Speed kills - and that might be the secret weapon giving our under 15 girls the edge in their their first State Championship campaign.
We chatted with coach Rory Hitchcock and taliswoman Layla Rotunno to hear how these youngsters are set to scorch the turf at Ballymore this weekend.
Coach Rory Hitchcock (Coach): I think with the quick turnaround for players at this time of year, its been mainly around building squad unity and connection. We want to play fast structured rugby, and to do that you need everyone on the same page.
Support, width and building pace of play have been our main goals the past few weeks.
Layla Rotunno (LR): We have focused on getting our structure right and our game plays.
Coach: The willingness of all players to step up when needed. Some players are trying new positions and learning quickly to help the team. At this level, that adaptability and resilience is what sets you up for success and allows you to get the job done no matter what happens out on the field
LR: We are very connected and our tackling is strong defensively. Our game play and speed is a strength.
Coach: We have a very talented squad with skill and speed to burn. With so many game breakers in the side, utilising space and moving off the ball to exploit that will be key. Our defence during our trial games has also been outstanding, which will be another strength for us to build on.
LR: We all know each other. We have all played rugby at a high level and have had lots of opportunities to play 7's in different competitions. We want to start quickly and our mindset is there right from the start.
Coach: With so many players being talented multi sport athletes with multiple commitments, many players are stretched thin after a long year. Squad management and keeping players fresh becomes hard, but through that everyone continues to turn up and put in everything they have, which has been nothing short of impressive.
Coach: Rugby is a big commitment, many players travel a long way for training and even more so for games regularly. Without our families putting in that time, energy and effort, all of this would not be possible. Its because of this, the district and our clubs that we are able to put together a program like this at all. I personally cannot thank them enough for that.
