Australia’s golden girls are back as they look to finalise preparations for the 2021 campaign.
Shannon Parry, Sharni Williams, Vani Pelite and Charlotte Caslick will play alongside the next generation of Australian Sevens stars, as the elite women’s competition takes a new format in 2021, which ensures that fans will have greater access to their Olympic heroes than ever before.
Entering the competition in round two, the Australian Sevens squad players will be divided throughout the competition before being re-deployed for the new-look National Finals, to ensure league-wide equity.
With the Olympics only a few months away and the Commonwealth Games scheduled for Birmingham in 2022, coach John Manenti and selectors will continue to look for players to bring into the wider training squad.
Half of the current 21-player squad were selected from the Aon University Sevens Series, highlighting its importance in competition preparation.
Australian Sevens Performance Manager Scott Bowen said: “The Aon Uni 7s Series is integral in continuing our professional pathway, and player development.
“This year’s tournament is about preparing the women for the Olympic Games as well as continuing to fine tune our squad ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the Paris Olympics.
“As the competition amongst the Universities continues to grow, it is inspiring to see the next generation putting their hands up and competing for a spot in the national squad.”
Australian Women’s Sevens Head Coach John Manenti said: “While the women won’t be taking part in every leg of the Series, it’s an opportunity to be out playing competitive Rugby.
“A lot of the squad are returning to their old teams this year, so it’s imperative that when they get an opportunity to play, they make the most of it.
“With the World Series suspended last year, it’s fantastic to get players into teams and playing high-quality Rugby, as we continue to build prepare for Tokyo.”
The competition kicks off this weekend with the regional rounds being played concurrently at Woollahra Oval in Sydney and Easts Rugby Club in Brisbane, with every match to be broadcast LIVE on Rugby Xplorer.
2021 Aon Uni 7s Series – Regional Player Allocations:
Pool A:
Bond University: Charlotte Caslick
University of Adelaide: Vani Pelite
University of Queensland: Georgia Hannaway
Griffith University: Demi Hayes & Lily Dick
Melbourne University: Shannon Parry & Dom Du Toit
Pool B:
University of Canberra: Sharni Williams
University of Newcastle: Faith Nathan, Madison Higgins
University of Technology, Sydney: Sariah Paki & Bienne Terita
Sydney University: Cassie Staples & Tia Hinds
*Players subject to change, with additional players to become available dependant on injury and availability.
2021 Aon University Sevens Series Draw: Regional Round One: 27-28 March
Pool A: Easts Rugby Club, Brisbane
Pool B: Woollahra Oval, Sydney
Regional Round Two: 10-11 April
Pool A: Surfers Paradise Rugby Club, Surfers Paradise
Pool B: No. 2 Sports Ground, Newcastle
National Round One: 1-2 May
Forshaw Rugby Park, New South Wales
National Round Two: 15-16 May
Bond University, Queensland
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