Biola Dawa, Amelia Harris and Sophia Kirkby will swap their club jerseys for the Brumbies’ blue, gold and white kit later this month – but not before they’ve beaten each other to a pulp on the paddock.
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The trio were named in the 2018 ACT Schoolgirls squad on Monday alongside Mater Dei Catholic College student Clare Harpley after impressing selectors at the Schoolgirls Invitational Rugby Carnival last week.
However, the teenage talents will still have to battle it out when Dawa’s Reddies take on Harris and Kirkby in the Waratahs strip this weekend.
Waratahs got the better of CSU in a 29-15 win during their last encounter and Harris and Kirkby are confident of a repeat performance at Conolly Rugby Complex.
Dawa, meanwhile, is hoping to turn the tables on Saturday.
“I won’t say anything now, but we’ll let next weekend speak for itself,” Dawa said.
Upcoming grudge matches aside, it’s been an unusual month for Wagga’s schoolgirl sensations after a drawn out selection process for the ACT side.
The girls battled their way through weeks of trials before finally being named in the ACT Provincial side that took on the likes of NSW Country, Melbourne Rebels, Tasmania, Western Force, Sydney West, South Australia last weekend.
The invitational carnival was a unique experience for Harris, who until then had played exclusively at opens level.
“I’ve only ever played in women’s and last weekend was the first time I’d ever played in an age group style game. It actually felt a bit weird,” Harris said.
A tough game against ACT City capped off Harris’ campaign and the number eight was disappointed not to finish the carnival with a win.
“I thought we dominated the game but it didn’t really show on the scoreboard,” Harris said.
“We outplayed them but went down 10-5 in the end.”
Kirkby was another caught the selectors eye with a strong showing in the halfback role while sister Isabella was also rewarded with a place in the ACT Schoolgirls developmental group.
Meanwhile, the fleet-footed Dawa is set to fill a fullback/wing role for ACT Schoolgirls off the back of her try-scoring feats in the Southern Inland sevens competition with Harris shaping a likely option in the back row.
The selection West Wyalong High School student Rhylee Lemon rounded out the Riverina’s representative list.
The girls now face a rigorous training and commuting schedule with bi-weekly sessions in the nation’s capital as their ACT team mates prepare for their upcoming clash with NSW Combined High Schools Schoolgirls on August 9.
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