a second quarter. In the public sector, state and local government debt grew at a slower rate. Household liquidity picked up to a record. Deposits held by households and nonprofit organizations, which includes savings and checking accounts and money market funds, rose by $379.5 billion to $18.9 trillion.