The Australian Services Rugby Union (ASRU) team acquits itself very well and finishes second in Division Two of the Australian Women’s Rugby Championship held in Canberra in early June 2010.
Coach WO Sean Emmett, a four-time coach of the Army team, took the reins of the ASRU women’s team this year.
Sean was assistant coach last year when ASRU won Division Two with two wins from two games but he rated this year’s competition, with three games, as a tougher ask.
“We played exceptionally well in the first game (beating NSW Development 22-5), but we had some distractions leading into the second game and we were not in the right headspace (losing to eventual tournament winner Victoria 5-29)”, he said.
“We got ourselves in the right frame of mind for the last game (against South Australia).”
WO Emmett said the Victorians were always going to be the team to beat. “Last year they played in Division One. Aside from their own depth, they were boosted by recruiting some good players from Western Australia after WA was unable to field a team this year.”
Two of the Army players in the ASRU team, loosehead prop LT Caroline Vakalahi and No 8/lock LT Kate Porter, were subsequently named in the train on squad to face final selections for the Wallaroos. If selected they will tour with the Wallaroos for the World Cup in England in August. LT Vakalahi also won the ARU Development Award for her efforts during the Championships.
Both women were members of last year’s Wallaroo squad. LT Porter achieved Wallaroo selection while LT Vakalahi was forced to stand down due to an ankle injury.
WO2 Joanne Downes and ABSN Salululanei Gray were also identified by Wallaroo selectors as promising and potential capped Wallaroos.
Other high achievers for the ASRU team included open-side flanker CAPT Sally Carter who was named 2010 ASRU-Women’s Best and Fairest, and 18-year-old lock PTE Hayley Sullivan was named the 2010 ASRU-Women’s Best Forward. LACW B.J. Smyth was named the ASRU-Women’s Best Back, a fantastic award noting she had only played four games of rugby prior to the Championships.
The 2010ASRU Women’s Squad that competed in the National Women’s Championships were:
ARMY: CFN Deanne Allen, TPR Stacey Bolton, CPL Kelly Boye, PTE Emma Brien, CAPT Sally Carter, CPL Melissa Croll, WO2 Jo Downes, PTE Penny Duke, SGT Ionie Jackson, PTE Fasheena Nevell, PTE Hayley Neville, LT Kate Porter, PTE Hayley Sullivan, LT Caroline Vakalahi.
NAVY: ABSN Steph Cokanauto, LSPT Carrie Downey, ABSN Aumau Falepau, ABSN Saluelanei Gray, LSCSO Toyah Nicholas, POET Leonie Stengert, LSNPC Renee Woodward.
AIRFORCE: SQNLDR Mina Roberts, LACW BJ Smyth, FLGOFF Gabriele Cook, FLGOFF Margaret Quinn
