Our region will play host to the Australian women's national rugby sevens team next week.
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The squad of 20 plus coaching staff will experience a 'heat week' of training to prepare themselves for the grueling conditions they will face at the Tokyo Olympics in July.
Arriving on Monday, their stay will include two field sessions at Bingara as well as gym sessions and a visit to the local school to run coaching clinics. On Wednesday they will get a true taste for the community with activities like horse riding, a visit to the salt caves and gold panning. After lunch they will attend Warialda High School where contracted player Rhiannon Byers started her rugby career when she attended the school.
This is where Byers was scouted to play for NSW youth before going on to play for the NSW women's team, which then saw her selected for the AON Series where she played for UNE. There, she was picked up by the Australian coaches and contracted with the Rio Olympic gold-winning side. Byers is hoping in the coming months to be selected for the 2021 Olympics.
"It's great for Rhiannon to be able to come home and show the country girls that are playing rugby here, that with determination and drive, you can make it to national level and play for your country," her mother, Katreana said.
At Warialda the coaching clinic will run from 1-3pm and is open to all girls interested in playing rugby to join. Contact Dale Beattie at Warialda High School to register. From there the girls will head by bus - kindly driven and supplied by O'Dempsey Charters - to Moree where they will do an open gym session at the PCYC from 4.30-5.30pm. Manager Tayla Macey is excited to have Byers, whom was employed there, return with her team and use the facilities. The team will then enjoy the relaxing therapy of our local hot pools, where Mayor Katrina Humphries will welcome them to our shire.
The next stop will be a trip to Byers' home town of Pallamallawa where the girls are doing a meet and greet at the Pally Pub for half an hour. Finally it's on to Byers' home where they will enjoy local foods and a camp oven before heading back to Bingara for the next day of training.
You are to meet the girls at any of the venues they attend.
