PLENTY of rugby league players have felt the impact of a crunching Kate Fallon tackle and come Sunday, she will look to dish out more defensive punishment when playing her first game of rugby 7s for the New South Wales Waratahs.
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The star Bathurst sporting all-rounder has been named in the inaugural Waratahs under 15s rugby sevens squad which will face the ACT Brumbies at Bowral and while her fitness, speed and slick passing skills are an asset, it is defence where NSW officials are hoping Fallon shines.
It was her defence which NSW Waratahs talent scouts noticed when watching her playing lock for La Perouse at the NSW Koori Knockout.
They invited her to attend a series of trials and while Fallon was at first hesitant to attend, she impressed enough to make the 15-player squad to face the Brumbies.
As her father and manager Jamie Fallon explained, the talented teen who also plays in the Western Women's Rugby League competition for the under 15 Panorama Platypi, has already worked hard to adjust to the different code.
"She was very nervous at the first sessions because she had minimal rugby experience due to the fact we live in more of a rural area and we have no rugby 7s competitions," he said.
"This is the first time they have had an under 15s side, this is why they really pushed hard to identify girls and Kate got identified through rugby league. Kate wasn't the only girl they got from rugby league.
"Kate was scouted because of her defence, her defence was incredible they said, but she still had to learn. She hits hard, but she had to work tirelessly training in Bathurst on her tackling, she had to lower her tackles to make sure they weren't too high.
"They have been amazed, they've never seen an individual that has learned so fast and picked up the game. The tackling is a lot different to league, but they said Kate pulled off miracles in the last couple of weeks to learn how to play the game of rugby 7s."
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Though Jamie Fallon knows his daughter still has plenty to learn about rugby 7s and must impress in Bowral to remain in the Waratahs squad which will be cut further after that fixture, he knows the sport offers her a good opportunity to advance.
Bathurst's Jakiya Whitfeld is a good example of the opportunities in rugby 7s, having already represented Australia at an under 18s and opens level.
"Kate loves rugby league, she's already been looked at by Cronulla and Souths. While she's been in Sydney doing things with rugby, being a good manager I took her to South Sydney Rabbitohs Oz Tag trials and she made it," he said.
"But she's but she's too young to play Tarsha Gale Cup, so this rugby sevens opportunity is perfect timing because it keeps her active in footy.
"I explained to her it was a good chance and a good pathway, there's a pathway with rugby 7s through to the Olympics.
"But whatever happens, I am just really proud of her, it's another big thing for her. Now she's involved in New South Wales boxing, New South Wales rugby league, New South Wales Indigenous netball and New South Wales rugby.
"That's pretty cool I think, she's an athlete."
