STRONG BONDS
COUNTRY ROAD TO RUGBY SUCCESS
KATIE Grimmett is the country girl ready to make her mark on the national stage in rugby sevens.
The proud product of Woodenbong, a tiny inland town just south of the border, she was scouted by Bond University coach Ben Gollings to join their Aon Sevens program this year.
Bond placed second in the inaugural edition of the competition last year and are hoping to go one better in the expanded format that will now feature 10 universities and five series. Grimmett, 18, has always been sporty but rugby is still relatively new to her.
“I have played touch growing up all my life and a lot of other sports,” she said.
“I went to America to play futsal and I played touch in New Zealand on Australian teams but Bond was the first time that I had ever done contact, which I was really excited about.
“I always wanted to play rugby; it’s just in my area there weren’t many opportunities to play and my Mum wasn’t really for me playing rugby. But then I went to a
girls rugby development day which Ben Gollings was running.
“I didn’t know him at that stage but I got talking to him and he offered me a chance to come and train.”
Grimmett took up that offer, making 280km round trips to attend weekly training sessions. That investment paid off, earning a spot in their 23-strong squad.
Laughing that her Mum is “getting used” to her playing rugby, Grimmett is enjoying Bond’s facilities.
“Especially coming from the country, I had never been to a gym before,” she said.
However, it’s the country life that she credits for getting this far.
“We have a swimming pool, it’s not covered, it’s not heated. We don’t have a synthetic running track but we have got hills and we have got places to run,” Grimmett said.
“It is a really good community spirit.”
Among other key faces in the squad is Australian player Lauren Brown.