New sevens rugby series for women revealed in wake of Rio Olympic gold

THE ARU is hoping the new hit of the Rio Olympics can become an even bigger hit for Australian women and men at home with new pathways — and a women’s series — revealed.

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THE Australian Rugby Union is hoping the new hit of the Olympics in Rio can become an even bigger hit for Australian women and men at home with new pathways — and a women’s series — unveiled on Wednesday.

The news comes in the wake of the historic gold medal win by our women rugby sevens players over New Zealand in Rio.

One pathway will be a high-performance women’s university sevens series which will begin in 2017 and comprise university students playing alongside marquee players, including the women who won gold for Australia in Rio.

The Australian women celebrating their historic gold.

“This competition could genuinely change the face of women’s sport, along with the role of university sport in the Australian sporting landscape,” said Australian University Sport President Deidre Anderson.

“We are excited by the potential that it offers to raise the profile of our female athletes.’’

ARU high Performance manager Ben Whitaker said the series will fill a gap in the existing women’s sevens pathway.

“It will be an elite domestic competition with a national footprint, which will act as a stepping stone towards national selection.

“With more regular training and more representative-level games available, the next generation of sevens stars will be able to refine their skills and push for selection in the fulltime national squad.”

Australia's Evania Pelite scores in the final against New Zealand.

ARU boss Bill Pulver revealed that in the wake of the women’s sevens success, pathways will be established in schools, clubs and universities around the country “so that more young girls and boys than ever before will have the chance to work towards their dream of representing their country at the Olympic Games’’.

“Yesterday our Australian Women’s Sevens team became heroes for thousands of young girls and boys across the nation who will dream of growing up and playing Rugby in the Olympics, just like them,” he said.

“When we centralised our national women’s and men’s programs and made them fulltime athletes, we made an investment in their future and have subsequently seen them blossom as players and as role models.’’