RUGBY: Rugby Sevens is one of the new sports on the Summer Olympic program and it’s the women that kick off proceedings on day one of Rio 2016.
We take a look at everything you need to know about our Australian women’s rugby sevens team ahead of competition time.
Is Australia a medal chance?
The Aussies are current World Series champions and head to Deodoro Stadium as pre-tournament favourites. However, New Zealand coach Sean Horan has re-iterated time and again that the World Series wasn’t his team’s priorities for the 2015-16 season and for this reason Tim Walsh, Horan’s contemporary, believes the ‘Sevens Sisters’ from across the ditch go in as competition front-runners.
Who do the Aussies play?
As top seeds for the competition, Australia has been placed in Pool A and will play Fiji, the USA and Colombia. Up until this season, the United States were something of a bogey team for the Aussies – and actually inflicted the heaviest defeat on the green and gold in World Series history in Canada in April 2015. Australia has won every World Series game it has played against Fiji while they have beaten Colombia the one time they have played on the circuit earlier this season.
The Stars
Charlotte Caslick was nominated for World Player of the Year in 2014 and 2015 and is the creative spark behind Australia’s attack. However, forwards and co-captains Shannon Parry and Sharni Williams are the self-titled ‘Bash Sisters’ who lay the platform for the back-line – including Ellia Green and Emma Tonegato – to strut their stuff.
Team News
Tim Walsh had a fully-fit squad to choose from when the team announcement was made in Sydney last month. 2014 World Player of the Year Emilee Cherry has been passed fit and will take her place in the 12-strong squad after recovering from a minor hamstring injury picked up on Tuesday.
The team’s view
Alicia Quirk: “We respect all of our opposition. Obviously the likes of Team Great Britain, Canada and, of course, New Zealand have been the form teams over the past two years but there are no easy games now at an Olympics. It’s an Olympic Games and the Americans love this stage so I think they’re a real threat. Fiji can be unstoppable on their day and could really turn it on in Rio. “We’ve trained well while we’ve been here in Rio and we’re looking fit and sharp.”
Did you know?
The game was played as far back in 1883, born in Melrose, Scotland, and was voted into the Summer Olympic program on Friday, 9 October, 2009 by the International Olympic Committee.
Match Times
Australia v Colombia, Pool A, 1.30pm Saturday, 6 August (Rio time), 2.30am AEST 7 August.
Australia v Fiji, Pool A, 6.30pm Saturday, 6 August (Rio time), 7.30am AEST 7 August.
Australia v USA, Pool A, 1.30pm Sunday, 7 August (Rio time), 2.30am AEST 8 August.
Quarter-Finals from 5pm Sunday, 7 August (Rio time), 6am AEST 8 August
Medal matches from 6.30pm Monday, 8 August (Rio time), 7.30am AEST 9 August
Steve Stammers
olympics.com.au
