NSW Junior Rugby Union
This document has been created to bring greater transparency and clarity to the various rugby pathways available to young players across NSW. Over recent years, NSW Juniors, NSW Schools, and NSWRU have worked closely together to streamline, simplify, and align these pathways so that every player—no matter their background, location, or starting point—has access to a vibrant, inclusive, and connected journey toward higher levels of rugby.
To make things even clearer, we’ve developed a series of easy-to-follow Pathway Roadmaps for each age group. These visuals break down the key stages along the journey, helping players, parents, coaches, and schools understand exactly what opportunities exist at every step.
In the U10 and U11 age groups, young female players now have more options than ever to get involved, stay active, and enjoy rugby in a way that suits them best.
XVs (Traditional) Rugby Pathways
Girls can choose to:
Play in mixed teams alongside boys in the SJRU and CRU competitions (played as 12-a-side under the Rugby AU pathways), or join a dedicated female competition, such as the SJRU Sera Naiqama Cup(10-a-side for U12). This female-only comp runs April to August on Sundays and is fully integrated within the broader SJRU season.
Representative Opportunities
For players looking to experience representative rugby, NSW Juniors hosts the Peugeot NSW Junior State Galas for these age groups.
In 2026, this event will be held:
•U10s: The King’s School, North Parramatta
•U11s: Glen Willow, Mudgee
Dates: 18–19 July
This gala focuses on fun, development, and participation. There are no finals—teams play 2–3 games per day in a friendly round-robin format. Zones and Districts may enter two squads (A & B) of up to 18 players, helping us match teams evenly and avoid mismatches.
To keep things exciting, the weekend also features relay races, novelty events, and a festival-style atmosphere. It’s already become a highlight of the junior rugby calendar.
No further selections are made from this event.
We successfully introduced a girls-only U11 section in 2023 and 2024, and plan to continue this popular addition in 2026.
7s Rugby Pathways
There are multiple girls-specific 7s opportunities throughout the year, including:
The SJRU Sariah Paki Girls 7s(October & November,2026)
The District State 7s Gala for mixed U11 teams, held at Glen Willow, Mudgee (8–9 October)
Tri Tag – A Non-Contact Alternative
For girls not quite ready to tackle, SJRU offers a Tri Tag option for U8–U11 players. It’s a fun, non-contact pathway that builds confidence, skills, and a love of the game—an ideal transition into rugby.
Girls in the U12 age group have a growing number of exciting options to get involved in rugby—whether they want to play XVs, enjoy the fast-paced energy of 7s, or take their first steps into representative rugby.
XVs (Traditional) Rugby Pathways
U12 girls can choose the format that suits them best:
Mixed XVs Teams: Play alongside the boys in SJRU and CRU competitions (15-a-side under the Rugby AU pathways).
Girls-Only XVs: Where available, join the SJRU U12 Sera Naiqama Cup, a 10-a-side, female-only competition running April–August. It plays on Sundays and runs in parallel with the regular SJRU season.
Girls-Only Representative Experience
To introduce young female players to the representative environment, SJRU will host the U12 Girls Development Gala across 4–5 July (during school holidays).
This carnival gives Districts and Zones the opportunity to enter Girls Development teams and experience rep rugby in a fun, supportive, carnival-style atmosphere.
Played in an X’s format - Round-robin games only— no finals - Open to Country Zones & Sydney Districts wishing to enter U12 Girls teams - No further rep selections are made from this event
Girls who play in the U12 Boys State Championships (June Long Weekend, hosted in 2026 at North Tuncurry Sports Complex) are strongly encouraged to also take part in the Girls-only Development Gala for added experience and development.
7s Rugby Opportunities
For girls who love speed, space, and the excitement of 7s, there are plenty of options throughout the year: 1. The SJRU Sariah Paki Girls 7s competition (October–November). 2. The NSWRU State 7s Gala for District U13 teams at Glen Willow, Mudgee, 8–9 October. Additional 7s carnivals hosted statewide across the season
Schools Pathway - NSW Schools also offer a Girls 7s pathway through the PSSA network(see pathway diagram).
Girls in the U13 age group have a rapidly expanding range of opportunities to play rugby—whether it’s full-field XVs, fast-paced 7s, or stepping toward future representative honours.
XVs Rugby – Club Pathways
U13 girls can take part in dedicated Girl’s competitions across NSW, including the SJRU Sera Naiqama Cup or similar regional comps.
