Top 30: Rugby 7s top guns uncovered from Caslick Cup, Stannard Shield
Queensland’s best rugby sevens talent revealed here as we name the top 30 performers from the Stannard Shield and Caslick Cup tournaments at Easts.
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Rugby Sevens was thriving in Queensland over the weekend with the Oceania Sevens unfolding at Ballymore, while the State Sevens were being played at Easts Rugby Club.
The stars came to play, with Lily Dick and Haidee Head strong performers for Easts.
CASLICK CUP, STANNARD SHIELD PICTURES FROM SATURDAY AT EASTS
Youth Commonwealth Games Rugby Sevens select Fleur Ginn was jawdropping for the Wests Bulldogs, joining Hana Lane, Dillyn Blackburn, Rhani Hagan, Indi Frawley, Damita Jade Betham and Piper Simons in a promising Wests outfit who were pipped by Easts in the quarterfinals.
Simons, Ginn, Hagan and Betham, all members of the gold medal winning team in Trobago, combined to produce a cocktail of success and give onlookers a glimpse of what the Australian Sevens team could look like later this decade.
But it was Ginn who starred, putting herself in the picture for Australian A selection following the tournament.
Tess Orton and Rory Owen spearheaded the University Rising Stars, while Ruby Nicholas was excellent for the University of Queensland.
In the Stannard Shield, Brothers scrumhalf Will Cartwright was electric, while Alec Evans meddalist Rhian Stowers did his thing for the brilliant Bond University Bullsharks.
The Stannard Shield was taken out by Bond University, who beat Souths 19-12 in the final.
Then, Bond University came from behind to be crowned back-to-back Caslick Cup champions.
Easts scored both of their tries while the Bullsharks were down a player, but Bond’s defence, inspired by Georgia Grey and Shalom Sauaso, turned the tide.
Sauaso was exceptional, changing the game with her defence and relentless ball-carrying, which allowed Fa’agase Tupuola-Palale to score the match-winning try with a barnstorming carry down the right touchline.
She steamrolled over her defender to bring up a 19-14 victory, making it a double-delight of wins in the Stannard Shield and Caslick Cup for Bond University.
Easts had lost Lily Dick (head-knock) early in the clash.
There were big hits, spectacular offloads and full field tries as the next generation of Australia Sevens stars took over the ‘Den’, so below we uncover just some of these players glimpsed over the weekend.
Footnote: This is merely a snapshot of some of the impressive talent which was on show at the State Sevens Tournament.
TOP TIER PERFORMERS AT EASTS
CASLICK CUP
Esther Pedro (Bond Uni Blue)
The Ipswich SHS young gun was excellent on both sides of the ball, complimenting the star-studded Bond line-up with her ability to run herself, and also create for others.
Shalom Sauaso (Bond Uni Blue)
Perhaps the player of the entire tournament was this promising, Broncos signed Year 10 student from Ipswich SHS whose rib-rattling tackles were bested only by her ability to put others in for tries.
Sauaso was a defensive brute, with a brilliant spiral pass and plenty of pace and power which was too much for her rivals.
Amahli Hala (Bond Uni Blue)
Hala did not dissapoint.
A prolific tryscorer, the King’s Christian College senior was the competiton’s leading try scorer when she had 31 tries before the semi-finals.
The little pocket-rocket was also rock solid defending the left edge.
Sienna Ibrahim (Bond Uni Gold)
Unfortunately Ibrahim was injured in a Bond University bout but before going down, she was a prime mover for the Gold team.
She was unselfish, but also did the heavy lifting with her carries through the middle.
Jennifer Ravuti (Brothers)
Brothers received a huge boost with the powerful Ravuti, a Fijiana Drua player of the Super W competition, helping the brethren challenge the best teams.
With the help of Ravuti’s crash running, Brothers took it to Bond University Blue and threatened an upset.
Alice Gregory (Brothers)
The hot-on-heels Gregory was another threat in the Brothers line-up, someone whose speed and knack for being at the right place at the right time helped their cause dramatically.
Haidee Head (Easts)
19-year-old Haidee Head was the peak of her powers at Tigerland, her home ground.
She was destructive with the ball, and without when her defence helped Easts defeat an exciting Wests team in the quarterfinals.
Lily Dick (Easts)
Currumbin’s Lily Dick was her usual self with strong pilfers, hard lines and vast Sevens experience crucial to the Tigers success.
She was a monster in contact, often shrugging off defenders and charging down field to score under the posts.
Piper Simons Damita Jade Betham and Indya Frawley (Wests)
Simons, a beach sprinter from Manly, was something else with her passing and pilfering while Betham was a clinical right edge finisher who was the last link in a superb backline.
