Qantas Australian Women’s Sevens squad for Canada

May 18 • General News, International • 916 Views • Comments Off on Qantas Australian Women’s Sevens squad for Canada

1. Sharni Williams (c), 20 caps, Hometown: Batlow NSW
2. Demi Hayes, 2 caps, Hometown: Mount Isa QLD
3. Shannon Parry (c), 21 caps, Hometown: Brisbane QLD
4. Tiana Penitani, 16 caps, Hometown: Sydney NSW
5. Chloe Dalton, 14 caps, Hometown: Sydney NSW
6. Georgina Friedrichs, 5 caps, Hometown: Toowoomba QLD
7. Charlotte Caslick, 20 caps, Hometown: Brisbane QLD
8. Brooke Walker, 3 caps, Hometown: Sydney NSW
9. Alicia Quirk, 20 caps, Hometown: Wagga Wagga NSW
10. Dominique Du Toit, 3 caps, Hometown: Toowoomba QLD
11. Emilee Cherry, 22 caps, Hometown: Roma QLD
12. Cassie Staples*, Hometown: Bateman’s Bay NSW

13th player: Shanice Parker*, Hometown: Perth WA
*Denotes uncapped

Australia names team for penultimate leg

The Qantas Australian Women’s Sevens team has been named ahead of round five of the HSBC Women’s Sevens World Series in Langford, Canada kicking off on May 28.

Head Coach Tim Walsh has made four changes with rookie Cassie Staples set for her World Series debut after bursting onto the scene following some impressive performances with the development squad in Darwin in January.

The Bateman’s Bay local was viewed performing some impressive athletic drills on YouTube before being recommended to train with the Women’s Sevens development squad by Tim Rapp at the NSW Waratahs.

In the other changes, co-captain Sharni Williams returns after sitting out the leg in Japan while Tiana Penitani and Brooke Walker have forced their way into the side.

Australia currently sits in second place on the HSBC Women’s Sevens World Series Ladder, ten points adrift of New Zealand with two rounds left to go.

Qantas Australian Men’s Sevens Head Coach, Tim Walsh said: “We’re going to Canada fixed on performing to the best of our ability and we’re going there to win.

“We’ve got a really strong squad with a great mix of youth and experience. There’s a great opportunity for some new stars to be born.

“Cassie is a unique talent, and a perfect example of the kind of athlete we want to unearth during the Aon Uni 7s Series later this year. She’s fast, tough and agile but also, more importantly, has a real point of difference.

“We haven’t performed to our standards this season and we have to own that and live with that. We’re fully focused on this tournament.”

Australia has Spain, Ireland and Fiji in Pool C with matches kicking off on Sunday 28 May (Australia time).

Qantas Australian Women’s fixtures, Langford, Canada:
Sunday 28 May
Australia v Spain, 4.36am AEST
Australia v Ireland, 7.20am AEST
Australia v Fiji, 10.04am AEST

Cassie Staples
Date of Birth: 16 October 1992 (age 24)
Born: Sydney, NSW

Players injured: Emma Tonegato (shoulder), Ellia Green (knee), Evania Pelite (knee), Brooke Anderson (shoulder)
Not selected: Emma Sykes (rotation), Mahalia Murphy (rotation), Hannah Southwell