Where a Girls Only competition isn’t available, players may be able to apply for Rugby AU Mixed Gender Dispensation to participate in boys’ competitions.
The Sera Naiqama Cup may run as U13 or U14, depending on team entries. It’s a XVs format, aligned to Game On principles (allowing from 10–15 players per side), and runs April–August, played on Sundays alongside regular SJRU fixtures.
Representative Rugby – Pathway Begins atU14
Rep opportunities for U13 girls feed directly into the Peugeot NSW Junior U14 Girls State Championships. To be considered for Sydney or NSW Country selection, players must compete at the Girls U14 State Champs, where formal representative identification begins.
7s Rugby – Plenty of Options Year-Round
For players who love the speed and space of 7s, U13 offers a full calendar of opportunities:
The SJRU Sariah Paki Girls 7scompetition (October–November) - The popular Chloe Dalton Schools 7s events across Sydney - Multiple regional and school-based 7s carnivals throughout the year
In addition, the NSWRU U13 State 7s Championships (for District teams) will be held at Glen Willow, Mudgee, 8–9 October.
Girls in the U14 age group step into one of the most exciting stages of the female rugby pathway, with strong club competitions, meaningful representative opportunities, and a growing national presence.
XVs Rugby – Club Opportunities
U14 girls can play club rugby in competitions such as the SJRU Sera Naiqama Cup or equivalent Girls-only competitions across NSW.
In regions without a dedicated Girls comp, players may apply for Rugby AU Mixed Gender Dispensation to participate in boys’ competitions.
The Sera Naiqama Cup may operate as U14 or U15, depending on entries. It follows Game On principles(flexible 10–15 a side) and runs April–August, played on Sundays within the regular SJRU schedule.
Representative Rugby – NSW Junior State Championships
The next step is the Peugeot NSW Junior State Championships, where U14 girls compete for the Phil Warner Trophy. To be eligible, all players must have played a minimum of 4 club games prior to the tournament.
•Dates: June Long Weekend, 6–8 June 2026
•Venue: Apex Oval, hosted by Dubbo Roos Rugby Club
Held alongside the Boys U14 State Championships. This is the first age group where players can be selected for higher-level representative programs.
Selection Pathway – From State Champs to Regionals
Following the State Champs: Sydney Junior Rugby Union (SJRU) and NSW Country Rugby Union (CRU) will each select 35–40 players into training squads. These squads prepare for the NSWJRU Regionals, held 4–5 July at Camden Rugby Park. At Regionals, players are placed into teams (Red/Blue for Sydney; Black/Gold for Country) for formal trial matches. Final SydneyU14 and NSW Country U14 teams are then selected.
Players not chosen in these squads remain firmly in the pathway and are eligible for the NSWJRU U14 Development Team, which will tour Adelaide (or Hobart) to face South Australia & Tasmania 14–16 July.
City vs Country – Representative Fixtures- The selected Sydney U14 and NSW Country U14teams will contest the NSWJRU City vs Country Carnival: Date: Sunday 26 July Venue: Sportsground No. 2, Newcastle Trophy: NSWJRU Sponsors Plate
From these pathway events, two NSW U14 representative teams will be selected to compete at the National Invitational Tournament in September.
7s Rugby – Year-Round Pathways - U14girls also have a strong 7s pathway, with numerous events across both club and school systems.
Club 7s - SJRU Sariah Paki Girls 7s(October–November)
NSWRU U15 State 7s Championships - Dates: 9–11 October - Venue: Glen Willow, Mudgee - Teams are selected as Zone/District squads, leading into NSW Academy and final NSW squad selection.
Schools 7s - Schools provide additional 7s opportunities, with the Chloe Dalton 7s among the biggest and most popular.
U15 girls have multiple exciting opportunities to play and progress in rugby across NSW.
XVs Rugby
Girls can play club XVs in competitions such as the SJRU Sera Naiqama Cup or similar girls-only comps across the state.
In regions where a dedicated girls competition isn’t available, players may be able to access Rugby Australia’s Mixed Gender Dispensation to participate in boys’ competitions.
The Sera Naiqama Cup for this age group may run as either U15 or U16,depending on team numbers. It follows the Game On principles, allowing matches to be played with flexible team sizes (down to 10-a-side). This girls-only competition runs April to August and is played on Sundays alongside regular SJRU fixtures.
From these club competitions, players can step into the representative pathway through the Peugeot U16 NSW Junior State Championships, where two NSW representative teams will be selected to compete at the National Invitational in September.
