Tabadamu, Queensland Academy of Sport dominant Hottest Sevens title winners at Marrara

You couldn’t get a more deserving bunch of Hottest Sevens rugby winners who, according to their major sponsor, ‘would play every week if they could’.

YOU couldn’t get a more deserving bunch of tournament winners than Tabadamu who, according to their major sponsor, “would play sevens rugby every week if they could”.

The Territory side made up of Fijian players passionate about the condensed version of the game was a worthy Croc trophy champion outfit at the 2021 Hottest Sevens rugby tournament at Marrara over the weekend, winning all seven of its games.

The Queensland Academy of Sport side also finished convincing undefeated winners of the women’s Jabiru Cup.

The winning men’s Croc side Tabadamu from the 2021 Darwin Hottest Sevens rugby tournament at Marrara. Picture: NT Rugby

“They (Tabadamu players) would play every week if they could,” said major sponsor James De Dassell from JJ’s Car Hire, speaking on behalf of player-coach Sete Cakau.

“And they’re all very humble people.

“They played without many stoppages with plenty of quick restarts and a lot of side-to-side ball movement.

“This team has always been very competitive on the sevens rugby circuit, and even so for this tournament when it was made up of mainly Territory-based Fijian players (because of strict Covid conditions interstate).”

Tabadamu quite simply blew away its opponents, finishing its pool rounds with a staggering +205 for-and-against record from its four games.

University Pirates then gave them a good run for their money in the semi-finals stage, with the eventual champions prevailing 27-14.

“That game went down to the wire and the Pirates really pushed us, particularly in the first half,” De Dassell said, with Tabadamu going on to beat Central Australian Fijians 31-5 in the final.

Queensland Academy of Sport women celebrate their Jabiru Cup victory, also with East Arnhem men's players in the shot. Picture: NT Rugby

“Then a couple of Pirates errors in the second half let us off the hook.

“Our little halfback Joe Tuilawaki was one of our best over seven games with the limited interchanges we had. He’s a very experienced sevens player.

“This has been a very good tournament over the years, which has included big invitational sides with South Africa, Samoan and Fijian representation.

“The Fijian side which won it in 2019 was full of guys who went on to win Olympic gold in Tokyo.”

QAS finished +285 from its pool games before winning its final 50-0 against Billrrawarra, Rachel Crothers enjoying a fine tournament.

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NT RUGBY COMMUNITY RISES TO CHALLENGE, HOSTS A FINE TOURNAMENT

RUGBY union in the Territory faces steep challenges everyday.

But the code showed its resilience during a mainly all-local 2021 Hottest Sevens at Rugby Park over the weekend.

The 15-man game competes with the highly-popular football, rugby league and soccer codes.

Not to mention one of its marquee weekends on the calendar year went ahead with Covid-enforced lockdowns in New South Wales and Victoria.

“But it was still a fantastic event with 21 teams in total,” NT Rugby CEO Shane Sullivan said.

“We had great crowds who witnessed a cracking tournament.

“There was so much enthusiasm and support for this event after the year we’ve had.

“The NT Rugby community is absolutely fantastic.”

Queensland Academy of Sport won the women’s Jabiru Cup, while Tabadamu triumphed in the men’s Croc Cup.

Sullivan has impressed in his 12 months in the role.

He has already made a strong impression and has some attainable goals for the future.

“We needed to think outside the box for this sevens tournament with mainly local Territory teams competing,” Sullivan said.

“We cannot always be about the traditional 15-person game.

“We’ve currently got strong playing numbers coming out of Katherine.

“And we’re happy to go into what will be our second wet-season (Darwin) competition.

“Our women’s numbers are very strong.

“It’s always hard with the foothold Aussie rules football has in the Territory.

“But having the Queensland Academy of Sport team come up, Shirley Russell from the Classic Wallaroos (who ran school camps in Darwin last month) and the Tokyo Olympic teams train in Darwin before they left means we’re gaining a foothold in the Territory.

“We don’t have women’s or junior competitions in Alice Springs, so there’s potential for growth there.”