DESPITE Wauchope Thunder’s struggles in the 15-a-side game, a shining light has emerged in the form of women’s players Chloe Saunders and Jamie Cone.
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The talented duo have been selected in the University of New England Lions squad who will play in the upcoming National Women's rugby sevens competition.
It will see them play alongside and against a stack of current Australian Wallaroos players.
Kempsey product Saunders will most likely mark the likes of Charlotte Caslick in one of her first games and admitted being selected was a “big surprise”.
“I don’t really expect to get in to these sorts of teams because I’m usually down on myself,” she said.
“But it is the next step towards a career playing for Australia which is what I would like to do.”
The UNE team has some big names in Alicia Quirk, Hannah Southwell and Grace Hamilton.
When you delve a little deeper into Saunders’ background in rugby union, it isn’t difficult to see why she decided to try the sport.
“Dad always supported the All Blacks and the whole family are just rugby fanatics,” she said.
“One day I just picked up a football and did better than I expected with a few teams and it all went from there.”
The winger or centre is familiar with the representative rugby system, having made the first Mid-North Coast Women’s Sevens team two years ago.
She then made the Mid North Coast under-17 side the following year.
I don’t really expect to get in to these sorts of teams because I’m usually down on myself
- Chloe Saunders
The teenager was looking forward to the challenge of testing herself against some of the best women’s rugby players in the country.
“It’s not every day you get to play with or against an Australian player so it’s pretty exciting,” she said.
“I’ll hopefully take a few things away from it all.”
The St Paul’s College, Kempsey student also has the added challenge of travelling to Armidale for university as well as balancing her Higher School Certificate studies at the end of the year.
“There isn’t a lot of spare time,” she said.
Not only is Saunders a rugby fanatic, but she spent time in Sydney playing in the first grade cricket competition from a young age.
Spending a lot of time on the road is nothing new.
“It’s a challenge trying to balance everything, but I’ve become used to it,” she said.
It’s not every day you get to play with or against an Australian player so it’s pretty exciting.
- Chloe Saunders
The team will play a trial against a Queensland side next week.
