Rugby lionhearts

ASRU in the white with blue and red strips, prepare to engage the Sydney White scrum. Prop, Army’s CPL Leah Kite in the black headgear, assesses her opponent.

Photo: Bill Cunneen

The Australian Services Rugby Union women’s team came away from this month’s 2004 Telstra Australian Women’s Invitational Tournament in Sydney with one win and a lot of experience.

The win, a 19-7 thrashing over the Lloyd McDermott Developmental side, was the highlight of the round robin competition, which saw ASRU also take on Victoria, NSW Country, tournament winners Sydney White and in the final, South Australia.

Navy players LEUT Paige Butcher, MIDN Georgie Rae, AB Rebecca Manners, LS Rebecca Weaver, AB Rebecca Bray, LSMT Kristy Whiles and AB Tenielle Sullivan, all played well in a team which showed courage against more experienced compeition.

Head coach WO2 Barry Carr said playing against teams from around the country was the best way for the players to improve their rugby.

“We’ve played the three top teams in Australia (Vic, NSW Country and Sydney White), and the only way they could score tries was to go around us,” WO Carr said after the tournament.

On lessons learnt from the competition, ASRU and Waverley player AB Rebecca Manners, who played outside centre in the Telstra Invitational, said that the competition was a great chance to hone in on the team’s skill base.

“Playing against very experienced teams brings out the best in us and we achieve individual and team goals while having fun,” Rebecca said.

“Some of the ASRU players don’t have the opportunity to play club rugby so it is a chance for everyone to concentrate on things that are weak in their game and to improve on that by the time the tournament is finished.

“We have all come away from the competition with a sense of satisfaction and that is the main thing.” The ASRU women, who only went into camp four days before the tournament, played well against teams that have been playing together for months.

WO Carr said, “Next year we’ll look at coming into camp a little bit earlier to give us more time to bond as a team.

.