Queensland wins women’s title of Brisbane Global Rugby Tens in epic final

Two astonishing plays by 17-year-old Alysia Lefau-Fakaosila delivered Queensland the women’s title at Global Rugby Tens.

The Queensland Reds celebrate their win in the womens final against the New South Wales Waratahs.

Two astonishing plays within a minute by 17-year-old schoolgirl Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea delivered Queensland the women’s title at the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens in an epic final at Suncorp Stadium.

The two sides were locked together at 5-5 at regular full-time, forcing the game into golden point extra time. Finally, in the 27th minute of play, NSW player Olivia Brooks attempted to run the ball out from her own line but had the misfortune to run in the general direction of the Lefau-Fakaosilea, who swept her off her feet and backslammed her into the turf.

It was as shuddering a tackle as any player, man or woman, had pulled off in the tournament. And the crowd rose as one to salute her.

Queensland Reds’ Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea scores the winning try.

Then, from the ensuing scrum, Queensland fly half Zahara Temara scooted down the blindside, linking up with the Canterbury College schoolgirl — who needed permission to miss school on Friday — and then fired the pass to her. The slumped shoulders from all the NSW players told the story. They knew there was no catching Iefau-Fakaosilea as she ran around for the try that broke the deadlock, 10-5..

Not surprisingly, Lefau-Fakaosilea was named Player of the Tournament and it may well be that after the sevens stars of the 2016 Rio Olympics, Charlotte Caslick, Emilee Cherry, Ellia Green and all the rest, a new generation of Australian women’s rugby talent is starting to emerge.