This Sunday Toowoomba Sports Ground will play host to the Queensland Reds Super W squad, as their preparations for the 2023 season continue.
The team will be having an opposed training run against a Darling Downs Barbarians side, that will comprise of players from the local Emilee Cherry Cup competition, kicking off at 2:00pm.
Prior to the opposed session, the Super W squad will engage with local Darling Downs juniors, with a junior clinic taking place from 11:15am.
Briana Dascombe, a Toowoomba local who progressed through the Queensland Country pathway before making her Queensland Reds debut at Suncorp Stadium in 2022, is looking forward to taking the squad back to her home town.
“It’s really exciting, looking forward to showing the team where I came from,” said Dascombe.
“I started playing Rugby just a few years ago in the Emilee Cherry Cup and then trialled for the Downs Rugby team, played for South Queensland before then making the Queensland Country squad and where I was then identified for the Reds Academy.
“It’s great to see more Country girls coming into the Reds squad and progressing along the pathway, it shows girls in regional areas that there are opportunities for them.
“To be able to go home and give back to the local community in Toowoomba this weekend, it will be great.”
Queensland Reds head coach Simon Craig said: “This weekend provides us with a great opportunity to engage with the next generation of Women’s Rugby stars, while also continuing out pre-season preparation.
“We’re really thankful to Downs Rugby for helping us organise this event, we’re looking forward to running a coaching clinic with the local juniors before than having a quality opposed training run.
“We’re only a few weeks away from our first match against the Rebels in Melbourne, and we’re aiming to ensure we’re match fit and ready for the challenge ahead.”
Local juniors are invited to attend the junior clinic at Toowoomba Sports Ground (Clive Berghofer Stadium) from 11:15am on Sunday, 5 March.
The Queensland Reds Super W season kicks off on Saturday March 25 in Melbourne against the Rebels, kick-off at 4:05pm. The team then return home to face the Western Force on Friday, 31 March as part of two double-headers at Suncorp Stadium. For more information, visit Reds.Rugby.
