In the footsteps of the Australian women’s Olympic Games gold medal-winning seven-a-side rugby union team in Rio de Janiero, officials are intent on introducing a sevens rugby competition on the Lower Mid North Coast this season.

Twenty young women trained at the Forster-Tuncurry Dolphins’ Tuncurry headquarters at Peter Barclay Field last Thursday night, players who will form the nucleus of teams representing the Dolphins, Wallamba Bulls and Old Bar clubs.

At the instigation of Wallamba club’s head coach, Lee Sullivan, a willing hour and a half’s training session was run by New South Wales Rugby ‘s development officer, North Coast’s Tom Davidson, aided by Wauchope’s Paddy Bowen and Wallamba’s fitness coach, Mitch Wilson, a former NSW Central West amateur welterweight boxing champion.

The hope of local rugby officials is that women from five clubs, Forster, Wallamba, Manning River, Old Bar and Gloucester, will take part in a competition in the hour prior to each Lower MNC first grade premiership game next season, starting early in April.

The training sessions will continue twice a week on Tuesday and Thursdays from 6pm, alternating between the Bulls’ and Dolphins’ grounds.