College competes in girls' rugby sevens

Brisbane Water Secondary College students competed in the Secondary School Rugby Sevens Girls Festival held on Wednesday, April 10, at Sir Joseph Banks Oval in Bateau Bay.

The College's under-16 team won the CJ Morgan Cup while the under-18s team was runner-up to Terrigal High School.

The under-16 team will now travel to Forster on Tuesday, September 17, to contest the Under-16 Girls Secondary School Sevens Regional Championship while the College's under-18 team will progress to the Regional Under-18s Secondary School Sevens Championships in Newcastle on Tuesday, June 11.

Finalists in the competition on Tuesday, June 11, will have the opportunity to play the curtain-raiser to the British and Irish Lions versus Combined Country at Newcastle Stadium that evening.

The Secondary School Rugby Sevens Girls Festival is contested throughout NSW in under-14, under-16 and under-18 age divisions.

The event was run as a Train and Play model with all girls working on their tackle and tackle contest skills ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the participants.

For many, this was their first experience of rugby union, so the event provided an opportunity for the sport to show off its Olympic pathway to the next generation of future sporting stars.

The under-18 event was named after Tobie McGann who, as an ex-Wallaroo and National Sevens player, won World Cups for Australia.

Tobie attended Kincumber High and started her rugby career on the Coast with Avoca Beach Rugby Club when the women's competition was in operation.

The under-16 event was named after Cobie-Jane Morgan who is a current member of the Australian Women's Sevens team.

Ex-Wallaroo Paige Butcher attended the Festival and presented the cups to the winning captains.

"What a great day and seeing so many highly skilled young ladies participating in rugby shows the future of the sport is in good hands," said Paige.

"From what I have seen today I am sure there will be a few players here who, if they work hard, will have the opportunity to maybe one day represent Australia in rugby at the Olympic Games," she said.

Media Release, 12 Apr 2013

Michael Magriplis, Australian Rugby Union