The Belles take on the Auckland Club Sevens this weekend with a heavyweight pool assignment in their sights.

With our men’s team withdrawn due to injury and player availability, the Belles will wave the Ranga flag this weekend at Waitemata.

Coach Matt Clark said pre-season has been going well.

“This time last year, we had three or four players, so didn’t have any lead up tournaments. This year we have had 20+ around and have been involved in two practice tournaments, where we have been tested against some of the better teams in Auckland.

“Going up against the likes of Marist, Silverdale and Patumahoe is always a tough ask, but has been great at showing us where we needed to improve.”

The team will face Marist, College Rifles and Papatoetoe in a tough pool play. Matt said the goal is to continue to show the improvement and growth that the Belles programme has displayed all year.

“We want to celebrate what has been a very long but promising year, and have some moments of development and spark that excites the players gearing up for an early start to 2024.

“We have a really nice injection of youth and new to rugby or new to Pakuranga, so showcasing how the club and the Belles function on and off the field, will be great. We are still developing as a programme and individually skill sets wise, so the goal is at this stage is always to continue to move in the right direction.”

Belles MVP Georgia Smyth is set to captain the team that features players from the 10s season and some new faces.

Alex Shirley and Piri Poaru return from the 2022 sevens season, while the rise of talented young guns coming back to the Ranga continues, with 2019 Abby Lockhart Trophy winner Rochelle Christie is set to make her senior rugby debut.

The Belles also have Alice Rose from Waiheke in the line up, taking up the opportunity to play sevens as Waiheke are not competing.

The Belles team is;

1. Georgia Smyth ©

2. Olivia Pickering

3. Laken Lavelua

4. Rochelle Christie

5. Georgia Hoddle

6. Kiritea Te Reo

7. Rami Grayson

8. Alex Shirley

9. Piri Alisha Poaru

10. Christina Middelbeek-Harrison

11. Kalo Tafolo

12. Alice Rose

Article added: Friday 10 November 2023