Griffith Uni will go into the final Aon Uni 7s leg of 2018 this weekend as the team with the target on their backs but senior player Kiri Lingman is confident they know how to handle it.
The Queensland team sits on top of the Uni 7s ladder with one round to go, four points clear of Macquarie Uni.
A top-three finish would be enough to secure them their maiden series title this weekend - all they need to do is hold their nerve.
And it’s a position they’re all too familiar with, with nearly half the side part of Queensland XVs powerhouse Sunnybank.
Many of those women went on to play for Queensland, who made the Super W final, and then the Wallaroos in August.
The Dragons won their fourth-straight premiership this season and Lingman said that experience will be invaluable in South Australia.
“There are a number of times with Sunnybank where we're always the team that's getting hunted, so it gives you a mental edge coming into especially with Sevens tournaments where it's so tight, you've got to head into that last final,” she said.
“You know how to calm your nerves or how to mentally prepare for it so it's a huge help and XVs is such a physical game so it definitely helps in that aspect too.”
Griffith found their groove in the Uni 7s tournament this year, with a maiden tournament title in Brisbane last month and Lingman said the notion of clinching the overall title is spine-tingling.
Off the field, the Griffith side is as close as any Lingman has been a part of and that makes the potential achievement even more meaningful
“Even just winning one of the tournaments - at UQ, when we first took it out was one of the best wins of a tournament or a game that I've ever had in my career of rugby,” she said.
“I get goosebumps just thinking about taking out the whole thing.
“In saying that, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself but for the girls I just care about the team so much.
“It's something that I want not only for myself but the girls, just with how hard they've worked and how much everyone's put in and to see how much we all care about it, I really want that for the coaching staff and for the girls.”
The final round of the Uni 7s kicks off on Saturday October 20 at 10am local, 10:30am AEDT, LIVE on RUGBY.com.au.
