Vipers win inaugural ACT Touch All-Abilities Cup in their first competition

With just one loss all weekend, Vipers put on an outstanding show in what was the team's first competition.

Coordinator Cath Salmon said it was a fantastic effort, with the team's all-abilities players invited to join the ACT Nationals campaign.

"We only lost one game, and they actually lost against the team they played in the grand final, so it was nice to beat them the second time," Salmon said.

"They beat us 3-1 in the first game, but beat them 3-2 in the final.

"We ended up with five AA players and four non-AA players which was really great.

"It was just amazing, it was the first time they've played in a competition, first time they've won anything."

Vipers will be the first team to be engraved on the Cup and Salmon said it'll be doing a tour of the players homes before finding its way to the Wagga Touch Association cabinet.

Coming together for Saturday training sessions before heading to Canberra for the two day tournament, Salmon said they came together beautifully.

"They played amazingly," Salmon said.

"We had a few training runs and their keen to do the All-Abilities program in Wagga too, so we're going to hone in on those skills.

"They played so well that the ACT has asked all of them if they want to join the ACT team to play at Nationals in March.

"They played excellently, Jake Sheridan was amazingly fast, he was our top try scorer, Jordan O'Rielly was amazing too, they're just so fast, and Eva Sutton was a little injured but she just kept going, kept plugging away."

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Wagga's first All-Abilities team, Salmon is hopeful the competition is the start of what will become a long history of All-Abilities touch in town.

She pulled together the team after her daughter, Jess, played for Canberra at the All-Abilities nationals earlier this year.

"I'm hoping that other kids and parents will see, I think it's really important for the parents to take ownership," she said.

"The kids want to play so if the parents can back them up and bring them, support them, that's where we get players from.

"I'm hoping others will see this and get involved."

With 11 teams participating in the first Cup, Salmon said she's hoping to see it bigger and better in years to come.

Wagga Touch's All Abilities touch program will begin on Thursday evenings from October 19 and is open to all ages.

Salmon said new players are incredibly welcome to join the team.

"Those players that played are going to come so they can improve their skills as well," Salmon said.

"There's still a lot they can learn so they're coming down for the skills, and we've got lots of people already interested from primary school and adults and teenagers as well."

On a personal note Salmon said the win was made extra special with her husband and two of her daughters in the side.

"It was so exciting, we've never done that before, I've played with one of my daughters before but for four of us to be on the field at the same time, it was incredible," she said.

While hopeful the team is still in its infancy, Salmon expressed gratitude for all the help they've received so far, especially from Noah Burns-McKenzie.

She said the young player has already expressed interest to continue assisting the team in the future.

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