Australia’s elite women’s sevens squad ran and schemed for 40 minutes against a top GPS schoolboys side as the final step to a coveted world title.
Only head coach Tim Walsh knows how valuable Thursday’s run against the Churchie First XV squad at Brisbane’s Bottomley Park will prove to be.
Too often, the women split their sevens squad in two for opposed sessions. Every move, lineout call and individual nuance is known by those they face so you can rarely gauge how deceptive a new play is or get full value. It’s all a bit cosy.
That was the beauty of this high-paced hit-out. Ace playmaker Madi Ashby could dummy, organise and run loop plays with Charlotte Caslick. Faith Nathan could test her gas against a male rival. Dom du Toit could sight some clear midfield space, accelerate, tuck the ball high under her arm and dash clear into open space like she always does.
Impressive Maddison Levi and sister Teagan could gravitate in support of each other with that near-telepathic link they have whenever they run out.
When the data was crunched, the peak intensity was the highest of any training session this season.
It was exactly what Walsh, a Churchie old boy, wanted.
“With the training against men, just the way they move and accelerate really sharpens our decision-making and our movement. It’s been a really beneficial week,” Walsh said.
The hit-out came just days after a Monday night training run against Sunnybank’s Premier Rugby side. Male opponents again.
Walsh is known for changing things up. Before the Rio Olympics, he simulated a scenario where he fell ill and couldn’t attend a match. It was all aimed at the team problem solving and adapting. They won gold with every box ticked.
Churchie coach Ryan Schultz was delighted with the training against the women, something that would not have even been considered 8-10 years ago.
A group of young men now have far more respect for women’s rugby than ever before.
“I really hope so and that they spread the message,” Schultz said.
“The session was elite. It’s probably an opportunity at being tested that these 16, 17 and 18-year-olds will never forget.
“The boys all know the success of the sevens women and the level they play at so I think it’s only a positive thing for a GPS school like Churchie to come down and experience it.
“The breakdown got very competitive and I think the boys will take some lessons from that and how good the girls are at that skill.”
Women’s sevens stalwart Sharni Williams saw the benefits too.
“They’re fast and it was a fantastic training opportunity. It really put our defence system to the test and our attack. The prep is huge going into Langford,” Williams said.
The Aussies are clear leaders at the top of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series standings heading to the Langford tournament in Canada (April 30-May 1).
Should they win or come second, they’ll have wrapped up the tag as world champions even before heading to the final tournament in Toulouse (May 20-22).
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“It’s huge. If we take out this tournament we become World Series champions,” Williams said.
“In the 2015-16 season, we were world champions. In 2017-18, we remember that amazing feat where we had no points scored against us at the Sydney Sevens.
“Those little milestones last forever. We always remember those great memories. We want to go out and seal the deal there (in Canada).”
The return of New Zealand’s Olympic champion Black Ferns is the big news after COVID travel restrictions kept them away from the four tournaments to date.
The Aussies can win the World Series crown without even facing the Kiwis but Williams would love to have a crack at them.
“100 per cent. We always love to beat the Kiwis. We’ve done the hard yards so we welcome the Kiwis and the Fijians coming back at this tournament,” Williams said.
