Barely one month had passed and all of a sudden the 24-year-old novice was running out on Royal Park to represent Launceston in the inaugural female statewide sevens series against rival Northern Tasmanian teams.

Haywood had put the word out on social media soon after Games officials were draping the medals around the necks of virtual unknown Australians after beating the might of New Zealand.

Within 24 hours of the post, she was inundated with more than 40 enquires of interest to play the game.

“I think a lot of women didn’t realise this was something they could get into and how easy it is to play because of what skills from other sports transfer over,” she said.

“So I think watching the girls win in Rio really gave them that new idea.”

New Tasmanian Rugby Union development manager Luke Burgess, who first cut his teeth in the sevens format before playing 37 Tests for Australia, hastily launched the new concept in weeks.

The dream then turned full circle when University of Tasmania confirmed to The Examiner it was one of eight teams accepted into a landmark national competition in response to the unprecedented Olympic success.

“To play with some of the best players in the state nationally is just amazing,” Haywood said.

“Luke (Burgess) has sort of driven this and pushed it off so very quickly, so we’re really lucky and we now can’t wait for the opportunity.”

Launceston was awarded the honour of hosting the first of the four-round series at University of Tasmania Stadium on August 26-27.

But first Haywood will join Kara Cairns in trialing for a spot on the UTas team when the state’s Autumn sevens series kicks-off on March 10.

“I thought I’d try something different, and as I was a fresh newbie, I had to learn all the rules,” Cairns, 26, said. 

“But it’s a great change from netball. It’s about the same pace, but it’s a lot more contact than netball.”                                                     

AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY SEVENS SERIES new sides: