The NSW Waratahs Women team for in Round 2 of the ISPS Handa NextGen 7 Series at Forshaw Park in Sydney has a fresh look; but the intent is as firm as in Round 1: to win.
The NSW Waratahs Women’s team has undergone several changes for Sunday with injury returns, form, player development and availability all a part in the equation.
NSW Waratahs Women’s Sevens Head Coach Blake Cavallaro said: “We’ve got Anaia Cruickshank coming back from an ACL injury, and with that we have made a few shuffles in the team. We also want to see how we are progressing and to give other people opportunity in the program. But we have a strong squad as we did in Round 1.”
Another change is with the captaincy. Tatum Bird led the team in Round 1 but will miss Round 2 to manage her load with a view to the series panning out over four rounds.
Captain for Round 2 will be Edie Burke, who Cavallaro says: “Is a competitor. She knows what it means to be a Waratah. She's been brought up in this culture.
"That's why she's in the leadership group with Tatum.
"Her actions speak louder than words, and I am sure that they will show on the weekend. She can also play multiple positions in our team.”
In Round 1 on the Sunshine Coast, the NSW Waratahs Women won the first two of three games. In Round 2, they play four games as the home side and will aim for four wins.
To achieve that, they will need to maintain consistency over the four games they play against the ACT Brumbies and the Queensland Reds.
“We've really talked about managing our day and what that looks like,” Cavallaro said.
“We've got some perimeters around that and talked about what we need to do to make sure that by our third and fourth game, we're as consistent as in the first and second.”
Cavallaro realises that off the back of Round 1, the opposition will have identified his side’s strengths and weaknesses; but likewise, his side learned about other sides.
“Throughout the week, we've done video on ourselves, a video on the opposition team,” he said.
“We need to be better in areas we missed to win that final game [in Round 1]
“We talked about executing, committing properly in key areas. Other teams are going to come out firing against us, but we've got some key attributes to help get the wins.”
Forshaw Park is also likely to present a heavy playing track on Sunday considering the rain in Sydney this week. In Sevens rugby, the challenge of that will be greater.
“We’ll have to get our first phases right. We can't just throw the footy around,” Cavallaro said.
“We need to play smart. We've got the players for that. We can't lose the attractive footy that we play; but it’s also about being smart and accurate and accurate.”
Talia Berryman
Charlie Brigstocke
Edie Burke (c)
Keira Callaghan
Anaia Cruickshank
Milla Elaro
Lola Harvison
Logan Lemusu
Anika McCarthy
Darci Turinui
Lusiana Vesikula
Amelia Whitaker
Chanel Williams
• 9.30am: Waratahs v Brumbies
• 11.00am: Reds v Waratahs
• 12.30pm: Brumbies v Reds
• 2.00pm: Waratahs v Brumbies
• 3.30pm: Reds v Waratahs
