Armed with renewed confidence from some old-school form at the last tournament, the Australian women’s sevens team will have two clear targets in mind when they play in the final round of the World Sevens Series in Biarritz next week.
Clean progress through their pool to lock down a berth at the Tokyo Olympics next year, and then a first tournament victory of the year.
Aussie coach John Manenti has named a near-full strength side for the sixth and last round, with Shannon Parry and Dom Du Toit returning, and rookie Rhiannon Byers also named for a potential debut. The only absentee is Emilee Cherry, who is expecting a baby this month.
The Aussies have no chance of defending their 2017-18 World Series crown, sitting in fourth on the season ladder, behind runaway leaders New Zealand, USA and Canada.
Another good showing could push Australia as high as second in the final wash up but fourth is the minimum goal, with top quartet of teams automatically qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics.
Australia are 14 points ahead of fifth-placed France, and only need only to finish within eight spots of the French to stay ahead of them.
That means if Australia make the quarter-finals they’re booked in to defend their Olympic title, and to do that two wins in their first two pool games against Spain and Ireland would do the trick.
"Obviously we haven’t won one of the series (legs) yet and that’s definitely going to be the one this time around,” Aussie co-captain Sharni Williams said.
"There is a lot on the line for us, we are sitting fourth at the moment and we really need to make those quarters and semi-finals and make the most of it to secure our spot for the Olympics. They automatically take four away and we are sitting there right on the cusp.
“It is for the top wigs to figure out all the stats and what needs to happen here and there.
"But for us players it is really to focus on each game at a time.”
To guarantee a spot in the Tokyo Games and the chance to defend their Olympic crown - and avoid further qualification tournaments - would be a satisfying result for the Aussie women’s team after a challenging year of injury and inconsistent form.
"That’s the goal. That’s what we are setting out to do. Obviously it hasn’t gone the way we’ve wanted it to do, but as an athlete you get thrown things left, right and centre,” Williams said.
"You have been riding the rollercoaster and it’s up to us to drive it and fix it. We dictate what’s going to happen and we want to be in that top four straight away to make it easier for us to qualify.”
The Australian team focussed on regaining their “strut” at the last tournament and dominating opponents, as opposed to fearing failure, and it worked.
The Aussies looked like the golden girls of old in a strong six-game run that saw make their first final since Sydney, and lose a tight one against the red-hot Kiwis.
That confidence will carry forward, believes Williams.
"Having Johnny have confidence in that same team, and taking that same team across and you could really see some growth in some of the younger players but also the older platers, to then place second,” Williams said.
"We’re going into the last tournament with confidence and some really good combos.
"As females we put ourselves down so often in our heads, and to have the confidence there and people picking each other up, and just being able to watch yourself back with some footage and not criticise, but to say “I actually did good in that tournament".
"It really puts some things in place for the next tournament to say “I know I can do this” and have the confidence in each other.”
Byers’ selection caps a memorable few months for the teenager from northern NSW, after only being signed as a full-time squad member last month.
Strong form for UNE in the AON Uni sevens for the first two seasons saw Byers picked up as a development player, and she was a part of the young team that won Oceania tournament earlier this year.
Byers was picked to tour France with the Aussie development squad in … and she gained in both reputation and confidence in the friendlies, with powerful form against full-strength international rivals.
"I took a lot away from other national teams and knowing where I stand in those teams as well as that,” Byers said.
“It was (confidence-boosting) knowing that I can run hard and hit hard against those players. I was a bit shocked at the start. Johnny said “oh you went really well”.
"It gave me another boost so when I came back into training I started training harder and playing harder.
"I am really excited and pumped (to be selected). I have been working really hard to get to where I am now."
Manenti’s instructions?
"Just run hard, and carry hard,” Byers said.
"So that’s what I am going to do, and do what I do best."
BIARRITZ SEVENS
Saturday 15 June
Australia v Ireland, 8.52pm AEST
Australia v Spain, 11.36pm AEST
Sunday 16 June
Australia v Canada, 2.20am AEST
AUSTRALIAN WOMENS TEAM
Lauren Brown, Bond University, Queensland, 3 caps
Rhiannon Byers, University of New England, NSW
Charlotte Caslick, Bond University, Queensland, 30 caps
Lily Dick, Griffith University, Queensland, 4 caps
Dominque Du Toit, Queensland, 13 caps
Ellia Green, Victoria, 24 caps
Sariah Paki, NSW, 4 caps
Shannon Parry, Griffith University, Queensland, 24 caps
Evania Pelite, University of Adelaide, Queensland, 23 caps
Emma Tonegato, University of Adelaide, NSW, 25 caps
Samantha Treherne, Griffith University, Queensland, 5 caps
Sharni Williams (c), University of Canberra, ACT, 29 caps
Alicia Quirk, University of New England, NSW, 28 caps
