Shawn MacKay has enjoyed a dream start to his coaching career, having led the first ever Australian Women’s Sevens side to the Oceania Sevens title with an unbeaten record last weekend and confirmed their place in the inaugural Rugby World Cup Sevens women’s event in the process.
The 26-year-old, who captained Australia’s men on the IRB Sevens World Series last season, had taken his charges to Samoa for the regional qualifier not really knowing what to expect from the five-team event, but came away hungry for more success.
“I had a few doubts, I have never coached a women’s side before and to tell you the truth I didn’t know much about the opposition that would be there,” MacKay told Total Rugby this week.
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“But I knew my girls were well up for the task and the level of commitment they showed a training, I knew come game day it didn’t matter what we were up against because they would put on a good showing.”
MacKay, who took over when his former Australia Sevens coach Bill Millard took up a coaching position with Cardiff Blues in Wales, had to start at the beginning with none of the women having played Sevens before and some coming across from the national touch football side.
“None of the girls had really played any Sevens at all in their live and obviously being the first Australian Women’s Sevens side it was good to just start everyone fresh and on the same level. We just started the skills from the basics, everyone grasped it well and we moved forward quickly.
“Now we know we are off to Dubai next March we can go to a few more tournaments and get a few more games under our belt. The enthusiasm of the girls, they just can’t wait for the next tournament now and that is great as a coach for your team to be bubbling over with enthusiasm.”
History in the making
That enthusiasm was certainly evident with captain Cheryl Soon, one of a number of players in that historic Sevens squad who had played for Australia in the 15-a-side game at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2006 in Canada.
“I feel extremely honoured and privileged to lead and be a part of the first Australian Women’s Sevens team,” Soon told Total Rugby. “For us it is a very special time and very special moment, it is history in the making to not only qualify for the World Cup next year but to finish first.
“We have got a lot of talent and we had a few girls from the national touch team, who are number one in the world. I think Sevens appeals to touch football players and rugby league players because the skills are quite similar so it is easy to transfer those skills into Sevens.
“That is good for our sport because it helps it to develop.”
The final could have gone either way with Australia and New Zealand locked at 15-15 until national touch representative Nicole Beck scored the match-winner right on full-time, but winning the Oceania title is only the starting point as far as MacKay and Soon are concerned.
“At the moment the girls are just obviously bursting with pride that they have made it to Dubai, but they don’t want to leave it at that and they have already told me that,” revealed MacKay, whose side beat Fiji (twice), Samoa, Niue and New Zealand (twice) en route to the title.
“We want to make a real go of it over in Dubai and the more we can come together as a team and learn more the better. We only had pretty much a month or training beforehand and that was only one day a week before we went away [to Samoa].
“It is very important for Australia to have this Sevens team now. They have been put on the map with us going to Dubai in March. Women’s rugby definitely plays a role here in Australia, there are many club teams and they play in most states in our country. 
The Australian team celebrate their title success at the Oceania Sevens - Photo: Bruce Southwick/Zoomfiji
“For them to see a possible pathway or something to look forward rather than just going to club rugby every weekend, I think that is what the girls are so excited about, that they are going to be playing in front of tens of thousands over in Dubai and for a young player coming through you aspire to play at the highest level you can.”
Soon echoed her coach’s sentiments and was convinced that a first ever win over New Zealand in any form of women’s rugby proves that this Australian Women’s Sevens side is capable of achieving anything if they put in the hard work.
“I think we have got a truckload of potential, a few people made comments on how we played over there and that we actually played like men because the skill level was quite high,” she explained.
“It is just exciting for us because finally we get a chance to showcase what we can do and Sevens is such an attractive game, it is such a fast paced game as well and I think the skills are enhanced in Sevens. I am absolutely stoked about the result and looking forward to next year.
“I certainly think we can [win the RWC Sevens title]. New Zealand is a formidable side as well and to actually beat them not once, but twice was amazing for us, I mean we have never beaten them in anything before and they are a formidable side.
“I think if we can beat them then we can do great things. Hopefully we will get to play in domestic or international tournaments leading up to the World Cup just to get some combos going. We do believe that we have got a good chance.”
