Australian schools rugby championship: Players, skills Aust schools sevens coach wants, squad lists

There’s a place for all sizes and shapes in the new Australian sevens squad being selected at the schools rugby championships – and teen tyros with this special trait.

Grace Dabin at last year’s City v Country. Picture: Julian Andrews

It’s not just what happens on the field that turns the head of Australian schoolgirls sevens coach Ash Mewburn, it’s off it as well.

Mewburn, also the NSW U18s 1 coach at the Australian schools rugby championships on the Sunshine Coast believes good culture is as important as any skill in girls sevens.

It’s why she’s on the lookout for players with speed and assorted “super powers” but also those who will buy in and contribute to the special culture of an Australian team.

“I want to see some speed on my edge, big powerful forwards to get us going and those willing to build a culture and trust early,” Mewburn said.

“They say boys need to play good to feel good but I’m a firm believer girls need to feel good to play good.

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Lacey Cross was one of the stars of the Australian schools titles last year. Picture: John Appleyard

“I want them to bring out their super powers in each other and if you are comfortable with someone off the field, you will go to war for them on it.”

Mewburn is particularly fond of players with an X factor and those willing to put in “hard yakka”.

“Someone who is a hot stepper and who can be unpredictable, bend the line and be selfless,’’ she said.

“I love the hard yakkers as well. They are just as important to get the girls going forward.

“I like to find amazing athletic players, tall, strong and to drive the contact and get in the air. Ones who are always contesting.”

Mewburn said there is also a place for all shapes and sizes in her sevens squads.

“Amazon‘s, pocket rockets, speedsters, big bashers … there’s a place for every shape and size, there are no stereotypes here.’’ she said.

Logan Lemusu, who also plays rugby league is one to watch at the championships.

With her NSW cap on, Mewburn believes her team needs to be fast on their feet to combat the traditional physical style of their Queensland opposites.

“They are always going to be physical – they like the big bash game – so we will try and get it out to our speedsters on the edge,’’ she said.

At the end of the tournament, a squad will be named to go into camp and comprised of 12 players from the 18s competition and the best eight from the 16sh at a certain age at the end of the tournament.

From this camp a team will be named to play at the Global Youth Championships in New Zealand in December.

Grace Dabin will be turning plenty of heads in Queensland. Picture: Julian Andrews

EVERY GIRLS SQUAD LIST FOR AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP

NSW 1 Girls U18

1. Lacey Cross NBSC Freshwater Senior Campus 2. Pyper Marchant Castle Hill High School 3. Khyliah Gray NBSC Mackellar Girls Campus 4. Logan Lemusu GOAL College 5. Chanel Williams Matraville Sports High School 6. Manua Moleka The Hills Sports High School 7. Maia Madden-Khan Central Coast Sports College 8. Maronay Smuts Hunter Sports High School 9. Amelia Whitaker International Grammar School 10. Ruby Anderson Central Coast Sports College 11. Sydney Davis Barker College 12. Grace Dabin Brisbane Waters High School. Coach Ash Mewburn Goulburn High School. Ass. Coach Kye Harrison Monaro High School.

NSW 2 Girls U18

1. Saxbii Shaw Dubbo College Senior Campus 2. Caoimhe Waldron Hunter Sports High School 3. Grace Maxwell Monaro High School 4. Emily Dietrich McCarthy College, Tamworth 5. Annabel MacDonald Cheltenham Girls High School 6. Savannah Roberts-Hickling Ballina Coast High School 7. Eliza Taylor Hennessy Catholic College, Young 8. Millie Parker Central Coast Sports College 9. Lottie Coppola St John’s College, Woodlawn 10. Demi Owens Dubbo College Senior Campus 11. Natasha Ireland Kincumber High School 12. Scarlett Slade Quirindi High School. Coach Charlie Aylmer St Ives High School, Ass. Coach Hannah Moloney Jindabyne High School, Manager Harry Lind Waverley College

