Australian school girls rugby sevens award winners, top teams, stars, finals results
Explosions of speed, try scoring heroes, stars and standouts as Australian school girls rugby champs conclude. Award winners, best players and results wrap.
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There were try-scoring freaks, big hits, raw pace, head-turners and upsets at the Australian schoolgirls championships on the Sunshine Coast, with the top teams and match-winning players revealed at the end of the three-day contest.
Queensland were able to claim a top-end sweep in both under-18s and under-16s divisions with tight grand final wins over New South Wales.
Two Australian merit squads of 16 and 13 players have been named to highlight the country’s top rising talents.
See below for a complete wrap of match results, player and team award winners.
U18S FINALS RESULTS
Cup final - QLD Maroon 19 def NSW I 17
NSW controlled the ball well early with some continuous phase play before Chloe Silverwright scored the opener.
Matilda Vial hit back for Queensland but NSW’s Anika McCarthy and Lusiana Vesikula sliced through themselves for their side to take a 17-5 lead at halftime.
Queensland super sub Aamira Renouf sped away down the sideline to claw the game back but a yellow card to Queensland’s Matilda Richards put the women in maroon on the back foot.
Despite being a player down, Queensland co-captain Madison Pomerenke scooped up her own short 22m drop out before shifting the ball wide to Kaelyn Passi who jetted away down the right touchline before getting away a lovely over the top pass.
Mia Byrnes caught the ball to beat the scrambling NSW defence and score under the sticks before Pomerenke converted the winning kick after the siren.
New South Wales star Georgina Hayes was awarded player of the final.
Queensland Maroon head coach Luke Zeremes said he was proud of his side’s efforts.
“It’s outstanding and a real sense of relief,” Zeremes said.
“I know that’s our first time ever beating New South Wales in a game, let alone winning the grand final so I’m very happy for the girls.
“This would be the best group of players I’ve coached on and off the field so they did it the hard way but they deserve the result.”
Zeremes said the Queensland teams had built something special.
“Every year we’re getting better with our processes through training camp, the way we manage the girls, bringing them together and so on, so this has been our best campaigns yet for the under-18s and under-16s,” he said.
Bronze final - NSW II 12 def WA 12
# NSW II opened the scoring through Aria Matthews followed by Lilly Clarke before WA hit back through Awhina Heke and Zhara Petia. NSW II won the match due to scoring the first try.
Plate final - Combined Eastern 15 def QLD White 12.
# An Emily Jackwitz hat trick for Combined Eastern helped her side secure the win while Queensland White’s Meg Fortune crossed for a double.
7th Place Playoff - ACT 12 def Lloydies 7
# Fast footed Lloydies playmaker Marley Morgan set up a wonderful try for Zakiah Jenkins to open the scoring but it wasn’t enough as ACT’s Havana Cook crossed for a double to take the win.
9th Place Playoff - NT 22 def VIC 5
# In their return to the Schoolgirls arena it was NT’s Mariama Little who crossed for a double as well as Meighan Barker and Molly Adamson. Jenna Aiono was the lone try scorer for Victoria.
U16S FINALS RESULTS
Cup final - QLD Maroon 22 def NSW I 19
The ball changed hands multiple times in the opening minute before NSW I score the first try of the match through Cobi Ryan-Last before Queensland Maroon’s Billie Backus stormed down the sideline to level the scores.
Shekinah Bainivalu was the next to find the tryline for NSW but Queensland’s Layne Prince got her side back into the game with a lovely solo run.
With NSW holding a two-point lead at the start of the second half, Cobi Ryan-Last crossed for her second try of the match to make it a nine point lead with four minutes to play.
A stunning solo run from Queensland’s Tj Murray lifted her side back into the contest, and got the crowd on their feet.
NSW got the ball wide as time ticked down but a huge tackle from Queensland’s Angela Nane-Coe turned the ball over before Kaleah Graham sped away and put the ball down under the posts to the roar of the crowd.
Billie Backus converted the extra points for Queensland before the final siren eventually sounded.
