Sevens Stars and LGBT Rugby Advocate grace Australia Day Honours list
Among those named in 2017, Australia Day Honours lists are the twelve members of the Olympic gold medal-winning Australian Women’s Sevens team and founder of the Sydney Convicts and LGBT rights advocate, Andrew Purchas.
Since their scintillating gold medal victory at the Rio Olympics, the members of the Australian Olympic Women’s Rugby Sevens team – co-captains Shannon Parry and Sharni Williams, Nicole Beck, Charlotte Caslick, Emilee Cherry, Chloe Dalton, Gemma Etheridge, Ellia Green, Evania Pelite, Alicia Quirk, Emma Tonegato, and Amy Turner – have proven themselves to be fantastic role models for thousands of young Australians and terrific ambassadors for rugby and Australian sport.
ARU CEO Bill Pulver said: “For the Australian Women’s Sevens team to have achieved such success as such a young team is a testament to the hard work and effort they have put into the Sevens program. Sevens demands unique levels of skill, speed, physicality, fitness and mental tenacity, which cannot be achieved without incredibly hard work and dedication.
“It would be difficult to find a team that is so devoted to making a difference within the community. The team earnestly wants to inspire a new generation of female rugby players, and all their efforts in training and community work are targeted toward this goal.
“I am delighted that their incredible service to Rugby and the Australian community has been recognised in this way.”
Joining the Australian Women’s Sevens team on the Australia Day honour roll, are a host of other Australians who has made a significant impact on their communities through their work in rugby.
One such person is Andrew Purchas, who founded and became the President of Australia’s first gay rugby team, the Sydney Convicts in 2004. He was recognised for his amazing efforts in breaking down social barriers and challenging stereotypes in Australian sport.
Thanks to Andrew’s efforts, there are now three gay rugby clubs in Australia, the Melbourne Chargers and Brisbane Hustlers, who along with Auckland-based team the New Zealand Falcons contest the annual Purchas Cup, which is named in Andrew’s honour.
In 2014, as President of Bingham Cup Sydney, Andrew helped organised for the world championship for gay and inclusive rugby teams to be held in Sydney. In conjunction with this, Andrew spearheaded a campaign to obtain the commitment of the ARU and other sporting codes to implement anti-homophobia and inclusion policies in their sports. To cap off 2014, Andrew was honoured with the Nick Farr-Jones ‘Spirit of Rugby’ award at the John Eales Medal awards night.
ARU CEO Bill Pulver said: “I have worked with Andrew many times over the years and have seen his passion around the need to change the sporting culture to make it more inclusive of LGBT people. He has been instrumental in Australian Rugby’s adoption of policies and programs to address homophobia and ensure everyone feels safe, welcome and included to play and enjoy our sport. He is completely deserving of this honour and I offer him Australian Rugby’s most heartfelt congratulations.”
The twelve members of the Australian Olympic Women’s Sevens Team and Andrew Purchas were awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).
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