The first ever Australian Women’s Sevens squad has been selected for the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 qualifier, which takes place in Samoa on 25-26 July with two places available at the inaugural women’s competition in Dubai.
Seven members of the 12-strong squad have played for the Wallaroos in the 15-a-side game, with Tui Ormsby the only one of them not to have played in the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2006 when Australia finished seventh in Canada.
Cheryl Soon, Selena Tranter, Tricia Brown, Ruan Sims, Alex Hargreaves and Iliseva Batisbasaga were all present at that tournament with scrum half Soon the oldest member of this Sevens squad at 32 and Nicole Beck the youngest having only turned 20 in late May.
Beck is one of four players – the others being Amanda Judd, Rebecca Tavo and Selene Thornton – to make the transition from national representative touch football to Sevens rugby in the squad comprising players from Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia.
Excited by the challenge
The squad will be coached by Australia Sevens men’s captain Shawn Mackay, who takes over from his former coach Billy Millard after he took up the position of backs coach with Cardiff Blues in Wales.
“All the squad are really excited about the upcoming experience and want to perform well and qualify for the World Cup,” admitted Mackay, who played in all eight events of the 2007/08 IRB Sevens World Series.
“I will use the time we have together to pass on my experience at international Sevens level to help the players understand the tricks of the trade a little more.
“We have some of the best women’s rugby players in the country and the players from touch footy will be a real asset as they all catch pass very well, are able to move the ball at speed and have high fitness levels.”
The likes of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Samoa will all be hoping to qualify for RWC Sevens 2009 and join Brazil (South America), England, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, France and Italy (all Europe) at ‘The Sevens’ venue in Dubai from 5-7 March.
The other qualifiers in the 16-team women’s competition will come from Africa (two), North America (two) and Asia (three).
Australia Women’s Sevens squad:
Iliseva Batibasaga, Nicole Beck, Tricia Brown, Alex Hargreaves, Debby Hodgkinson, Amanda Judd, Tui Ormsby, Ruan Sims, Cheryl Soon, Rebecca Tavo, Selene Thornton, Selena Tranter.
Reserves: Tegan French, Faryaneh Hayati, Melissa Rowe.
