The Olympic women’s rugby sevens’ television screening sparked wide interest among girls aged 10 to 18 years.

“To have Australia win gold on a world stage could not have been better for attracting potential new players to the sport as well as the full side game,” said Josh Vaughan, co-organiser of the program being run over three Fridays, 

“We were really pleased with the attendance, considering it was fairly short notice.

“Goulburn has always had a big rugby union following and we are about giving girls the opportunity to learn the rules and how to play safely and skilfully.”

There is a strong women’s rugby union competition in Canberra.

Royals player Lou McCabe was on hand to demonstrate the finer points of the game to the older girls group, many of whom play sevens for Trinity Catholic College and are hoping they can be part of a team to tour New Zealand with the school next year.

Most of the girls had played touch football, but the idea of playing a full contact sport also appealed.

Kaylee Roy, 13, from Goulburn High School said she had never played rugby before, but wanted to give it a go. 

“I have tackled my brothers,” she said. “I would love to take up [rugby] as a sport.”

Isobel Burgun, who plays for Trinity in their sevens team, said she would like to take her skills “to the next level and see how far I can go in competitions”.

“I hope we get the opportunity to go to New Zealand,” she said. 

“I like playing contact rugby and it is great that our school accepts that it is not just a sport for boys.

“It is a lot of fun and it was fabulous to see Australia win gold.”

Ben Vaughan, who helped conduct the program, said they hoped to bring the full program to Goulburn next year as well as take it to other regional centres, providing skills-based coaching for girls in the contact and non-contact versions of the game.