THE coronavirus pandemic may have put Jakiya Whitfeld's season on hold, but it may also bring a blessing in disguise for the Bathurst rugby sevens talent.
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It could see her given more opportunities to play for the senior national side.
With the Tokyo Olympic Games - where the Australian women will defend their rugby sevens gold medal - pushed back to next year, there has been speculation some senior players could retire before that campaign.
That would then open the door for younger members of the national squad, such as Whitfeld, to push for Games selection.
Australian women's sevens coach John Manenti said no-one has officially announced retirement plans, but said he will be "playing with the cards we're dealt" when the sport gets the green light to resume.
Part of his plan is to continue his youth policy. Part of his plan is to give emerging talents like Whitfeld the chance to earn more national caps.
"I'm really delighted that in the last six months we've made really good progress physically and developed some young girls," Manenti told rugby.com.au
"Some people questioned and said, 'Why do you keep pushing young girls in there?' but you've got to be thinking of the future and in that sense, we're the only team of the top four or five teams really developed young girls into their program into the last 12 months.
"Now we'll have another 12 months with them to get them Tokyo ready and that'll put us in a decent position, with competition for spots that much harder."
Whitfeld has already benefited from the youth policy, having made her World Sevens Series debut last December in Cape Town.
"[She] has been one out of our outstanding players that has come through our pathway and the Aon University Sevens Series," Manenti said at the time.
She impressed at that tournament and was amongst the try scorers as Australia finished with the silver medal.
The 2020 edition of the Uni 7s tournament is a chance of going ahead in September-October. That would give Whitfeld - who plays for Sydney University - the chance to further impress.
