UQ to compete in historic women’s sevens series

The University of Queensland will play a central role in an exciting advent for female sport, following confirmation UQ will field a team in the inaugural national women’s rugby sevens competition.

UQ students, as well as members of Australia’s Rio 2016 gold medal-winning women’s rugby sevens squad, will represent Team UQ in the inaugural AON Women’s Uni Sevens Series.

Australian Rugby Union (ARU) General Manager of High Performance Ben Whittaker said the competition would feature eight universities representing five states and territories.

“It will be an elite domestic competition with a national footprint, which will act as a stepping stone towards national selection,” Mr Whitaker said.

“The best rugby sevens players in the country will take part, so it’ll be fantastic to watch.”

The all-women’s competition, commencing August 2017 and running until October, will consist of four two-day tournaments, with a cumulative points score used to determine a series winner.

UQ will host the series’ second tournament at the UQ Sport Athletics Centre in September, with the exact date to be confirmed.

Members of the Australian women’s sevens squad, and state-level representative players, will be divided among the participating teams.

Each squad will also comprise a minimum 50 per cent quota of university students.

UQ’s inclusion in the competition continues the university’s rich history of women’s rugby, with The University of Queensland Rugby Football Club (UQ Rugby Club) fielding women’s teams for the past 23 years.

UQ Rugby Club General Manager Cameron Chater said the competition would strengthen both grassroots and professional rugby union in Australia.

“The Women’s Uni Sevens Series will provide a fantastic opportunity for UQ student-athletes to showcase their skills on a national stage, while completing their tertiary education at one of Australia’s premier universities,” Mr Chater said.

“The players will be exposed to professional training programs and tournaments, which will set a fantastic benchmark for what is required to play at an international level.”

The UQ Rugby Club will take responsibility for Team UQ’s player recruitment, coaching appointments and training schedule, while the UQ Sport Academy will provide strength and conditioning support.

2017 AON Women’s Uni Sevens Series teams:

1. University of Queensland, QLD
2. Griffith University, QLD
3. Bond University, QLD
4. University of New England, NSW
5. Macquarie University, NSW
6. University of Canberra, ACT
7. University of Adelaide, SA
8. University of Tasmania, TAS

UQ Communications: Jamie Mitchell, jamiem@uqsport.com.au, +61 7 3346 7518.