Western Australia's next generation of rugby talent has returned home from the 2026 Buildcorp Australian Schools and Junior Rugby Union (ASJRU) Championships on the Sunshine Coast with plenty to celebrate – podium finishes, national Merit Team selections, individual award wins and, above all, a team culture that made Rugby WA proud on and off the field.
Across six days of XVs and 7s competition, our U16 and U18 boys and girls teams went head-to-head with the country's best emerging talent, on a pathway that leads all the way to the 2028 Los Angeles and 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games. A number of players backed up across both the 7s and XVs campaigns, underlining the depth and versatility within WA's female rugby pathway.
7s: Podium Finishes for Both Girls' Teams
Our 7s girls were among the standout performers of the championships, with both age groups bringing home strong results. The U18 Girls capped off a brilliant campaign with a nail-biting 17–15 victory over NSW 2 in the bronze medal playoff. Zhara Petia was outstanding with a brilliant double, Teiana Mainwaring crossed for a try of her own and a crucial conversion from Heta proved to be the difference. It capped a big week for captain Mia Shelley, who was among the tournament's leading try-scorers on day one – including back-to-back hat-tricks against South Australia and the NT Goannas – before being named in the Australian U18 Girls Merit Team, one of only 13 players nationally to earn that honour. The U16 Girls fought hard in a highly competitive field to finish fourth nationally, an excellent result that included a dominant 38–0 win over the NT Goannas, headlined by a hat-trick from Scarlet Dunlop. RugbyWA’s Pathways and Tour Manager Des Taurima summed up the group's spirit best, reflecting on "an incredible opportunity and one these players should be proud of."
XVs: Grit, Growth and a Fighting Finish
It was a similarly gutsy campaign in the XVs. The U18 Girls fought through a tough start against QLD Orchids to finish with an outstanding equal third-place result. Highlights along the way included a hat-trick from Zhara Petia against NSW Country and tries from Isabella Smith and Terina Te Tana in the team's final match of the tournament. Reflecting on the experience, Rozina Dunn and Poppy Stevens spoke about the resilience and connection built across the campaign. Rozina's highlight was a big defensive moment: "It was actually my biggest time hitting someone that hard." Poppy, meanwhile, was just grateful to be out there after recovering from injury: "I was in a moon boot the week before, so it was good." Both were quick to praise the boys' side too, noting how the group never let a teammate stay down for long.
The U18 Boys XVs campaign was built on resilience. After a narrow opening-day loss to Victoria, the side bounced back to defeat Queensland White and later claimed a thrilling 26–24 win over Queensland 2, before finishing sixth overall. Chase Bunce was a standout throughout, praised by coach Gavin Laycock for his leadership in kicking multiple conversions and scoring a try in the win over Queensland White. He was backed up by strong performances from Luke Sheepers, Fatani Fatanitavake, Oscar Sio, Matua Reedy, Michael Turukawa, James Aleni and Longoatu Jr Vaka across the tournament. Captain Bareek Kleine-Deters Ausage captured the team's mentality perfectly: "Instead of being down and sad about the loss, we were like, 'Second game, let's do it… let's not be afraid.'" Teammate Charlee Western echoed the sentiment: "We played some really good rugby out there. We had each other's backs."
National Recognition
Beyond the results on the field, Team WA's talent and character were recognised across the board. Mia Shelley (U18) and Izzy Slater (U16), both of Wests Scarborough, were named in the Australian Schools Merit Teams. The Brian Peace Award for Player's Player went to Izzy Slater (Wests Scarborough) in the U16s and Hinemanu Tutaki (Palmyra Rugby Club) in the U18s, while the Sugerman–McLean Award for Best Team Player was awarded to Scarlet Dunlop (Southern Lions Rugby Club) in the U16s and Trinity Lea (Palmyra Rugby Club) in the U18s. Four individual award recipients and two Merit Team selections is a strong reflection of the depth and character within WA's junior rugby pathway.
A Championship to Be Proud Of
From bronze medals to Merit Team call-ups, this was one of the strongest showings from Team WA in recent memory, underpinned not just by talent, but by the resilience, connection and team-first spirit that defines our rugby community. A huge thank you to all the players, coaches and support staff who represented Rugby WA with passion and pride throughout the championships, and to our partners Fortescue, Electrical Group Training, Labrador Petro Management and ID Athletic for their continued support of our pathway programs.
