The World Champion Wallaroo Sevens team is set to compete at the Cable & Wireless Hong Kong women's tournament on Friday 27 March, their first outing since winning the first Rugby World Cup Sevens for women two weeks ago.

Australia overcame England, USA and trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand to capture world gold in Dubai and face another strong international line-up in Hong Kong, including three other World Cup sides, Hong Kong, China and Thailand.

“I have never been to Hong Kong so I am really looking forward to it,” said team member Bo De la Cruz.

“We know what we are capable of, we have to take one game at a time. The confidence is there but we’re not going to let it get to our heads, we’re going to concentrate on the task ahead,” she added.


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The Wallaroos face Arabian Gulf, Singapore, Tunisia and Guam in their pool matches at the Hong Kong Football Club in Happy Valley, while in the other pool China face three more Asian teams in Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand, as well as Papua New Guinea.

The women's final in Hong Kong will be played at the Hong Kong Stadium between matches on the first day of the men's competition.

Some changes have been made to the Wallaroos from the World Cup-winning team, both in the playing personnel and on the coaching staff with Shirley Russell filling in for World Cup coach Jason Stanton after assisting him in Dubai.

“Shirley is great, she knows a lot about the game,” De la Cruz said. “She is very motivating and only wants the best for the girls and is a great person. I think she will do a great job.”

The players left out of the side are Nicole Beck, Tricia Brown, Alexandra Hargreaves and Shelley Matcham, while Cassie Bailey and Selene Thornton are new faces.

Australian Women’s Sevens Team for Hong Kong: Cheryl Soon (captain), Cassie Bailey, Bo De la Cruz, Debby Hogkinson, Tobbie McGann, Tui Ormsby, Ruan Sims, Rebecca Tavo, Selene Thornton, Selena Tranter

Pool A
China
Japan
Hong Kong
Papua New Guinea
Thailand

Pool B
Australia
Arabian Gulf
Singapore
Tunisia
Guam

This year's Hong Kong women's Sevens is the 12th of its kind. Other events to host women's tournaments on the IRB Sevens World Series are Dubai, San Diego and Edinburgh.