We're raising funds to give Sydney's women rugby players two things they've never had before: a genuine pathway to the top of the game, and the chance to represent Sydney on the national stage.

The Sydney Women's Rugby Academy is a new representative-pathway program bridging the gap between club rugby and honours like Super W and the Wallaroos. Too many talented players hit a ceiling in club rugby with nowhere structured to go next. The Academy fixes that — bringing together our best players from clubs across Sydney for dedicated coaching, GPS-tracked performance development, and accredited coach mentoring, so they have a real, supported route into representative selection.

At the same time, our Sydney Women's Rosellas are heading to the Buildcorp Australian Rugby Shield, a national talent-identification tournament where our players go head-to-head with the best community rugby talent from across the country — a genuine shot at being seen by Super W and Wallaroos selectors.

We care about this because women's rugby in Sydney has grown faster than the pathways supporting it. Our clubs are full of players good enough to go further, and we believe it's our job — as the organisation responsible for the competition across Sydney — to build the structures that get them there, not just watch them run out of road.

Funds raised will go directly towards coach accreditation, playing and training apparel, GPS performance tracking equipment, and tournament entry costs, so players don't carry that burden themselves. We're Sydney Womens Rugby Union Incorporated, working closely with NSW Rugby Union and our affiliated clubs, and every dollar raised goes straight back into our players and coaches. Find out more at sydneywomens.rugby.