The University of New England has added six new players to the UNE Lions squad to contest the University Sevens Series, including two additional Youth Commonwealth Games gold medallists.
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With four original players forced to withdraw from the original squad with due to injury or for personal reasons, elite players Langley Sesega and Kennedy Charrington will join forces with Youth Commonwealth Games teammates Brydie Parker and Hannah Southwell, to add some national flavour to the team.
Head coach Tom Bower said he was excited at the prospect of reuniting the youth national representatives for the Aon University Sevens Series.
“We are thrilled to be able to have Langley and Kennedy join our team,” he said.
“It assists with our preparations as the girls have already trained quite a bit with Brydie and Hannah.
“So combinations will flow after their success at the Youth Commonwealth Games.”
The UNE Lions have been busy over the past week with the announcement of their major sponsor, Armidale Regional Council.
They are also preparing to host Bond University in Armidale this weekend.
“It has been a massive support to our program, having Armidale Regional Council come on board as a major sponsor of the team,” Bower said.
“Similar to UNE, Armidale Regional Council are big supporters of women’s sport and cannot wait to see our local girls mix it with the best in the nation.
Bower added: “We host Bond University this weekend and look forward to getting out on the field and ripping in against the Gold Coast squad.”
“We had a tight trial against UQ a few weeks back and our girls have taken confidence from that.”
The elite national series kicks off in Tasmania on August 25.
It is the first of four tournaments involving teams from the University of Canberra, the University of Adelaide, the University of Tasmania, the University of New England, Macquarie University, Bond University and the University of Queensland.
ARU high performance general manager Ben Whitaker told Rugby.com.au the competition would fill a void in the sevens pathway.
UNE Lions: Frances Afeaki, Clare Akauma, Rhiannon Byers, Amy Carter, Kennedy Charrington, Kearni Churchland, Amie Clarke, Jamie Cone, Maddison Fryer, Kate Gilbert, Emma Gillogily, Grace Hamilton, Mel Howard, Lauren Linton, Riley McKay, Lauren Nott, Brydie Parker, Alicia Quirk, Kimberley Resch, Bea Roberts, Chloe Saunders, Abby Schmiedel, Langley Sesega, Hannah Southwell, Ashley Van den Boogaard, Tenayah-Lee Woodward.
