Dynamic duo Rueben and Winiata Cherrington have both been selected in their respective Australian Youth 7s sides set to travel to Auckland to play in the World Schools 7s over December 13 and 14.
The pair recently returned from the National 7s Championships in Queensland where they both represented WA in the state youth 7s team.
Rueben managed to bring home bronze with her team and acted as a key leader within the squad despite one of the youngest members of the squad at the age of 16.
Prior to Winiata’s selection he has been training with the RugbyWA Senior Academy and recently returned from Sydney where he joined Randwick Rugby Club to compete in the NSW Premier 7s competition.
Winiata and Rueben are the younger brother and sister of Kennedy Cherrington, Kennedy who came through the same WA pathway competed for the Australia A Women’s Development squad at the Oceania tournament in Fiji.
Now residing in Sydney Kennedy plans to play for the Waratahs again in the 2020 Super W competition in her first two years with the side she has been a key contributor to their back to back championships.
Winiata, Rueben and Kennedy all attended Aranmore Catholic College where they fell under the mentorship of head coach Dwayne Grace.
Grace who has been a former assistant coach for the Australian Youth 7s was ecstatic about Winiata’s and Ruebens selection and relayed the colleges excitement in the pair’s selection.
“Aranmore Catholic College and I are very proud of Rueben and Winiata and their successes in rugby, they are outstanding examples of students in the College’s Specialist Rugby Program,” Grace said.
“They are very well respected amongst the College community for their strong work ethos, commitment to achieving set goals and their outgoing personalities and attitudes.”
“Both players work really hard to achieve their goals and have the determination and desire to succeed.
“They are excellent ambassadors of the College’s ethos and the fundamental aim of the Specialist Rugby Program which is to coach and develop motivated, mature and positive role models who want to make the next level State and National representation.”
“Great athletes who are willing to listen and learn and do what’s required to develop and move to the next level.”
“They are an inspiration to their peers and junior students in the Specialist Rugby Program at Aranmore.”
Kennedy’s, Winiata’s and Rueben’s selection outlines the huge growth of the 7s game both in Western Australia and the country and coaches like Dwayne Grace and Aranmore’s program is playing a huge part in providing a pathway for athletes like the Cherrington family.
“They both have huge futures in the game of rugby especially in sevens,” Grace explained.
“They are following in the footsteps of their sister who was a part of the Aranmore Specialist Rugby Program and who has also achieved a lot in her young rugby career.”
“Because of the siblings determination and willingness to learn, I think they will go a long way in rugby and continue to be positive role models for males and females not only at Aranmore but the wider WA community.”
“The whole RugbyWA and Aranmore College community is exceptionally proud of them.”
Winiata and Rueben will depart to Auckland on the 11th of December where they will meet up with the squad prior to the World Schools 7s over the 13th and 14th which will be broadcasted on FOX SPORTS.
