Ballymore to become women’s sevens heaven

Ballymore to become women’s sevens heaven

By Michael Atkinson
June 15, 2023 — 9.01pm

If you thought the redevelopment at Ballymore was just about a new stand and some new facilities, think again.

Queensland Rugby’s vision for the venue to become the “home of women’s rectangular sports” in Australia is off to a flying start.

Queensland Rugby Union chief executive David Hanham at the new National Rugby Training Centre at Ballymore.CREDIT:BRENDAN HERTEL

Already confirmed as the home of the Wallaroos and the Brisbane Roar Women’s team, Ballymore will soon also be home for Australia’s all-conquering female rugby seven’s program (but not the men’s sevens set-up).

The reconstructed Western Stand at the spiritual home of rugby in Queensland will be officially opened later this month, with plans already in motion for more work in the not-too-distant future.

The much bigger Eastern Stand, however, is being eyed off for a similar makeover to become a new centre of excellence for coach Tim Walsh, superstar captain Charlotte Caslick and the rest of the world champion program.

This masthead understands the move has support from Rugby Australia and the Queensland Government.

When it happens, the women’s sevens program will become the first Olympic team to move to the Sunshine State since Brisbane was announced as hosts of the 2032 Olympic Games.

It’s believed the sport will be the first of many contemplating a similar move, which is why state government officials are so supportive of the move.

With rugby sevens as the flagship, they hope to attract other centres of excellence to Brisbane.

Long located in Sydney – currently at Moore Park, previously in Narrabeen – the women’s sevens program will have a much easier time for its players and staff when it moves to Ballymore.

Teagan Levi of Australia celebrates victory during the Women’s Cup Final match between New Zealand and Australia in Dubai.CREDIT:GETTY

The rat race, the cost of living, the parking and the logistics of getting around Brisbane are all much simpler compared with being based in Sydney.

But the move is also a huge tip of the hat to the success of Queensland’s rugby sevens pathways, which are the gold standard for the format in this country.

Queensland’s female sevens pathway programs have dominated rival states with on-field results in recent years.

They have better-resourced programs and better support from both the state rugby governing body and the government.

The Australian team - which last year claimed the World Sevens Series, the World Cup and the Commonwealth gold medal - is comprised heavily of Queensland-produced talent.

Co-captains Caslick and Demi Hayes, and the superstar Levi sisters Teagan and Maddi are the headline acts of a national squad that is 64 per cent Queenslander.

Even coach Walsh is from Queensland, and five of the expected starting seven at next year’s Paris Olympics will be from the Sunshine State.

This isn’t by chance, but the result of the hard work of many, in particular pathway program coaches Reg Tayler and Lachlan Parkinson, with the Queensland Academy of Sport.

Tayler and Parkinson have led the charge on creating programs, pathways and competitions which are the envy of the rest of the country.

Queensland are the current under-17 national champions and in the women’s national championships, Queensland have lost just one game in five years.

Several members of the Australian women’s sevens team with the World Cup.CREDIT:RHETT WYMAN

The Queensland Academy of Sport women’s program is better resourced than their male counterparts, and other states don’t come close to replicating it.

This masthead understands that just trying to get women’s rugby sevens teams time on the training paddock down south is a political minefield.

In Sydney, Rugby Australia run the NSW Women’s sevens program, with the Waratahs more invested in 15s.

It’s a no-brainer for the Aussie women’s program to pack up and move to a location that is responsible for producing most of its talent.

Having their own facility in the renovated Eastern Stand in the next 2-3 years will reward the move and make Ballymore an Olympic-ready venue by 2026.

Which is just in time to host touring teams for the 2027 men’s Rugby World Cup, act as a pool-match venue for the women’s World Cup in 2029, and provide a training and high-performance facility for the development of numerous Olympic athletes.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-union/ballymore-to-become-women-s-sevens-heaven-20230615-p5dgpg.html