Australia's National Women's Rugby Union Team
Kristy Giteau
This is quite a good piece on women in some of the football codes (AFL and Union mostly). I don’t agree with everything
More and more girls and women are taking to the footy field, but can you imagine a day when a woman takes the field to play profession
Rebecca Tavo
While many a Dubai rugby fan may not be too familiar with women’s rugby, the first-ever IRB-sanctioned women’s tournament at the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens promises to be a scorcher, with the women’s game having developed and grown at a remarkable rate.
Heading the line-up of teams that will be competing in Dubai are the reigning Rugby World Cup Sevens champions Australia, who will be led by Rebecca Tavo, while providing an intense level of competition will be the likes of England, Canada, USA and South Africa.
Tavo was part of the squad that lifted that trophy in Dubai in 2009 but knows there is a tough task ahead if her side is to repeat that feat. “I know England will be out for revenge. We had to play them in the quarter-final in 2009. They are a very fit and strong team, and probably our biggest competition,” said Tavo.
“Obviously the US and Canada have gifted and aggressive athletes. China has improved so much. Their forwards were bigger than ours and they have one or two sprinters that just missed out on Olympic selection. Although I bet the surprise package will be South Africa. Just like their men’s side, they’re fast, agile, skillful and smart. We have to be very wary of them,” added Tavo.
Australia have been grouped together with Canada, Spain and Brazil in Pool A, while Pool B is made up of the USA, England, South Africa and China.
All the participating teams are relishing the opportunity to participate at the highest level in Dubai.
“You only improve as a team by competing against other teams at the highest level. This gives all nations with a competitive women’s Sevens team the opportunity to prepare and challenge for a spot at the Olympics,” added Australia’s Debby Hodgkinson of the ultimate prize the teams are all working towards – Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Sharni Williams
Sharni Williams wants to make Dubai the first stop on her journey towards the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Despite not having played international sevens before, Canberra Royals back Williams is confident she can make a seamless transition to the modified game and have an immediate impact.
Williams and Kristy Giteau will leave Canberra today for an Australian sevens camp at Noosa before playing in a tournament at the Gold Coast and then the Dubai Sevens at the end of the month.
Sevens will be added to the Olympic program in 2016 and Australia is the reigning sevens World Cup champion.
At only 23 years old, Williams is hoping she can hold on to her spot in the team long enough to be a part of Australia’s bid to be Olympic champion.
”I’m pretty young at the moment and by the time the Olympics come around I could be pushing it to still be playing,” Williams said.
”You’ve got to look at what’s coming up and I’m looking towards the [15-a-side] World Cup first.
”But the Olympics gives you something to aspire to and hopefully that means getting more players involved and having to fight for your spot harder as well.
”The Olympics gives you a tangible goal rather than finishing and saying you’ve played in two or three tournaments.”
The trip to Dubai will be the Australian team’s first trip there since it won the inaugural women’s sevens World Cup in 2009, beating New Zealand in the final.
Wallaroos
Australian Rugby Union today announced Chris Lane had been appointed as the country’s first fulltime National Women’s Sevens Coach and program Co-ordinator for the next two years.
Lane will oversee the sides development in preparation for the defence of Australia’s Women’s Sevens World Championship title in 2013 and the inclusion of Rugby Sevens in the 2016 Olympics.
ARU Managing Director and CEO, John O’Neill AO, said the decision to appoint a fulltime coach to the Women’s program was historic and reflected the growth of Rugby Sevens on the international stage.
“The growth of Rugby Sevens for both the Men and Women around the world as a participation and elite sport has been incredible and that growth has seen it included as an Olympic Sport from 2016,” Mr O’Neill said.
“Appointing Chris Lane as the fulltime National Women’s Sevens coach and program co-ordinator is a reflection of the importance we as an organisation place upon the Women’s Sevens team moving forward.
“While they are the current World Champions, if we want them to continue to compete successfully at the highest level we need to ensure they are provided with a professional coaching framework that will hopefully help them deliver a second World Championship and ultimately an Olympic Gold Medal in 2016.
“I congratulate Chris on his appointment and wish him well at his first tournament in Dubai in a little over a month.”
Guest poster: Bronnie Macintosh, dual international (league and union) and all round sporting goddess.
Almost 10 years to the day, I stumbled out of Joe Bananas in Hong Kong and announced to anyone who would listen, that 7s would be the game for our Australian Women and that in 7s we could win a World Cup. From memory, and as I tend to do when feeling passionate about something, I harped on …. and on … that given our unexplored and natural rugby talent in the country plus our background in touch football and rugby league, we could build a 7s program that would see us become the best in the World.
With the seed of this dream planted, we played rugby, taking the few opportunities provided by our struggling structure and creating many more ourselves – playing in tournaments at home and overseas. The moments in those 10 years are too many to mention, the memories, the players, all building the belief blindly for what was to come.
When the IRB announced there would be a Women’s World Cup to help their quest for Olympic inclusion, the dream was given a time frame …
Thankfully, the ARU got wholeheartedly behind the dream and provided the structure to recruit from touch & league and suitably prepare our squad with everything they would need.
From here, the girls themselves took the proverbial ball and ran with it …. all the way into extra time of a thrilling final with the rugby nemesis New Zealand … to become the inaugural World Cup Champions of Women’s Rugby 7s.
Three of the girls who were in Joe Bananas that night 10 years ago – Cheryl Soon, Tui Ormsby and Selena Tranter – completed that dream, making history and showcasing Australian Women’s Rugby to the World.
I salute you all, to have shared in that victory and the culmination of my dream, was something I will never forget.
Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi!
Cheryl, Bronnie, Tui