Australian Schools rugby championships Day 2: Girls make history, standouts, results, best photos

History was made as a new generation of rugby rising stars hit the field for the first time at the Australian Schools rugby championships. Stars, standouts and best photos on day two.

Amanda Lulham

@amandalulham

3 min read

July 10, 2022 - 1:56PM

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NSW Grey player Tess Elmslie scoring at the Australian Schools Rugby Championships. Pic: Jeremy Piper

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It was six years in the making as young girls from across NSW, the ACT and Queensland made rugby history in Sydney on Thursday.

Six teams of under 16 and under 18 players were the first girls ever to run out at the Australian schools rugby championship, now in its 48th year.

And the importance of the moment was not lost on any of them.

DAY THREE GIRL POWER AND BIT HITS

DAY ONE WRAP AND PHOTO SPECIAL

Action of the opening day of the girl’s competition at the Australian Schools Rugby Championship. Pic: Jeremy Piper

“I feel so privileged to be at this incredible school and event,’’ said NSW II player Liliana Reardon.

“It’s really special. It means a lot to be here, to be playing at this level against other girls is just so cool. It will make us all better.’’

The Australian Schools rugby championship has helped foster some of the biggest names in rugby union over the years.

Australian Schools Rugby Championships NSWSRU A Vs QLD Inv. NSWSRU A player Lailani Montgomery. Photo Jeremy Piper

Players of the ilk of cross coder Russell Fairfax, Simon Poidevin, Gary, Glen and Mark Ella, Brett Papworth, Scott Gourley, Tim Horian, Quade Cooper - and more recently Jack Dempsey, Harry Johnson-Holmes and Jordan Petaia - and all competed in the tournament in the past.

Australian Schools Rugby Championships NSWSRU A Vs QLD Inv. Photo Jeremy Piper

Reardon hails from Warialda in north west NSW but due to the lack of girls playing footy in her small home town travels two and a half hours to play Rugby Sevens with her local club, the Tamworth Pirates.

Hailing from a rugby league family, 16-year-old said she didn’t even know what rugby union was until a few years ago.

Australian Schools Rugby Championships NSWSRU A Vs QLD Inv. NSWSRU A player Georgia Grey.

“We are a rugby league family so I didn’t know about union until I went to high school,” she said.

“We don't have enough girls to make up a team at home. So, that’s why I go to Tamworth to play.’’

Australian Schools Rugby Championships. NSW Blue U16 v NSW Grey U16 match, NSW Grey player Tess Elmslie scoring. Photo Jeremy Piper

Action in the NSWSRU A v Queensland match.

On a memorable day for schoolgirl rugby the NSW Open A and the Queensland Invitational U16 sides were the standouts.

The Queensland young guns beat NSWJRU Grey 36-0 in their first outing and then NSWJRU Blue 22-0.

The NSW team beat ACT 47-0 and Queensland 17-5.

Battle for the ball.

Action in the NSW Blue U16 v NSW GREY U16 match

AUSTRALIA SCHOOLS RUGBY GIRLS U16 RESULTS DAY 1

Round 1

NSWJRU U16 Grey 0 Def By QSRU Invitational U16 36 (Tries: C. Ratu, S. Sauaso (2), A. Hala, J. Faleono, B. Thompson Conversions: E. Stockwell (2), S. Sauaso)

Round 2

NSWJRU U16 Grey 20 (Tries: L. Cross, T. Elmslie, T. O’Brien, A. Fuimaono) Def NSWJRU U16 Blue 10 (Tries: K. Gray, E. Winslade)

Historic day at the Australian schools rugby championships. Photo wrap later today ðŸ‘‰ https://t.co/EqrHs3gWDh pic.twitter.com/VbVorwAzJa
â€” amanda lulham (@amandalulham) July 7, 2022

Round 3

NSWJRU U16 Blue 0 Def By QSRU Invitational U16 22 (Tries: C. Ratu (2), A. Hala, J. Faleono Conversions: S. Sauaso)

NSW on the attack.

AUSTRALIA SCHOOLS RUGBY GIRLS U16 RESULTS DAY 1

Round 1

NSWSRU Open A 47 (Tries: L. Montgomery, M. Elaro, A. Nasio, E. Koster (2), M. Harvey, S. Shipton, Conversions: A. Nasio, P. Simons (2), R. Nicholas, A. Cruickshank (2)) Def ACTSRU Open 0

NSWSRU Open B 0 Def By QSRU Open 24 (Tries: L. Hills, M. Hudson, T. Devine, S. Adams Conversions: S. Adams (2).

NSWSRU A player Georgia Grey. Pic: Jeremy Piper

Round 2

NSWSRU Open A 17 (Tries: E. Koster, P. Simons, H. Neville Conversions: R. Nicholas) Def QSRU Open 5 (Tries: L. Hills)

NSWSRU Open B 36 (Penalty Tries: 1 Tries: R. Muller, B. Wilson (2), T. Cairns, B. Mckinnon. Conversions: C. Halse, B. Mckinnon) Def ACTSRU Open 10 (Tries: S. Nealon, G. Willey).

U16 NSW Grey player Eve Keeling in action. Pic: Jeremy Piper

AUSTRALIA SCHOOLS RUGBY BOYS RESULTS DAY 2

Round 2

NSW Barbarian SchoolboysU18 22 (Tries: H. Valevatu, T. Alatini (2), F. Watkins Conversions: D. Sullivan) Def NSW Schoolboys 2U18 14 (Tries: T. Herring, S. Bourgeois Conversions: T. Davey, T. Herring)

Victorian SchoolboysU18 5 (Tries: F. Clifford) Def By Queensland Schoolboys 1 U18 34 (Tries: L. Manu, N. Lesimaikimatuku, D. Mcleod, K. Saunders, P. Poutasi Conversions: N. Lesimaikimatuku (2), F. Lawson Penalty Goals: F. Lawson)

ACT Schoolboys U18 5 (Tries: F. Lemisio) Def By NSW Schoolboys 1U18 27 (Tries: L. Bassingthwaighte, R. Langfield, H. Darling, C. Johns Conversions: W. Perkins (2) Penalty Goals: W. Perkins)

NSW Juniors SchoolboysU18 43 (Tries: P. Talaileva, S. Tuisau (2), J. Taylor, J. Hutton, C. Briscoe Conversions: D. Paita (5) Penalty Goals: D. Paita) Def Queensland Schoolboys 2 U18 5 (Tries: R. Tuahine)