NSW celebrate their victory in Sydney last year. Picture: Julian Andrews

EXTRAORDINARY TIMES OF RUGBY GUN

ACT Girls U18

1. Emily Stanberg Trinity Catholic College 2. Zoe Bullock Merici College 3. Isabella Tripet Jindabyne Central School 4. Jasmine Reid Daramalan College 5. Reese Vidler Erindale College 6. Daisy Goodwin Daramalan College 7. Georgina Hayes Mater Del 8. Zali Gibson St Clare’s College Canberra 9. Lahni Hall Erindale College 10. Makenna Ravouvou Daramalan College 11. Sabrina Marela Erindale College 12. Ella Kelly Erindale College. Coach Reinhold Kamilo ACT Brumbies, Assistant Coach Shelley Bradshaw Lyneham High School, Manager Maria Moreno ACT Brumbies

QLD Girls U18 Maroon

1. Dani Martens Indooroopilly State High School 2. Anna Park The Glennie School 3. Amanii Misa Mabel Park State high School 4. Madison Pomerenke James Nash State High School 5. Danielle Tutakangahau Mabel Park State high School 6. Shalom Sauaso Ipswich State High School 7. Nikeisha Ngaru Marsden State High School 8. Gracie Johnston Fairholme College 9. Te Rina Pearse Stretton State School 10. Lille Merlow Redcliffe State High School 11. Tekainga Enkera-Raveora Stretton State School 12. Madi Collins Siena Catholic College. Coach Luke Zeremes St Johns College (Nambour), Ass. Coach Marioulla Belessis Marsden State High School, Manager Amy McBurney Ferny Grove State High School

QLD Girls U18 White

1. Mia Vines St John’s College 13. Jazlyn Leota Stuartholme School 3. Katalina Setiu Mabel Park State High School 4. Manaia-Rose Afuie Marsden State High School 5. Evie Sampson Kings Christian College 6. Kaelyn Passi Kings Christian College 7. Amy Lorenz St John’s Catholic School 8. Mia Byrnes The Glennie School 9. Hawke Kahu Marsden State High School 10. Ainslie-Alyssa Iva Canterbury College 11. Laura-May McGovern Siena Catholic College 12. Madison Morris Clayfield College. Coach Asako Ono Marsden State High School Ass. Coach Mick Jarroush Wilsonton State High School Manager Megan Orgill Brisbane South State Secondary College

LMRDT U18

1. Keeley Scott Varsity College 2. Sonrae Lui Tagai State College 3. Jaeda Morato Woree State High School 4. Ruby Flanders Bishop Druitt College Coffs Harbour 5. Aaliyah Sheppard Canterbury College 6. Reese Orcher (C) Clayfield College 7. Kameryn Bray Cavendish Road State High School 8. Lara Parter (VC) Kirwan State High School 10. Zaleal Mosby-Nona Kirwan State High School 11. Nyeema Tuua Mabel Park State High School 12. Savannah Roberts-Hickling Ballina Coast High School. Coach Kris Burton, Coaching Director Dylan Blackman Manager Jodie Clarke

NSW 1 Girls U16 (Blue)

1. Shekinah Bainivalu Westfields Sports High School 2. Ella Gleeson Macintyre High School 3. Molly Adamson St Catherine’s School 4. Angel Ngungautau Rutherford High School 5. Amalia Casey Kincumber High School 6. Keira Callaghan Hunter Sports High School 7. Annika Mcarthy Hunter Sports High School 8. Antia Ropati The Hills Sports High School9. Lusiana Vesicula Kingsgrove High School 10. Imogen Crowe Mount St Benedict College, Pennant Hills 11. Georgia Wansey St Andrew’s Cathedral School 12. Sienna Sullivan Dubbo College South Campus. Coach Kieran Smith Dubbo Senior College, Ass. Coach Briana Fritsch Cootamundra High School, Manager Alice Barber Macquarie Anglican Grammar School

NSW 2 Girls U16 (White)

