‘Whatever it takes’: Teen gunning for highest honours, a rising star of Premier Rugby amongst Super W stalwarts

In a squad littered with Super W and Comm Games stalwarts, one 19-year-old Gold Coaster is making steps of her own, gunning towards cracking the professional ranks and a starting spot in Bond Uni’s Premier Women’s grand final. Full story:

Bond University women's rugby player Eva Doblo

In a squad littered with Super W and Commonwealth Games stalwarts of the rugby world, 19-year-old Eva Doblo is making steps of her own towards cracking the professional ranks.

The teen sensation, boasting speed and footwork on the wing to get by the toughest of opponents, has already reached pinnacle honours in her first sport: Austag.

Now she wants to do it again. In rugby union.

“I’ve reached to the top, representing Australia in Austag, so now the pathway is definitely rugby and that’s my main focus at the moment ... is seeing how far I can go,” Doblo said.

“I’m very driven and committed to my sport and I’ll do whatever it takes to try and get me there.

“Representing my country for rugby would be the next dream come true.”

Bond University women's rugby player Eva Doblo

Hailing from the Gold Coast, Doblo got into Austag as a junior thanks to family influence and was a natural from the get-go.

While her family always followed the NRL (Broncos in particular), it was Rugby 7s that she tried next as part of a school program at All Saints Anglican College.

The pathway from there is a blur, and in June 2024, she was invited to join Bond University’s Premier Women’s side in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition, played in Brisbane.

Bond’s coaching team of Shannon Symon (head coach), Tania Hala and Lawrence Faifua (assistant coaches) has been pivotal to Doblo’s rise through the ranks and recent position in the starting lineup.

Doblo said the trio were crucial in building her confidence at the start given she joined late and was still a ‘newby’ in the sport compared to her peers.

“They’re very smart coaches (who are) dedicated and always put our team first which is really important,” she said.

“You can just tell their love for the game (and) I look up to them so much, I respect them. They take their time to analyze the game and then put together a game plan.

“They’re definitely using our strengths ... abilities, putting players where they might not necessarily have played before, but know they know what’s best for the team at the end of the day it’s worked.”

Among the star-studded roster are five Super W Reds (Eva Karpani, Grace Baker, Lucy Thorpe, Jemma Bemrose, Mel Wilks) and a Youth CommGames Rugby 7s representative in Amhali Hala.

A former NRLW player, Karpani’s highlight reel from the Premier Women’s major semi final - where she scored a double - caught the attention of United States sporting icon Ilona Maher.

Ilona Maher comments on the Wallaroo's instagram post of Eva Karpani’s double for Bond Uni

Maher, a Paris Olympic gold medal winner in Rugby 7s, is also the most social media-followed female rugby player in the world - having hit 1 million instagram followers July 27 and already sitting at 3.8 million as of August 23.

“It is a privilege to play with girls that have so much experience amongst the team with their knowledge and their leadership,” Doblo said.

“They’re such a talented group and have played together for ages.

Bond University women's rugby player Eva Doblo

Bond enjoy a week off to prepare for their grand final on August 31.

If successful, it will be the third year in-a-row Bond bring home the Premier Women’s title - an honour Doblo and her teammates have at the forefront of their minds as preparations gear up.

“We’ve got a few reds players in the team that just lift us all up and it’s going to be so exciting if we can get that three-peat this year ... a big dream come true.”