Toowoomba teenage rugby sevens star Taleah Ackland set to make Queensland Reds debut

Lining up with the next generation of Australian rugby sevens talent – a country Queensland teenager is set to make her dream Reds debut. Discover her journey here.

Bears Taleah Ackland (left) finds off Roma’s Jane Rowbotham. Picture: Nev Madsen.

 

Teen Taleah Ackland is shaping up as the next Fairholme College alumni to star at the elite level of Rugby Sevens.

Last year Ackland was part of the Queensland Reds Next Gen Sevens squad, but only got game time with the reserves side.

A year on and the impressive utility is raring to make a near picture-perfect debut playing for the Reds top side in front of a passionate and vocal home crowd in Toowoomba.

Taleah Ackland was part of the Toowoomba Bears grand final side in the Downs Rugby Womens XV competition. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“It’s very exciting to be named in the team,” Ackland said.

“And then to be playing in Toowoomba, which is the only round in Queensland.

“It (Toowoomba) is my home, so I’m playing in front of family and my friends have already text me asking about tickets and when the game is.

“It’s all very exciting, a real privilege as well and I can’t wait.”

The Next Gen series features Australia’s emerging women’s rugby sevens stars.

Traditional rivals New South Wales and Queensland go head-to-head in the three game series with both sides featuring Australia A and Wallaroos players.

For 19-year-old Ackland, who first played rugby in 2017 in Grade 7 at Fairholme College, it is a step toward her dream of featuring in future Reds squads and hopefully the Australia A squad that is named at the end of the series.

Taleah Ackland in action for Bears.

“I was a touch (football) player and my coaches at Fairholme said they were forming a (rugby) sevens team and I should give it go because they thought I would be a good player,” Ackland said.

“It (Fairholme) is amazing. Mr (John) Sessarago and Mr (Tony) Tregaskis were so supportive and encouraging to all the girls who wanted to try new things.

“I thought why not give it a go. It was the year after Australia had won gold in Rio in the and there were a few Fairholme girls in that side so there was a lot of interest.”

Ackland is not the first Fairholme College student to make the successful switch from touch football to Rugby 7s, with retired Aussie 7s star Dominique Du Toit making a similar move in her final years at the school.

Taleah Ackland takes on the Downlands defence. Picture: DANIEL LAFARGA/CONTRIBUTED

Ackland lines up a five-eighth for Bears but will likely play at hooker for the Reds.

It’s that versatility that will hold Ackland in good stead going forward.

“I have been told I’m a good utility player,” she said.

“I can play in the forwards or backs.

“I can run the ball up hard like a forward and make the good decisions in the middle if we need to shift the ball if we need.

“They’re handy skills to have in rugby sevens.”

The Next Gen Series clash between Queensland and NSW kicks off at 9.30am at Toowoomba Sports Ground on Saturday, October 12.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology, then edited and approved for publication by an editor.