IT’S growing in popularity at Peel High, and today nine of the schools talented female rugby players will be representing the region at the Trans Tasman schoolgirl 7s on the Gold Coast.
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Maria Monika, Sharika Nean-Bell, Taylor Nean-Bell, Janaya Lamb, Shekeaka O’Leary-Cloake and Kiarra Dixon will play for the North West 15s while Chantelle Lee and Amy Duncan will line up for the 17s.
The two squads were selected from trials at Barraba, which drew over 50 hopefuls across the two ages.
The competition for spots was tight in the 15s, coaches Hine Reiri and Adelaide Monika had to have three sessions to finalise their squad.
“There’s a lot of talent out there,” Reiri said.
The Peel contingent will be joined by five players from Warialda and two from Barraba and Monika is confident they’ve got the squad to do well.
“We’ve got the skill and the speed,” she said. One player she is looking forward to seeing in full flight is Dixon.
She’s expecting her to break the line a bit, and believes they’ve got the pack to provide the forward drive and open the space up for the backs to capitalise on.
Warialda’s Dale Beattie will coach the 17s and has an equally talented squad.
Multi-talented too with Lee also a talented basketballer.
So too are several of the 15s with O’Leary-Cloake, Dixon and the two Nean-Bells part of the Peel U15s side that won through to the inter-regional stage of the State Knockout on Wednesday.
Lee has been playing rugby for about two years.
“My dad asked some people if I could play and and he got me into a team,” Lee said.
She can play either forwards or backs, and said one of the things she likes most about playing rugby is the opportunity to meet new people and go away.
She has been doing a bit of travelling in recent weeks with the U18s Thunderbolt girls recently contesting the State Cup.
They lost both of their games but they were both tough sides.
The girls qualified to play in the State Cup by winning the Northern and Eastern Junior League finals.
“It was great to win that,” Lee said, especially at home.
Reiri said today would be a great opportunity for the girls, testing themselves against other regional teams from across NSW and Queensland, and for the growth of rugby both in the region and at the school.
“Girls rugby is growing here,” she said.
This year Peel entered a 16s and opens team in the Friday night competition.
It was the first year they’ve been involved for a while and they struck instant success winning both finals.
