Great Girl’s Weekend in Scone

THE Tuggeranong Vikings won the first Scone Women’s 7’s tournament today beating Maitland Surf and Turf 34 to nil.

Organiser, Brad Smith said the rain during the weekend just added to the fun of the games.

See photos below.

“The rain didn’t worry us too much, you play rugby whether it is rain, hail or shine and if anything it actually makes it fun,” said Mr Smith.

“It was a dampener on spectator numbers, but we need the rain at the moment anyway,” he said.

The spirit of the tournament saw teams lending each other players when they were short and a Wallaroo put on water bottle duty.

“The whole vibe of the weekend has just been amazing, it’s about pushing women’s rugby and treating it as its own entity, often it is treated as a side show that is unappreciated, but Scone they got in and embraced it with full support,” said Brad.

Mahlia Murphy, a Wallaroo said she will be encouraging more of the Wallaroos to come to next year’s tournament.

“I was the water girl, I got chucked in the deep end,” she laughed

“I will be telling the other girls how much fun it’s been and hopefully more will come next year and inspire more girls to play,” Mahlia Murphy said.

Kate Brown, who was from Scone and has represented Australia in rugby returned home for the tournament is also keen to bring her Canberra team back.

“It was a great weekend it was made really fun by the rugby club and they run it really well,” said Ms Brown.

“It was a really good event that’s why I wanted to enter a team and we’ll definitely be back next year,” Kate Brown said.

Brad Smith said the standard of players they attracted for the first tournament was exciting.

“It just goes to show the girls here that you can make it from Scone to top level if you push yourself and Waverley’s winger she (Eimear Considine) played for the played for the Irish Cup,” said Mr Smith.

“We’ve got some top level players and the Fiji team they are going to be an amazing team, this was their first time ever playing as a club and they’ve placed third,” he said.

“They were leading the competition but were knocked off in the final by Maitland, by one point on the buzzer, but that’s what makes it exciting.

“Next year we are going to aim for 20 teams and ramp things up even further,” he said.

“It’s such a great thing to promote Scone too, and we’ve got an opportunity to build something big for Scone,” Brad Smith said.

Although next year Brad said he may reconsider what he wears to the pub on the Saturday night.

“We had a fancy dress at the Belmore and the Waverley girls all wore jeans, a checked shirt and hats, then I walk in in my jeans and checked shirt, but that’s what we wear around here,” laughed Brad.

The organisers wish to thank the Country Women’s Association, Scone Rugby Club, all of the teams, the vendors and Scone community.

The tournament donated 80% of the revenue from the gate to the CWA.

See related story: Girls Ready to Play.