The kicking of new Queensland Reds flyhalf Charity Wightman-Beaven owes credit in equal parts to her dabbles with martial arts and Aussie Rules.
To have an 18-year-old rookie already adept at kicking is one of the bonuses that has helped fast-track the youngest member of the Reds’ bold band of history-chasers in Fiji today.
Watch every second of the 2026 Super Rugby Women's season live and on demand via Stan Sport.
Reds coach Andrew Fraser has been fearless in giving Wightman-Beaven her chances in Swyftx Super Rugby Women’s this season.
It would have been easy to have her on the bench as a non-playing 24th player to learn the ropes. Instead, Fraser has backed her three times with cameos from the bench, including nearly 15 minutes in the tense finale to the recent upset of the NSW Waratahs in Sydney.
One 40m clearing kick to touch was just what the Reds needed late in the game. Mentor Lori Cramer shifted from No.10 to fullback which allowed Wightman-Beaven’s entry to the game.
The youngster is on the bench again today to face the Fijian Drua in Lautoka in an all-or-nothing semi-final.
“Lori has been amazing and really helps me develop as a young player and game-driver,” Wightman-Beaven said.
“Every time I’m out there she helps me see new perspectives on the field because she has such great vision for the game.”
Wightman-Beaven is a product of Moreton Bay College, the same school that produced assistant coach Shannon Parry, the former Wallaroos star, Red and Olympic gold medallist.
It’s the variety of sports that Wightman-Beaven tackled growing up which is intriguing.
“Fencing, badminton, rounders, Aussie Rules, soccer, netball, athletics…I’ve tried them all and ended up in rugby which I love,” she said.
“I also did taekwondo and Muay Thai boxing. That’s probably where my kicking game came from because understanding leg movement really helped.
“When you are a 10-year-old fighting a 15-year-old, the martial arts definitely helps you to understand the mindset of going into contact situations and being ruthless in your approach.
“I played Aussie Rules and was the only girl not kicking in the AFL-style which gave the coaches a bit of a scare. It was the game where I first got to understand space on the field.”
Playing her role in the closing stages of the recent 26-19 victory over the Waratahs fortified her belief.
“To go out and play against players, of Wallaroos level, who I’ve looked up to was really cool because you are testing yourself,” she said.
“That game was really special to me. The joy was through the roof in that group huddle at the end.
“I can’t describe the excitement and the knowing together, as a team, that we’d performed at our standard, our new standard.”
It’s playing to that higher standard and each player doing their jobs which is so vital today against the dangerous Drua.
When players like hooker Roni Setu is setting the example in defence and No.8 Tiarna Molloy is stepping up for hard carries, it needs to be taken on en masse by the team.
Wightman-Beaven is in the best learning environment possible.
