Queensland have taken out the National Women’s Championships on home soil, after holding on in a tight-tussle against the Brumbies 5-0 at Wests in Brisbane.
Queensland managed to keep the ACT side scoreless for the full 80 to recapture the title they last held in 2009.
The only try of the game was awarded to Queensland No.8 Moana Virtue under controversial circumstances, with the referee initially ruling the ball had been held up before consulting with the touch judge and changing his decision.
The victory saw Queensland end the tournament with only seven points scored against them in four matches, after sweeping past all three Division 1 opponents – NSW Country (36-0), Brumbies (10-0) and Sydney (15-7).
Queensland went into the tournament with a strong outfit that had 10 players returning from their 2010 campaign, three of those Wallaroos in Shannon Parry, Cheyenne Campbell and Trish Brown.
Women’s Rugby is set to take an exciting turn in the coming seasons, particularly in the shortened form of the game after the inclusion of Sevens at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero. Australia are the current holders of the Women’s Sevens Rugby World Cup, taking out the inaugural crown in 2009 at the Dubai event.
In the 3rd v 4th playoff, earlier in the day, Sydney managed to finish on the podium after beating close rivals NSW Country 22-17 in an exciting encounter.
FINAL RESULTS:
Sydney 22 Beatriz Muhlbauer 2, Iliseva Batibasaga, Kelly Ducker tries; Kelly Ducker conversion bt NSW Country 17 Renee Cross, Vanessa Foliaki, Emma Gillogly tries; Erin Green conversion
QLD 5 Moana Virtue try bt Brumbies 0
