Burraneer Women’s Rugby Club- Round 1 Tournament Review
Sunday 8th May 2022 marked a milestone day for the newly formed Burraneer Women’s Rugby Club, as the ‘Rays’ travelled to Manly for round 1 of the Sydney Women’s 7s season, the first time playing in the competition as their new club.
Adding to that excitement was the fact it was Mother’s Day, with 4 current mothers across the playing roster and of course the many involved in the extended Rays’ family through players and coaches. The Rays’ would again like to take this opportunity to recognise all the wonderful ‘rugby mums’ in our extended circle and thank them for everything they do in support of our playing group and club.
In a competition first, the Rays also fielded four teams at the event, (2x division 1 teams, 1x division 2 team and 1x division 3 team) at the event, which is a great sign of the depth and strength of the club. No other team in Sydney women’s 7s history has entered 4 teams at a single event, an achievement the club should be very proud of.
Rays 1- Division 1
Result: Undefeated, 1st place
MVP: Bridget Clark
Summary:
The girls started slowly against Manly in the first game, only claiming the result in a strong second half performance. From there, they ran in wins over BWRC 2 and Sydney Uni to secure 1st place in the division. The performance against Uni was the highlight, with the girls taking control of the match from the outset as they displayed great skill and physicality in a much-improved display from the earlier two matches. Bridget Clark was a running threat all day, as was Liana Rose in what was her best performance in the top grade thus far. Tiarne Cavanagh’s kicking was again a highlight, missing only one conversion all day and placing the opposition under constant pressure from restart. The return of stalwart Olivia White and the settling of Lily Murdoch into the teams structure was also great to see. A special shout-out goes to Olivia Brooks, who played her 25th tournament for the program. Brooksy is one of the most popular (and weird) members of the playing group, who brings a vibe and a laugh to any scenario. Over the years she has achieved many highlights for this team and has turned into a great leader and human being. Congratulations Brooksy.
Rays 2- Division 1
Result: 4th place
MVP: Shaye Shipton and Manilita Takapautolo
Summary:
The unfortunate loss of two key players on tournament eve through illness really affected the bench rotations for this team on Sunday. An average age of 17 means that this is a team on the rise, with many standout performers handling themselves in the top division against more experienced opponents. A devastating loss on the siren to Sydney Uni, 15-12 was the result for game 1, before strong efforts against competition heavyweights BWRC 1 and Manly rounded out their day. Shaye Shipton was unstoppable in her division 1 debut, and her abrasive, fearless style has quickly seen her become a crowd favourite of anyone who watches. Manilita Takapautolo was the youngest division 1 player on the field on Sunday and was fantastic with ball in hand, as was Lailani Montgomery who scored multiple long-range tries on several occasions. Ambryn Murphy-Haua showed some fantastic development and played big minutes across the day as well. As the competition progresses, it is clear this side will move up the competition table. A wonderful effort across the weekend and great learning had by all.
Rays 3- Division 2
Result: 1st Place
MVP: Caitlyn Halse
Summary:
This team was a delight to watch all day. A perfect mix of age and experience combined on Sunday with former club captain Brittney Lane and Jen Fotheringham providing exceptional on-field guidance for many of their teenage counterparts both on and off the field. Having topped their pool, the Rays’ faced heavyweights Gordon in the final, a team who regularly won division two titles last season. An outstanding team performance in the final saw the Rays’ runaway victors, playing a well-structured, deliberate and aggressive style of play which is a credit to the girls’ commitment to the pre-season training block they had endured the last few months. Britt Lane has led some of the club’s most historic victories over the past few years, but the 26-cap veteran perhaps never had an impact quite as big as this as she led the team on the field with decisive chat in big moments. The performance of Caitlyn Halse was class across the day, as was the injection of both Tairah Bolatigici and Manaia Harris-Wilson who terrorised the opposition breakdown. Lily Freeman and Sienna Montgomery were wonderful finishes out-wide, but the play of the day was Niraaya Jayasinghe flying across the field in the final to pull off a miraculous try-saving tackle which changed momentum and ultimately would decide the result.
Rays 4- Division 3
Result: 1st Place
MVP: Te Kaiwa Hughes
Summary:
The performance of this team in their final was incredible. Eastwood had comfortably won their side of the draw and were the favourites going into the final as the Rays lost 2 of its forward leaders in Libby Holloway and Lisa Bova in the final pool match. Outstanding contributions by debutants Tamikah Joe and Te Kaiwa Hughes all day, alongside the impressive development of Vanessa Parker were highlights across the day. One of the best sights in women’s rugby is Libby Holloway thundering down the wing, and she again terrorised opponents with a number of huge carries. Emily Wescombe, Libby Holloway and Lisa Bova all sustained injuries across the day, and we wish them well with their recovery.
Tournament Wrap:
For many, the debut of the Rays brand and club at this tournament had been a long-time coming after the start to the year. To see the girls rewarded with victories across every division in the competition was a wonderful outcome for the entire club and rewards the efforts of all involved in getting us to this point. Round two of the 7s is scheduled on Sunday 29 May, with the BWRC 10s team competing across the next two weekends as well.
A special mention to all the coaching staff for running a dedicated, fun and professional rugby program for which the results speak for themselves. Sam Talataina, Innez Haua and Gimantha Jayasinghe for their support of the teams as managers. Maddi Anderson, Shane Koelmeyer, Kelsey Singh and Emma Wade on the board who are tireless in their off-field efforts behind the scenes. Lastly, to the number of players going above and beyond to help out, namely Tiarne Cavanagh with the Mother’s Day food, Kieran Berry, Libby Holloway and Olivia White for all the operational, social, videography and digital support. We appreciate your efforts.
To our wonderful sponsors, thank you!
Workplace Law
Shire Womens Imaging
DTR Solutions
Tears Of Joy Weddings
Covert. Digital
Ramsgate RSL
Blueprint Financial
H2H Physiotherapy