University of Tasmania is set to join a new women’s semi-professional rugby sevens competition next year.
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Former Wallabies halfback Luke Burgess is driving the Tassie bid for one of up to 10 spots in the proposed ARU-backed 2017 National Sevens University Series.
“It will be close to a fully professional women’s sevens competition,” Burgess said.
“The ARU and Australian University Sport (AUS) are funding the whole initiative and it’s going to be amazing, so we’re very hopeful UTas will have a team in that.”
Burgess, who had played 37 Tests for Australia, had been appointed Tasmanian Rugby Union development manager in July this year.
The founder of the new Tasmanian Rugby Sevens Series is hoping the concept will gain a foothold in the state that additionally also includes a men’s division.
Launceston will host round two of the series on Saturday after the northern tournament was launched in Devonport last week.
“I look forward to seeing it grow and using it as a development tool for women’s rugby in Tasmania, which is potentially gets a massive kick next year,” Burgess said.
Burgess hopes the state series will be a forerunner to Tasmanian women playing the seven-a-side game on a national stage.
This latest concept is a further firm push into new female sporting markets following the success of the Women’s Big Bash League last season and the new AFL’s National Women’s League.
UTas will put in a tender for a NSUS franchise that will pitch an “elite” series similar to American college sport, in which the ARU aims to have every state represented in a 10-team competition.
“Tassie certainly has the resources to provide an elite team – that’s my job to make it happen,” Burgess said.
“I mean this is an elite itself, so our women will have the opportunity to either make an Olympic squad or a professional women’s team that plays in the World Sevens tournament that goes around the world.”
The impact of Australia’s women’s rugby sevens gold medal win during the Rio Olympics appears to have an impact on interest in the sport in Tasmania.
Burgess said the creation of the Tasmanian series has was built from no previous support to enough for two Launceston women’s teams.
“It’s just been incredible. We’ve got girls rushing up to training at Rugby Park in Hobart,” he said.
“Then there were more than 30 girls rock up to an information night that we had a couple of weeks ago in Launceston too.”
The women’s division comprises of Launceston Gold, Launceston Pink, North-West Panthers and Devonport Green. The men’s teams are Launceston Gold, AMC Vikings, Devonport and Burnie in a round robin.
The series winner faces the southern champion in the state final at Campbell Town.
Royal Park will host this Saturday’s round from 1pm until 5pm.
I look forward to seeing it grow and using it as a development tool for women’s rugby in Tasmania
- Former Wallabies halfback Luke Burgess