Newcastle University on hunt for next wave of sevens talent

ON THE CHARGE: Kaitland Leaney fends off a Sydney Uni tackler during the National University Sevens Series tournament in Newcastle last year. Picture: Jonathan Carroll

NEWCASTLE University and the National Women's Sevens Series was the launchpad for Jesse Southwell, Kaitlan Leaney and Kayla Waldron to rocket onto the international stage.

Southwell, only 17, was one of the stars of the series. The prodigious teenager stepped, tackled and chip kicked her way into the Australian team and collected a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last month.