Tonegato not in anyone's shadow

Tue, Apr 12, 2016, 6:19 AM
Beth Newman
by Beth Newman

Emma Tonegato isn't living in anyone's shadow.

One of the best finishers in the game, Tonegato was the stand out of the side in Atlanta, scoring 10 tries across the weekend and earning her first World Series Tournament MVP.

Tonegato stepped up to fill the void left by injured speedster Ellia  Green and said she felt she took her opportunity.

"Normally me and Ellia share a lot of  the time on the field but I got  more game time this weekend and had the opportunity to show what I've got and just had to help out some of the younger girls and hopefully I did the job," she said.

Sevens coach Tim Walsh said while Green was one of the biggest names in  the side, Tonegato was far from being overshadowed.

"She's pretty much taken up where she left off [last year] but she's progressively got better and better," he said.

"We're very blessed when we've got Ellia Green, who is probably the fastest player in women's rugby and quite the personality and we've also got Emma."

"She's got exceptional feet and she's a world class player in her own right and I don't think Emma's in Ellia's shadow at all.

"Emma's been at the top of the world series try scoring for three years and today just culminated to prove to what she's capable of."

The pair are just two of the players giving Walsh the best kind of headache as the Rio Olympics grows nearer.

Emma Tonegato claims a Tournament MVP in Atlanta. Photo: World RugbyThey've had three consecutive tournament wins in the World Series so far, but all have come with different squads as the team combats injury and rotation.

The Australian Women's Sevens will head into this weekend's Langford Sevens hoping to put themselves in the box seat for their first overall  Series title.

Rather than feeling complacency creep into their game, Tonegato said their recent success had only boosted the side's hunger.

"There's definitely no letting up," she said.

"There's a lot of competition between the girls for positions and this weekend proved anyone in our squad can really make the team so definitely not easing the pressure at all.

"We're just really happy to be where we are at the moment, heading into the Olympics is such an important time."

"There is likely to be a number of changes in the Women's Sevens side for this weekend's Langford Sevens as the side continues its preparations for the Rio Olympics.

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