Women's rugby union charging ahead
WHERE many sports may have gone backwards throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Townsville rugby union has thrived on the back of a growing women’s presence.
Before the season’s hiatus, three female teams took the field, but now five sides make up a fully fledged competition.
And their talents were on full display on Saturday, as Brothers accounted for title threats Western Suburbs 40-22, with Gabriel Carsten scoring a hat-trick.
Townsville and District Rugby
Union development officer and Brothers men’s A-grade captain Blair Morgan said the calibre of athletes was there to grow the competition from a 10-a-side to 15-a-side.
Morgan said the code “got a bit lucky” with the majority of Townsville’s rugby league sides withdrawing from the 2020 season, and several players had jumped ship to get on the field this year.
Now it became a matter of retaining these players, and he said representative pathways could hold the key to this.
Cairns has steadily begun to build its women’s competition, while Mackay is also looking at expanding its presence.
It could open the window for a North Queensland platform, and Morgan said it would need to start from the grassroots of the game to sustain it.
“I was the women’s assistant coach for the Brolgas last year and we went down to Brisbane and played a fair few Queensland Reds representative players,” Morgan said. “If Queensland Rugby can support women’s rugby in the regions and have a pathway, I think the girls might stick around.”
For a full Townsville rugby wrap, head to townsvillebulletin.com.au