The ACT Brumbies Women headed north to the Narrabeen Sports Academy for Round 2 of the Next Gen 7s, to test their mettle against some of the country's premier rugby talent.
In a day defined by steep learning curves and high-speed action, the squad from the capital showed incredible growth to finish their weekend with a buzzer-beating victory.
The tournament opened with a baptism of fire against a fast paced NSW Waratahs outfit. The hosts fielded a lineup stacked with genuine star power, including Australian Sevens heavyweights Teagan Levi and Bienne Terita.
Their world-class experience showed early on as the duo found gaps in the Brumbies' defence to race out to a 19-0 lead. However, the ACT women refused to be intimidated.
They tightened up their defensive line in the second half and restricted the Tahs to just one more try. Kaitlin Shave provided the spark for the Brumbies, showing a clean pair of heels to score the side’s only points, NSW ultimately winning 26-7.
Next up was a physical battle against the Queensland Reds. It was a rocky start for the young Brumbies side as early nerves led to a few costly handling errors. The Reds were quick to capitalise on the loose possession, punishing the mistakes to build a 20-0 halftime advantage.
Despite the scoreboard pressure, the Brumbies didn't drop their heads. They rallied in the second half to cross the stripe twice, proving they could match the Reds' intensity when they held onto the ball. Despite the fightback, the Queensland side took the win 30-14.
Those lessons paid off in spectacular fashion during the final match of the day. Facing the Waratahs once again, the Brumbies found themselves trailing 19-5 at the break.
But this time, the story had a different ending.
Flipping the switch in the second half, the women from the capital produced a defensive masterclass. They completely shut out the NSW attack, refusing to let the hosts add a single point to their tally.
With the momentum shifting, the Brumbies clawed their way back into the contest.
It all came down to the wire, and it was star playmaker Ruby Nicholas who stood tall.
Nicholas sliced through the tiring defence stealing the lead, securing a stunning 24-19 comeback win. It was the perfect reward for a gutsy day of rugby, sending the Brumbies home on a massive high.
Round 3 of the competition will take place in Canberra on 22 March.
