Bond’s secret Irish driving force for long-awaited sevens
AN IRISH influx will boost Bond University’s bid to take out the inaugural Women’s University Sevens Series starting today in Launceston.
Ireland ace Stacey Flood and fringe national squad teammates Katie Heffernan and Claire Boles have bolstered Bond’s bid to make their mark on the tournament.
Such an impact has Flood made since landing Down Under a month ago that she will be the first captain to lead the Robina-based team.
Coach Ben Gollings hailed Flood’s ability to keep calm.
“She has been around the squad more than the Aussie international girls and from my perspective, what I didn’t want to do is put the leadership on a few of our local girls at this first opportunity,” he said.
“I want them more to focus on the game and ... I think she’d be able to handle the position a bit better, with a couple of local girls supporting.”
Gollings was encouraged by their recent trial against the University of New England (UNE) and tipped the likes of Sissy Masters, Trinity Mamoe and Sophie Holyman to shine.
Bond won’t have Charloote Caslick’s Australian teammate
Brooke Walker in Launceston.
Griffith University, meanwhile, will enter the opening series without national star Shannon Parry, who is in Ireland with the Wallaroos squad for the World Cup. She had been captaining the 15-a-side outfit until suffering a tournament-ending wrist injury.
They will however have a number of Sunnybank players in their ranks as part of the “super team” they have assembled, said Griffith Sports College director Duncan Free.
Griffith open the campaign against University of Adelaide (2pm) today before further pool matches against hosts Uni of Tasmania (4.20pm) and Macquarie Uni (6pm).
The top two from each group will progress to the semi-finals tomorrow, with the decider in the afternoon.