Round One of the Charlotte Caslick Cup kicks off at Bond University this Saturday, with Queensland’s best Sevens talent set to descend on the Gold Coast.
Regional outfits the Sunshine Coast and Darling Downs will play alongside Premier Rugby clubs Souths, Bond University, Wests, University of Queensland, Easts and Sunnybank, with two tournaments at Brisbane and Noosa set to follow.
Let’s take a look at a player to watch from each side ahead of the first leg of the competition.
Still only 19-years-old, Sunshine Coast product Bridget Carter already boasts an extensive Rugby resume and will be key for the Stingrays on the weekend.
The Nambour Toads star has represented Queensland at U19s level in the XV-woman game, while she also turned out for the Queensland Country Orchids this year.
Carter has tasted success in a number of Sevens tournaments around the state with Nambour, and will line-up alongside a number of her club and representative teammates including Bek Murtagh and Megan Prinsloo.
Meg Jakins is another regional Rugby star who will be out to make her mark on the Charlotte Caslick Cup.
Jakins also featured for the Orchids in XVs this season, and the Roma Echidnas playmaker is just as skilled in Sevens.
Zoe Geiger and Taleah Ackland will also be key for the Downs.
Another Sunshine Coast product, Gracie Wright brings spark and speed to the Souths backline.
Wright represented Queensland in Sevens at a junior level, and has also featured for the Stingrays and Nambour Toads previously.
Wright has been in impressive touch for the Magpies in XVs this season and will look to transfer that form to the Sevens circuit.
Faythe Manera and her Bond University teammates will be out to claim the first leg of the series on their home turf.
Manera, who has recently recovered from an ACL injury, comes into the Caslick Cup in form, with the Bond girls having competed in a number of Uni Sevens tournaments in the last few weeks.
Manera has previously represented Queensland and Australia in Sevens, and was vice-captain of the QAS side in last year’s Queensland vs New South Wales Sevens series.
After making her Super W debut this year, Brianna Dascombe will be a huge factor for the Bulldogs this Sevens season.
The Darling Downs product was awarded the Gemma Etheridge Medal as Player of the Series in last year’s Emilee Cherry Cup, the premier Women’s Sevens competition on the Downs.
Dascombe made the move from the USQ Saints to the Kennel this year, and will be out to impress once again.
21-year-old Georgia Hannaway has already made her debut on the World Series stage and his set to light up the Charlotte Caslick Cup over the coming weeks.
Hannaway, who is contracted with the Aussie Sevens program, has recently returned from a playing trip to South Africa and heads into the series in top-form with that experience under her belt.
She has performed strongly in the AON Sevens over the years, and will once again be a key factor for UQ.
Kiiahla Duff will make the trip up to the Sunshine State for the Caslick Cup, with the New South Wales talent adding strike-power to an exciting Easts line-up.
With speed to burn, Duff is currently in the Australia A squad and is one of several boom young guns set to showcase their skills in the series.
Duff has recently played against the Australian Sevens side in practice matches and will bring plenty of skill and flair to the Tigers side.
You can’t teach speed, and Heleina Young has it in spades.
The Fijian product has impressed in XVs this season with GPS and will bring her full bag of tricks to the Bankers outfit this weekend.
Blessed with pace and athleticism, Young can change a game from anywhere, anytime.
