International Talent Saves Super W Competition That Threatened To Stall
Six years since Super W launched in 2018, there’s been little obvious evolution or growth with just two different champions and three competitive sides making their mark. Until this year.
Now, as the tournament comes to a close in Townsville tonight in the most competitive season yet, it’s the international stars that have taken the competition to another level.
Fijiana Drua
Introducing the Rooster Chicken Fijiana Drua last year, Rugby Australia (RA) took the first step in boosting the women’s game.
Opening the door to further international talent this season has expanded the game even further creating more competitive sides while also curbing the threat of Super W petering out.
Dominated by the Waratahs for the opening four seasons which saw them build a 20-match win streak and secure four straight titles, Super W was becoming boring and stale.
The Melbourne Rebels, Western Force and ACT Brumbies were showing little to no progress, the depth of talent wasn’t present and scorelines were blowing out.
Meanwhile, the Queensland Reds were barley staying in touch with their interstate rivals.
After losing their first match and eventually the Super W title for the first time in 2022, Waratahs head coach Campbell Aitken lauded the inclusion of the Fijiana Drua to the tournament while lamenting the lack of competition for his side in the past and how “boring” the competition had become.
“I think the competition needed it, full stop,” Aitken said after his side’s final loss to the Drua.
“My view is it got a bit boring. I know (Captain Grace Hamilton) will disagree, but it’s not great that one team dominates for a long period of time.
“Us beating Queensland 82-0 over two games is a sign the competition isn’t as strong as it needs to be in Australia.”
While the Waratahs finished the 2023 regular season unbeaten for a fifth time in six years, it wasn’t the same domination they’d enjoyed previously.
The Reds gave them an almighty fright in the penultimate round, scrapping through with a one-point victory thanks to a missed conversion from the sideline, while the Brumbies refused to go away in their loss.
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Source: Brittany Mitchell – ESPN
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