The University of New England has plenty of exciting young prospects in its squad for the inaugural Aon Women’s Uni7s competition.
UNE is one of two universities from NSW which will be competing in the four-tournament series which kicks-off on August 25 in Tasmania.
The 26-player squad boasts six new players from the original training group named in June, with four of those being from the successful Youth Commonwealth Games team which won gold in The Bahamas last month.
Langley Sesega and Kennedy Charrington will join forces with their 2017 YCG team mates Brydie Parker and Hannah Southwell to add a national flavour to the regional university’s team.
Needless to say UNE Women’s Coach Tom Bower is excited by the possibilities.
“We are thrilled to be able to have Langley and Kennedy join our team,” he said.
“It assists with our preparations as the girls have already trained quite a bit with Brydie and Hannah, so combinations will flow after their success at the Youth Commonwealth Games.”
Add to this the enticing prospect of Aussie Sevens Olympic gold medallist and Uni7s marquee player Alicia Quirk in the line-up and the UNE Lions certainly look to be one of the hot prospects of the eight-team competition.
The UNE Women’s Sevens program is strong and its national rugby program is now the catalyst for the growing interest from future students from outside the region.
This week will see the Lions play practice matches against Bond University in the lead up to the first Uni7s tournament.
Bower is looking forward to letting the players get in some on-field time against some of the Uni7s opposition.
“We host Bond University this weekend and look forward to getting out on the field and ripping in against the Gold Coast squad,” he said.
“We had a tight trial against UQ a few weeks back and our girls have taken confidence from that.”
SQUAD
University of New England Uni7s squad
Frances Afeaki
Clare Akauma
Rhiannon Byers
Amy Carter
Kennedy Charrington
Kearni Churchland
Amie Clarke
Jamie Cone
Maddison Fryer
Kate Gilbert
Emma Gillogily
Grace Hamilton
Mel Howard
Lauren Linton
Riley McKay
Lauren Nott
Brydie Parker
Alicia Quirk
Kimberley Resch
Bea Roberts
Chloe Saunders
Abby Schmiedel
Langley Sesega
Hannah Southwell
Ashley Van den Boogaard
Tenayah-Lee Woodward.
