Team UQ fourth overall at Australian Uni Games
The UQ Rugby Club has appointed Reg Tayler as head coach of The University of Queensland’s (Team UQ) AON Women’s Uni Sevens Series side.The inaugural AON Women’s Uni Sevens Series competition, set to kick-off in August 2017, will feature eight university-based teams, with squads to consist of national and state-level sevens players, as well as a minimum 50 per cent quota of university students.
Tayler will oversee Team UQ recruitment, player development and training, and be supported by UQ Rugby Club and UQ Sport Academy coaching staff.
A renowned sevens coach, Tayler successfully guided Queensland’s Under 17 Youth Girls side to back-to-back National Youth Sevens Championships in 2015-16.
He said it was an honour to lead Team UQ in the ground-breaking series.
“It is the fastest-growing avenue for rugby in Australia and it’s a highly rewarding coaching role when you can see the skill progression accelerating so quickly,” Tayler said.
“My expertise centres on the development of young footballers and creating environments that enable them to take the next step.”
Tayler, Head of Participation at Queensland Rugby Union, has been heavily involved in the formation of development pathways, which have produced the majority of Australia’s women’s rugby players – including Rio Olympic gold medallist and UQ graduate Emilee Cherry.
Tayler said creating more opportunities to play at a representative-level will broaden the horizons of women’s rugby nationwide, and provide a stepping stone into the Australian system.
“This competition is going to have some players who are not as developed as others, but it’s definitely an advantage to be able to build off the strong pre-existing base with the UQ Rugby Club’s women’s program and not have to start from scratch with an entire group,” he said.
Team UQ is actively recruiting players, with interested student-athletes urged to contact Cameron McIntosh (Rugby Development Manager – UQ Rugby Club) by emailing cmcintosh@uqrugby.com.
UQ will also host one of the series’ four tournaments, with the two-day event taking place on 16-17 September at the UQ Sport Athletics Centre.
Media: Jamie Mitchell, UQ Sport, JamieM@uqsport.com.au, 0423 785 752;
Cameron Chater, University of Queensland Rugby Football Club; CameronC@uqrugby.com, 0439 900 166.
