Playing like girls works for sevens sisters
A future batch of Tasman Black Ferns may have been unfurled at the 22nd Mikes 7s rugby tournament last month.
Teams from Nelson Bays and Marlborough descended on Stoke’s Greenmeadows to go head to head in the keenly-anticipated junior competition.
While boys made up the majority of teams, this year’s edition also saw one of the first all-girls’ teams entered.
The Country Girls U10s were an amalgamation of Motueka United, Rangers and Riwaka players, comprising 12 fearless females, all with the same passion for rugby and the desire to go out and prove they can mix it with the boys.
‘‘They didn’t have the numbers and a lot of kids were over rugby by that point, but all the girls were keen to play and when they looked at it they had the numbers [combined] so they ended up putting it together,’’ said Jules Randell, who was watching a friend’s daughter play as part of the combined team.
‘‘Talking to the girls themselves, they sometimes feel the boys don’t have enough faith in them so they’ll look to pass to what they think are stronger players among the boys, so the girls do get missed out a bit.’’
With about a week’s notice, the girls had a sleek black playing strip made up and with only one training session under their belt they were ready for action.
The girls pushed their opposition close in several games, whether it was going try for a try against Moutere or a close, physical encounter with Renwick.
Randell said the group never took one step back and supporters and opposition all agreed they played well.
Randell said the girls were keen to return next year.