Betham made an impossible trysaving tackle and subsequent pilfer to win possession and deny the University of Canberra what looked like an almost certain try to equalise the semi-final at 19-all.
Indya Frawley was also a defensive menace who swung momentum in West’s favour.
Hana Lane (Wests)
The Bulldogs backrower was brutal with her defence, and breakdown brilliance which on a handful of occasions prevented almost certain tries.
She was tireless, and should have played the full 14 minutes in the Bulldogs quarterfinal game against Easts.
Fleur Ginn (Wests)
Stretton State College rugby star Fleur Ginn glittered once more, this time in a wonderful Wests strip.
She was a game-breaker, influencing matches with her offload, speed, power through the hips and overall magic touch.
The Reds Super W, or Australian Rugby Sevens team need to sign the Youth Commonwealth Games Sevens selection before the Broncos do.
Kahli Henwood (GPS)
Henwood was a classy customer whose calm head and impressive passing unlocked fast-paced Gallopers edge players Mackenzie Davis, Emmisyn Wynward and Grace Wright among others.
Ruby Nicholas (University)
The Red Heavies were lucky to be steered around the park by Nicholas, a playmaker with a burst of speed, instincts and a great kick.
She was ultra-consistent and everything went through her.
Giverny Robinson (University)
The speedy Red Heavy was on fire all weekend, especially when it mattered most when her speed delivered crucial tries for her team.
She benefited massively from having Nicholas draw in defenders and nail the pass.
Maddi Pomerenke (Sunshine Coast)
16-year-old Gympie product Pomerenke shone as bright as a beacon in the talented Sunshine Coast side.
The baby of the team, Pomerenke contributed in more ways than one and will be one to track the progress of.
Jennifer Ladwig (Sunshine Coast)
Ladwig was Pomerenke’s partner in crime who laid the foundations with her gutsy defence and work-ethic on the field.
Rory Owen (Rising stars)
The blonde-haired Owen was impressive from start to finish over the weekend at Tigerland.
She broke the line with almost every run, marched the Rising Stars upfield and was often in charge of scoring, or setting up her team’s tries.
Mackenzie Davis (GPS)
The blistering Davis was not dissimilar to Owen in that her combination of pace and power was a huge factor in her team’s success.
Davis dominated the right side of the field, slicing through defensive lines with her show-and-go as well as putting Wynward over with her accurate passing.
She got better and better as the weekend went on, as did her GPS team.
STANNARD SHIELD
Harry Logan (Wests)
The lightning quick winger put away a handful of tries on the left edge and was a terrific finisher.
Rhian Stowers (Bond University)
The 2023 Alec Evans meddalist did not disappoint.
A headgeared assassin, Stowers stole the show with his blistering speed and goosestep which left defenders stuck in their tracks as he stormed towards the tryline.
Will Cartwright (Brothers)
The Colts 1 premiership winning Brothers srcrumhalf was the lifeblood of the Brethren team which upset Easts 22-17 to come away with bragging rights.
Of course the ever-improving Cartwright was at the fore, scoring tries with his speed and creating them with his vision.
There wasn’t a game where he didn’t cross the chalk and he is a gem in the Brothers set-up.
Jordan Carriera (Easts)
A fan favourite at Tigerland, Carriera caught the eye with his workrate in general play and at the breakdown where he stole plenty the ball.
Zachary Maseinawa (GPS)
Maseinawa was deadly, stepping his defender first and outrunning them second to score a ton of tries for GPS.
He has incredible footwork.
Dougie Rayment (GPS)
Rocking the Movember moustache, playmaker Rayment ran wild.
He was th Gallopers best, creating tries with his incredible stepping, vision and draw-and-pass.
He was a special customer.
Ratu Vio Batibasaga (GPS)
It wasn’t fair what big Batibasaga was doing to his opponents.
The hulking GPS centre bumped off countless daring defenders, and if he wasn’t doing that he was undoing them with his step.
Hamish Muir (Norths)
Headgeared Muir was right at home in this format, bursting away for several tries thanks to his footwork, acceleration and ability to locate and attack a gap.
The Norths first grade talent was North’s best.
Callum Reidy (Norths)
Coming off a stellar campaign with the Queensland Reds Under 19s, Norths Colts scrumhalf Callum Reidy looked in fine form.
He was tactical with his kicks, applied endless pressure on defence, and of course put it in the breadbasket for his teammates.
Dre-Dyn Cruz Laban (Souths)
Laban had a touch of class with his sidestep, speed and smart attacking kicks proving a danger for opposition defences.
The Brisbane State High old boy suits the Sevens game very well.
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