Aimee Henry, the Queensland captain was awarded player of the final.
Queensland Maroon head coach Mitch Bebb said he was proud of his side’s efforts.
“We got absolutely pumped by them in game one where we had a mental note of scrunching it up and throwing it away to focus on the rest of the tournament,” he said.
“We didn’t think about them for the rest of the tournament as we built and built and really came together for a true team effort in the final.”
Bebb said his group had grown together in the past few days.
“We’ve been in the salt water post games and they’ve been having milo parties each night so we haven’t had team meetings or anything like that, just bonding as friends and teammates off the field,” he said.
“They’ve just really enjoyed it and that showed on the field in that final.”
Bronze final - NSW II 32 def Lloydies 21
# NSW II proved too strong with try scorers Silia Tuitufu, Bondi Werner, Jessica Steventon and a double from Leisiliva Betty Tanaki lifting them to victory. For Lloydies Emmilea Prior scored two and Harper Moore the other.
Plate Final - WA 17 def QLD White 17
# WA’s Izzy Slater got the match underway with a brilliant solo-try as she was later joined by QLD White’s Kya Wills-Rawlings, Scarlett Sippel and Lily Graves plus WA’s Mia Shelley and Aalijah Manu. Because WA scored the first try of the match they were crowned the winners.
7th Place Playoff - NT 17 def VIC 12
# NT captain Emma Healey led her side to victory with two tries of her own along with Annabeth Spillett who snagged one. Margaret Mika and Desiree Koliloa were the two try scorers for Victoria.
MAJOR AWARD WINNERS AT ASRU BOYS 2025
SUGARMAN MCLEAN AWARD (Best team person)
UNDER-18s
ACT: Reese Vidler, Erindale College
Combined Eastern: Danica Cockburn, Pacific Lutheran College, QLD
NT: Annabell Kay, NTSDE
LMRDT: Kanisha Green, Tullawong State HS
NSW I: Coco Marsters, MacKellar Girls HS
NSW II: Macey Cox, St. Joseph’s Aberdeen
QLD I: Matilda Richards, Townsville Grammar School
QLD II: Ella Byrnes, The Glennie School
VIC: Jane Sakaria, Greater Shepparton Secondary College
WA: Elizabeth Taylor, Shenton College
UNDER-16s
LMDRDT: Cienna Pinder, Palm Beach Currumbin State HS
NT: Harriette Garrett, Taminmin College
NSW I: Lara Murray, Stella Maris College, Manly
NSW II: Jessica Steventon, PLC Sydney
QLD I: Angela Nane-Coe, Atherton State HS
QLD II: Kya Wills-Rawlings, Matthew Flinders Anglican College
VIC: Miley Navuni, Eltham High School
WA: Ava Berryman, Prendiville Catholic College
BRIAN PEACE AWARD (Player’s Player)
UUNDER-18s
ACT: Jayda Cook, Murrumbidgee Regional HS
Combined Eastern: Sophie Pender, The Glennie School, QLD
NT: Mariama Little, SEDA College
LMRDT: Reese Orcher, Clayfield College
NSW I: Chloe Sivewright, Richmond River HS
NSW II: Lily Clarke, Kinross Wolaroi School
QLD I: Matilda Vial, Keebra Park State High School
QLD II: Rosa-Milan Lefono, Marsden State HS
VIC: Jenna Aiono, Copperfield College
WA: Taiana Mainwaring, Aranmore Catholic College
UNDER-16s
LMDRDT: Ta’Lucy Quwrro, Kirwan State HS
NT: Isabella Driffield, Marrara Christian College
NSW I: Darci Turinui, St. Clare’s College, Waverley
NSW II: Ginger Siasat, Corpus Christi
QLD I: Billie Backus, Kings Christian College
QLD II: Nadia Amiatu, Kings Christian College
VIC: Macayan Tuaopepe, Greater Shepparton Secondary College
WA: Izzy Slater, Duncraig Senior HS
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Originally published as Australian school girls rugby sevens award winners, top teams, stars, finals results
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