Charlotte Caslick Cup: Roma Echidnas players star for Queensland Country Orchids at Bond University

Last weekend seven of Roma’s best women’s Rugby 7s players battled it out representing the Darling Downs in the first weekend of the Charlotte Caslick Cup. Here are the latest results.

From lining up for the Roma Echidnas to representing the Darling Downs, the region’s best women’s rugby players battled it out last weekend in this year’s first leg of the the Charlotte Caslick Cup.

Kicking off last weekend on the Gold Coast at Bond University, seven players from Roma were a part of the Darling Downs tea, and while they went down in their games Darling Downs Rugby manager Rick Lingard had nothing but praise their performance.

“The Roma girls did outstanding - they’re a good bunch of girls,” he said.

“We didn’t win any this time round but the games were close.

“Even though we won all of last year’s games, the city side didn’t want to lose to the country folk.

“A few of the Roma girls will definitely make selection for the Super W Training Squad.

“The way they played was on par with their city counterparts.

“Meg’s been a standout for a long time. She was selected Player of the Tournament at the Queensland Country Championships (where the players are selected for the Orchids).”

Lingard said at the end of this year, Queensland Reds Super W head coach Simon Craig will put together a training squad with about forty girls and he’s confident most of the Roma players will be chosen.

Kayla Jackson playing in the Caslick Cup last weekend.

Roma girls Hannah Jakins and sisters Kayla and Courntey Jackson were all selected for this year’s Queensland Country Orchids team.

Kayla, who has been playing rugby the longest out of the three, began at the age of 12 playing for the Downlands College team until she graduated in 2020.

“I’ve been playing for the Echidnas since then for about two years now,” she said.

“We made the grand final twice and lost both times which is really frustrating.

“Keeping up with club footy is so important because us rural girls don’t get much higher representation in footy unfortunately.

Kayla said work commitments almost got in the way of her taking part in the first-round tournament of the Charlotte Caslick Cup, but she managed to get the time off.

“I loved it - it was a ball, it’s such a big step up. I was playing against people in the NRLW,” she said.

“The game is so evolved now and there’s more opportunities. Footy for women in general is skyrocketing.

“We didn’t get to put our best foot out, which is a bit devastating. We didn’t have all our players playing last weekend and I’ve had coaches ring me up and tell me they know we didn’t bring our strongest side.

“With our strong side, we’re really going to shake it up and they’ve told me city teams are weary of us.

Kayla said her favourite part about playing footy is the physicality of it.

“I love the contact, and just getting a good tackle and knocking someone off their feet.”

Courtney Jackson on the field in action.

Sister Courtney also started her rugby career in high school and has been playing for the Echidnas for two years.

“I’ve gained a lot of knowledge through it and we play again in Narrabri next February,” she said.

“I love the people you meet, the skills you learn and the challenges you face.

“We want to get more girls around Roma and surrounding areas to play and even try and get a younger team to join the circuit in the coming years.”

Fellow team mate Jakins was also first exposed to rugby in high school, which launched her career and not long after she was playing in Brisbane for the University of Queensland side.

“I had a few years off until I moved to Roma where I began playing rugby again last year,” she said.

Roma player Hannah Jakins taking a shot at goal.

“I made the Darling Downs 7’s team the same year in 2021 and then played my first game of 15s in 2022 where I was selected in the Downs team, South Queensland rep side and then the Queensland Country Orchids.

“It was a great experience and I really enjoyed the different style of rugby that 15s offers.

“I have met some incredible people playing rugby and the connections you are able to make are life long friendships. Our rugby club has such a great culture.

“I’m just hoping to continue to improve my game and would love to be able to win a premiership for the Roma Echidnas 7s team as we have come very close two years running now.”

Although Jakins said she was disappointed with the outcome of the games, she’s already got her eyes turned to her upcoming game in Brisbane next weekend in round two of the Charlotte Caslick Cup.

“It was amazing to see such high quality footy down that way (in the cities),” she said.

“They are so lucky to have readily available higher level coaching staff and it really shows.

“It’s difficult as we don’t have the opportunity to train together often like the city teams but we have a lot of naturally talented players.”

The team now turns their focus to the next two rounds of the Charlotte Caslick Cup, which will be played in Brisbane at the Bris Vegas 7s, Wests Bulldogs RUFC, November 5 and 6 and the Queensland Sevens State Championships at Noosa Dolphins RUFC, on November 12 and 13.