Sevens numbers continue to spring for Singleton
BY ALEX TIGANI
The Singleton Bulls’ 2023 season already looks to be a successful one at junior level if current rugby sevens’ participation is anything to go by.
Familiar faces from Singleton’s junior rugby league, football, AFL and even golf clubs have sported smiles at their rugby sevens’ training last Thursday.
For many the seven-a-side format is an opportunity to keep fit for their winter sport.
For others, it is a chance to establish themselves in the Bulls’ junior program.
And for most, it is about having fun.
“We’re all about trying to get kids to come and play rugby and enjoy it,” junior coach Glenn Withell, who coaches the under-13 girls red team, explained.
“If the opposition doesn’t have a team we make up the numbers.”
Though Singleton has one of the smallest catchments for recruiting in the Hunter Rugby region the club has fielded nine sides (five female).
They are the only club to field a boys side in every age group and have three under-13 girls side (a tally only matched by Merewether-Carlton).
Pippa Kotzur, who coaches the under-13 girls white team, admitted her side’s first game would not have taken place it wasn’t for Singleton’s depth.
“Our first game Southern Beaches had two girls and we just put in our remaining players for them because it is a social game,” she explained.
Many of the boys players will sport a tag of a Singleton Bulls first grade player on their sleeve. Each jumper is sponsored by that senior player, to deepen the desire for each junior to make their grade debut in the near future.
The ultimate aim for the girls is to form a 15-member side as a result of the program.
“We want to get enough players who think, I really enjoyed this – lets continue this in winter,” Withell added.
The Bulls’ have passed the halfway mark of the season and will hope to feature across many age categories on finals night which is set for Friday, November 25.
“Fingers crossed we can host the final,” one parent concluded.
“It would be a nice way to open the new grandstand.”
The Singleton Bulls junior sevens train each Thursday evening. New players are welcome.