NSW Junior Rugby Union (NSWJRU) has published its comprehensive girls representative pathways for 2026, outlining a full calendar of XVs, 7s, and development opportunities for female players from Under 10 through to Under 18.
The document – covering every age group across the state – reflects years of collaboration between NSW Juniors, NSW Schools, and NSWRU to create a more transparent, inclusive, and connected journey for young female rugby players.
Foundation Years: U10 & U11
At the youngest levels, girls can play in mixed SJRU/CRU competitions (12-a-side) or join the dedicated female-only SJRU Sera Naiqama Cup (10-a-side, April–August). The flagship representative event for these groups is the Peugeot NSW Junior State Galas, held 18–19 July — U10s at The King’s School (North Parramatta) and U11s at Glen Willow, Mudgee. The galas are festival-style with no finals, relay races and novelty events, maintaining a fun and developmental atmosphere. A girls-only U11 section, popular since its 2023 introduction, will continue in 2026.
U12: First Taste of Representative Rugby
U12 girls can play mixed XVs or the girls-only Sera Naiqama Cup. NSWJRU will host a U12 Girls Development Gala on 4–5 July (school holidays), giving Districts and Zones the chance to enter girls development squads in a round-robin carnival format. No further selections are made from this event.
U13: The Gateway Year
U13 girls have access to the Sera Naiqama Cup, dedicated regional competitions, and a rich 7s calendar including the SJRU Sariah Paki Girls 7s and the NSWRU U13 State 7s Championships at Glen Willow, Mudgee (8–9 October). Formal representative identification doesn’t begin until U14, but U13 serves as an important pipeline year.
U14: The Pathway Really Begins
This is where structured representative rugby kicks in. The Peugeot NSW Junior U14 Girls State Championships (Phil Warner Trophy) take place over the June Long Weekend, 6–8 June at Apex Oval, Dubbo. Players must have completed a minimum of four club games to be eligible.
Post-championships, SJRU and CRU each select 35–40-player squads for the NSWJRU Regionals (4–5 July, Camden Rugby Park), from which final Sydney U14 and NSW Country U14 teams are named. Players not selected remain in the pathway via the NSWJRU U14 Development Team, which tours Adelaide or Hobart (14–16 July). The City vs Country Carnival is scheduled for 26 July at Sportsground No. 2, Newcastle, and two NSW U14 teams will then compete at a National Invitational in September.
U15 & U16: National Ambitions
U15 girls feed into the U16 NSW Junior State Championships, where selection for the National Invitational begins. U16 is a particularly significant age group in 2026 — State Championships (Kerry Brady Shield) run 6–8 June at Eric Tweedale Stadium, Granville (hosted by Western Sydney Two Blues). In a pathway change introduced in 2025, selected NSW Country and Sydney squads (23 players each) will attend the Australian Schools & Junior Rugby Championships on the Sunshine Coast (7–10 July).
A second U16 squad from each region competes at Regionals, vying for selection in a NSW U16 Girls Development Team touring Japan in December/January. The City vs Country Carnival for U16 takes place 27 July at Newcastle, with teams playing for the Mahalia Murphy Shield. Two NSW U16 teams will then participate in a National Invitational in Sydney in late September.
U18: Senior Transition in Focus
The U18 pathway mirrors the U16 model. State Championships (J.B. Carroll Shield) are set for the June Long Weekend at St Luke’s Ovals, Concord, hosted by West Harbour. Selected squads again attend the Australian Schools & Junior Rugby Championships on the Sunshine Coast (7–10 July), before meeting at the City vs Country Carnival on 27 July in Newcastle (Grace Hamilton Shield). NSW Country U18 will also face Queensland Country at the Santos Rugby Festival in September, while the SJRU U18 Girls team participates in a National Invitational in Sydney the same month.
7s Rugby: Year-Round for All Ages
Across every age group, a rich 7s calendar runs alongside the XVs competitions. Highlights include the SJRU Sariah Paki Girls 7s (October–November), the popular Chloe Dalton Schools 7s series, and the NSWRU State 7s Championships at Glen Willow, Mudgee (dates vary by age group from late September through to October), which serve as selection events for the NSW Academy.
The full pathways document, including a host of descriptive graphics for each age group, is available on the NSW Junior Rugby Union website.