1. Lola Harvison Roseville College 2. Anika Penitani The Hills Sports High School 3. Evie Scott Barker College 4. Jasmine Truskett-Jones Asquith High School 5. Lucy McLean Pymble Ladies College 6. Erin Krenmayr Marist Sisters College, Woolwich 7. Darci Turinui St Clare’s College, Waverley 8. Eden Klemm Jindabyne High School 9. Saige Tautalafua GOAL College 10. Lara Curry Temora High School 11. Ruby Clayton Wee Waa High School 12. Amelia Steventon PLC Sydney, Coach Jodie Llamas Castle Hill High School, Ass. Coach Sally Faehrmann Castle Hill High School, Manager Shaniah Ellul Melonba High School

QLD Girls U16 White

1. Anika Gundlach Kelvin Grove State College 2. Poppy Gibbons (C) The Glennie School Toowoomba 3. Claudia Woodhead The Glennie School 4. Lily Bain Caloundra State High School 5. Esme Hearsum Redcliffe State High School 6. Maycee Brown The Cathedral college 7. Abigail Viriki Canterbury College 8. Emily Jackwitz Ipswich state high 9. Luca Lamplough Kawana Waters State College 10. Arahi Walker (VC) St Aidan’s Anglican Girls College 11. Genesis Tupa’i Keebra Park State High School 12. Amealia-Rose Hoiss William Ross State High School. Coach Ben O’Connell West Moreton Anglican College, Trainer Declan Taylor Woodlinks State School, Manager Naomi Tomlinson Redcliffe State High School

LMRDT Girls U16

1. Emma McRae Newcastle High School 2. Isla Bin Awel Loreto College Coorparoo 3. Aamira Renaf (VC) Caloundra State High School 4. Jaida Flores Palm Beach Currumbin State High School 5. Aaliyah Barba St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School 6. Taliah Anderson (C) Keebra Park State High School 7. Kanisha Green Maryborough State High School 8. Cienna Dumas Palm Beach Currumbin State High School 9. Poppi Flanders Bishop Druitt College Coffs Harbour 10. Alaiela Dargin Matraville Sports High School 11. Alexandra Kulla Kulla Rockhampton Grammar School 12. Ellazae Ellers Hunter Sports High School. Coach Kris Burton, Coaching Director Dylan Blackman

QLD Girls U16 Maroon

1. Billie Backus Kings Christian College, 2. TJ Murray Kings Christian College, 3. Peytton Wentholt Mable Park State High School 4. Carla Nobbs (C) Fairholme College 5. Aimee Henry Canterbury College 6. Kaia Skeen Wavell State High School 7. Tiki Caliste Kings Christian College 8. Ace Pollock Caloundra State High School 9. Rachael Phipps Kelvin Grove State College 10. Marley Morgan (VC) Ipswich Girls Grammar 11. Matilda Richards Townsville Grammar School 12. Aaliya Lama Kings Christian College: Coach Matthew Chapman Kelvin Grove State College, Manager Sophie Shadlow Bowen State High School, Trainer Mitch Bebb William Ross State High School

VIC Girls U16

1. Leisi Kirirua-Gill Henderson College 2. Rebekah Epa Victoria University Secondary College 3. Nathania Saila Tataa Maiava Staughton College 4. Allessia Lettieri Haileybury 5. Alanis-Ellen Toluono Manorlakes 6. Poppy Page Balwyn High School 7. Priscilla Taulauniu Manuelmalgaoma Victoria University Secondary College 8. Gina Aiono Copperfield College 9. Eloise Loga Keilor Downs College 10. Mya Craig Staughton College 11. Pearl Potesio Grange P-12 College 12. Margaret Mika Victoria University Secondary College. Coach Meretiana Robinson Victoria Schools Rugby, Ass. Coach Scott Addington Victoria Schools Rugby, Manager Sarah Stone Victoria Schools Rugby.

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Originally published as Australian schools rugby championship: Players, skills Aust schools sevens coach wants, squad lists