Lovin' Sports

Rugby Hottest 7's Tournament

At the start of the school holidays, Harleigh (Year 11) and Luke (Year 10) competed in the World's Hottest 7's tournament in Darwin, with temperatures scorching in the high thirties, adding to the intensity of this year's competition.

The Darwin Hottest 7's, often called the World's Hottest 7's, is an annual rugby sevens tournament that attracts teams from across the globe, including countries like New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, England, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and Australia.

On Saturday, Harleigh played four games, with her team winning the first two and losing the last two. The next day, her team faced the Darwin Crocs in the semi-final and emerged victorious, advancing to the grand final against the Sydney Fiji team. The grand final was a tough, high-stakes match with no substitutes available, and unfortunately, Harleigh sustained an injury that took her out of the game. Despite the setback, she gave her best effort throughout the entire tournament.

Luke's U16 Boys team dominated the tournament and emerged as overall champions. In an electrifying grand final against the hometown Palmerston Crocs, they surged to an early 10-0 lead with two rapid tries. Although neither was converted, the Crocs fought back with two tries of their own, converting one to bring the score to a nail-biting 12-10. In the dying moments, SSA secured a decisive try, sealing a 17-12 victory. The team remained undefeated throughout the weekend, and it was a proud moment for Luke, who captained the team.

During the school holidays, Luke also participated in the 52nd Koori Knockout in Bathurst, playing with the Dindima team. Although the Dindima U17 boys were knocked out in the first round, Luke thoroughly enjoyed the experience, playing alongside his mob and embracing his culture. He was also named the best forward for the game.