‘There’s excitement in the unknown’: Former Wallaroo eager for ARS title chance

A former Australian women’s rugby union star has given unique insight into her Queensland Country Orchids side as they prepare to make amends from their 2023 Australian Rugby Shield heartbreak.

Sunshine Coast rugby union talent Olivia Fidow in action. Picture: Queensland Country Rugby Union.

The QLD Country Orchids are out to shock the Australian rugby union landscape once again after narrowly falling short in their inaugural Australian Rugby Shield appearance in 2023.

The ARS is the country’s top amateur prize with state and regional representative sides battling it out at Caloundra Rugby Union Club on the Sunshine Coast from October 2-6.

With the men’s competition founded in 2000 and the women’s in 2022, the purpose of the tournament is to identify and provide strong representative pathways for players outside of traditional rugby union strongholds such as Brisbane and Sydney.

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The 2024 women’s competition will include an array of teams such as the QLD Country Orchids, ACT & SNSW Kestrels, Australian Defence Force Women, Perth Gold, QLD Suburban, VIC Women, NSW Country Corellas and SA Black Falcons.

Under the tutelage of ex-Wallaroo star and Mackay local Chloe Butler, the Orchids are out to go one better this time around.

“It’s always exciting when you get to put your thoughts and ideas together out on the field,” she said.

Chloe Butler will once again be at the helm of a QLD Country Orchids side looking to climb to the top of the ARS competition by next Sunday. Picture: Contributed.

“There’s a combination of experienced and newer players but the team certainly doesn’t look the same as it did a year ago.”

“There’s always that little bit of nervousness around what it’s going to be like and how we fill the shoes of the players that have left. There’s a bit of the unknown about it.”

Now in her second year as head coach, Butler emphasised the significant challenge posed by a tournament which sees teams play four 15-a-side games in five days.

“I don’t believe that elite fitness necessarily makes a good rugby player, but thrashing the girls with 400m and 500m sprints becomes necessary to just be able to get through the competition,” she said.

“It also becomes a pretty important balance between wanting to play your best players and making sure you get everyone involved.

“Firstly because you want to give your key players some rest, but also because you need to keep everyone’s confidence up. You don’t want to have to rely on someone in a big game who hasn’t had opportunities throughout the tournament.”

Rockhampton Brothers Jenna Potgieter.

After initially being left out of the ARS competition, the strength of the Orchids’ performances in other competitions and exhibition matches helped them earn a call-up in 2023.

“I think we really did come in as the underdogs, nobody knew really how we were going to fare,” Butler said.

“When we went down 12-10 against Victoria - the defending champs from the previous year - I think that’s when people realised we were actually going to be quite good.

“And sure enough we won every game after that, and we won them in such a strong fashion that our for and against got us through to the grand final.”

Despite earning quick respect from their opposition, the group is far from ready to rest on its laurels, with the ultimate glory of silverware still yet to be achieved.

“We got beat in the grand final by NSW Country, so getting the best of them in that derby matchup would be a goal for us,” Butler said.

“The benchmark for us is to get to that grand final but we’re not going to be complacent and look past any of the teams in the competition.

“Anything can happen on grand final day, you just have to get there and fight the battle with whatever you’ve got.”

Orchids 2024 Squad

Olivia Fidow - Caboolture Rugby Union

Abby Marshall - Northern Beaches Mudcrabs

Anna Johnston - Toowoomba Bears

Krystle Johnston - Caloundra Rugby Union

Lily Black - Toowoomba Bears

Steivy Te Moana - Brothers Sunshine Coast

Jenna Potgieter - Brothers Rockhampton

Alenna Whipp - Brothers Rockhampton

Eva Doblo - Bond Pirates

Elly May - Dawson Valley Rugby Club

Ainslie Gale - Toowoomba Bears

Reeghyn Beardmore - St George Rugby Club

Shannon Harris - Capricornia Rugby Club

Zahra Shadbolt - Townsville Senior Rugby Club

Elenour Suavai - Southside Crusaders

Seraphina Dufil - Capricornia Rugby Club

Kyahne Smail - Mackay Senior Rugby Club

Jorja Dinan - College Knights

Carly Hill - Dawson Valley Rugby Club

Maria Graf - Brothers Sunshine Coast

Aerielle Hobbler - Dalby Rugby Club

Julia Douglas - Brothers Townsville

Gabi Williams - Capricornia Rugby Club

Holly Berlin - Dalby Rugby Club