BEFORE this year Claire Woolmington hadn’t played rugby union, but now she has contested a grand final, won a competition best and fairest and been selected to tour New Zealand.
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The CSU ace capped off her brilliant debut season last week by being named in the Central West Rugby Union women’s squad which will head to Christchurch next March.
It will be Central West’s first overseas tour in more than 15 years, so naturally Woolmington was excited.
“I am really excited. I wasn’t really expecting it. I just went to the trial they were having to have a go,” Woolmington, who was the Ferguson Cup’s player of the year, said.
“My coach just told me to have a crack at it. He had high hopes and I just showed up and did what I could.”
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Having never gone on a tour before in her any of her many sporting endeavours – she is also a talented basketballer, netballer and league tag player - Woolmington believes it will be a great opportunity to rub shoulders with some of union’s best.
“I’m expecting it to be a very challenging trip. All of us will be getting up and training every morning, including training with the Canterbury Crusaders,” Woolmington said.
“Being in New Zealand in front of lots of all the talented New Zealand players will be very intimidating.”
Woolmington forms part of the 25-member women’s squad for the Central West Rugby Union tour, which will also involve the Blue Bulls men’s talents.
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The tour will involve playing several squad games as well as gaining an insight into the very top level of the sport. The Central West players will get to see Super Rugby outfit the Crusaders train and get put through their paces by the Canterbury coaches themselves.
It will be a special moment given the Crusaders are coming off a record ninth premiership.
Woolmington was not the only Bathurst player to be selected in the Central West women’s squad, with the Bulldogs well represented too.
Edwina Ulberg, Kate Gullifer, Mandy Scott, Melissa Waterford, Nicole Schneider and Teagan Miller have been chosen.
Aside from the looming Central West Rugby tour, Woolmington was invited to trial for the Southern District Rugby Club, based in southern Sydney, and has subsequently been included in their training squad.
“I have actually been accepted into the squad which is really good. I will be doing some training now and hopefully be in the 12 to 13 players who get selected to play,” Woolmington said.