7s Rugby
There are also plenty of 7s opportunities throughout the year:
SJRU Sariah Paki 7s (October–November)
A wide range of school-based 7s competitions, including the popular Chloe Dalton Series across Sydney
For representative 7s, the NSWRU U15 State 7s Championships for district teams will be held at Glen Willow, Mudgee (9–11 October).District/Zone teams are selected for this tournament, which is then followed by NSW Academy selection and ultimately final NSW squad selection.
U16 girls can play XVs in dedicated girls-only competitions such as the SJRU Sera Naiqama Cup, which runs from April to August. This Sunday competition sits within the regular SJRU schedule, and similar girls competitions also exist across regional NSW.
From club rugby, players progress into the representative pathway through the Peugeot NSW Junior U16 Girls State Championships, where teams compete for the prestigious Kerry Brady Shield. The 2026 Championships will take place over the June Long Weekend (6–8 June) at Eric Tweedale Stadium, Granville, hosted by the Western Sydney Two Blues. Important: To be eligible for the State Championships, players must have played at least four club games prior to the tournament.
At the Championships, NSW Country (CRU) and Sydney Juniors (SJRU) will each select a squad of 23 players. In a pathway change introduced in 2025,these teams will then attend the Australian Schools & Junior Rugby Championships on the Sunshine Coast (7–10 July).
SJRU and CRU will also each select a second U16 girl’s team to compete at the Regionals, where players will vie for selection in the NSWU16 Girls Development Team, which will tour Japan in Dec/Jan.
The NSW Country and Sydney U16 sides will additionally face off at the NSWJRU City vs Country Carnival on Sunday 27 July at Sportsground No. 2, Newcastle, playing for the Mahalia Murphy Shield.
From the combined performances at Nationals and City vs Country, two (2) NSW Juniors U16 Girls XVs teams will be selected to take part in a National Invitational in Sydney in late September.
There are also strong 7s pathways available for U16 players, with age-specific carnivals held throughout the year.
Examples include: SJRU Sariah Paki 7s (October–November) - A wide range of school competitions, including the popular Chloe Dalton Series
Additionally, the NSWRU State 7s Championships for U17 district teams will be held at Glen Willow, Mudgee (9–11 October). District/Zone squads also compete here for NSW Academy selection
By the U18 age group, many girls are still active in junior competitions, while others have already transitioned into senior women’s rugby through formats such as the Jack Scott Cup, Shute Shield Women, or Subbies 7s/Xs.
Players can continue to participate in dedicated girl’s competitions like the SJRU Sera Naiqama Cup, which runs from April to August and is played on Sundays within the broader SJRU competition structure. Similar female-only competitions exist across the state.
From these club-based XVs competitions, players progress into the representative pathway via the Peugeot NSW Junior U18 Girls State Championships, where teams compete for the J.B. Carroll Shield. The 2025 Championships will be held at St Luke’s Ovals, Concord, running across the June Long Weekend (7–9 June) in conjunction with the Boys U18 State Championships. The event will be hosted by the West Harbour Rugby Club. Eligibility: To compete at the State Championships, players must have played a minimum of four club games (junior or senior)prior to the tournament.
After the Championships, NSW Country (CRU) and Sydney Juniors (SJRU) will each select a squad of 23 players. In a pathway change introduced in 2025,these teams will then attend the Australian Schools & Junior Rugby Championships on the Sunshine Coast (7–10 July).
The NSW Country and Sydney U18 sides will also meet again at the NSWJRU City vs Country Carnival on Sunday 27 July at Sportsground No. 2, Newcastle, competing for the Grace Hamilton Shield.
There are further fixtures for both, the NSW Country U18 girls against Queensland Country at the Santos Rugby Festival in September, whilst the SJRU U18 Girls team will take part in a National Invitational in Sydney in late September.
Strong opportunities also exist for U18 girls in the 7s format, with a variety of age-specific carnivals running throughout the year. These include:
SJRU Sariah Paki 7s (October–November)
Numerous school-based 7s tournaments, including the highly popular Chloe Dalton Competitions across Sydney
For the younger cohort within the U17–U18 bracket, the NSWRU State 7s Championships (U17) offer a key representative opportunity. This tournament will be held at Glen Willow, Mudgee, from 29 September – 1 October.
Teams for this event are selected as Zone/District representative squads, with players vying for NSW Academy selection.
