RISING stars of women’s rugby converged on Lennox Head for the opening round of the Rugby Australia Next Gen 7s series, showcasing the next wave of talent from across the country.<\/p>\n
Teams representing the ACT Brumbies, NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds competed at the Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre.<\/p>\n
It is the only regional round of the tournament with the other rounds in Canberra and Sydney.<\/p>\n
The Next Gen 7s series brings together emerging players and established national squad members, providing a high-performance environment while strengthening development pathways for girls on the Far North Coast.<\/p>\n
Rugby Australia head of women’s pathways Lachlan Parkinson said bringing the tournament forward in 2026 as part of a broader women’s rugby strategy will enhance in-season development.<\/p>\n
“The opportunity to bring the tournament forward in 2026 as part of a wider women’s rugby strategy will provide players with greater development during the season,” he said.<\/p>\n
“The tournament exposes future talent to a high-level competition alongside a mix of athletes who have competed at the highest level.”<\/p>\n
The Queensland Reds were the standout performers of the opening round, winning three of their four matches.<\/p>\n
The side featured Australian squad members Amahli Hala, Rhani Hagan and Sidney Taylor, while 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea made a successful return after an 18-month layoff due to knee and shoulder injuries.<\/p>\n
Coach Shannon Parry said the integration of national squad players was a major benefit of the concept.<\/p>\n
“To have the national squad players integrated into the team is a really good concept for Next Gen 7s,” she said.<\/p>\n
“It gives some national squad players valuable game time to be ready for the World Series and it gives our emerging players experience playing with them.<\/p>\n
“We have younger girls playing alongside their idols, learning some tricks and watching how they prepare.”<\/p>\n
It has been a busy period for women’s rugby in the region, with NSW Rugby recently hosting the Our Turn camp in Lismore to drive female participation across the state.<\/p>\n
The camp included an open women’s training session featuring Britt Merlo and Noella Green from the NSW Waratahs, along with skills and game development sessions.<\/p>\n
Green also led a female health and wellbeing workshop focused on nutrition, recovery and injury management, reinforcing the sport’s commitment to supporting athletes on and off the field.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
RISING stars of women’s rugby converged on Lennox Head for the opening round of the Rugby Australia Next Gen 7s series, showcasing the next wave of talent from across the country. Teams representing the ACT Brumbies, NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds competed at the Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre. It is the only regional […]<\/p>\n