FRANKIE HORNE ON “MIXED BAG” OPENING ROUND OF PREMIER RUGBY SEVENS FOR THE LOGGERHEADS x RHINOS
July 12, 2022
With San Jose as the first leg of the 2022 season of Premier Rugby Sevens very much in focus, the Loggerheads x Rhinos Women’s team preparations for a busy July are in full swing.
Katie Dowty leads the team as their head coach, the prolific Dartmouth Women’s coach bringing with her plenty of experience in the women’s game in the USA. Having played professional Sevens for the USA, Dowty was one of the first professional rugby players in the country and, since finishing her playing career, has been coaching at the collegiate level. Approaching her eighth year at Dartmouth, the Harvard graduate has been at the helm of the varsity program and competing at the top of the NIRA and Ivy League competitions. Named as the USA Rugby U23 Women’s coach in June 2021, and having coached the San Clemente Rhinos Women’s team in the Rugby Tens Championship in 2021, Dowty is one of the most promising coaches in North America and will be hoping to add further honors to her CV with the Loggerheads. Having gathered alongside the squad on Wednesday, the coach and her players are preparing to take on the Loonies, Experts and Headliners on Saturday afternoon, Dowty says that much of the emphasis this week is making sure that the players bond in a short spell of time. This bonding has been aided massively thanks to Rhinos Rugby being the license holder for the Loggerheads brand.
Charged with the recruitment and management of players and coaches and the continuing off-field development of the Premier Rugby Sevens player pool, numerous members of Dowty’s squad have spent time in San Clemente, California, with Rhinos and Head of Rugby Sevens program, Frankie Horne. This includes Bowien Manuhutu, Leila Opeti, Pleuni Kievit, Liz Tafuna, Angie Olukunmi, Sophia Pyrz, Aly Namosimalua and numerous more members of the extended squad, as well as Assistant Coach and former Springbok Andre Snyman, which may lend itself well this weekend in the Bay Area.
“We are just really focused on connecting, coming together really quickly together on and off the field and they are totally bought into that,” Dowty explained.
“A lot of them train at Rhinos and are already a pretty tight family, so I think that will serve us well going into the weekend.
“We are just trying to get to know each other as quickly as possible so we can play to our strengths on the field and that everybody knows what our strengths are.”
PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY
During both her playing and coaching career, Dowty has seen the face of women’s rugby change. One of the first generation of professional USA Rugby Sevens players after funding was made available to the program after Sevens was made an Olympic sport, Premier Rugby Sevens and Rhinos Rugby as a licensee, provide further opportunities to play professional rugby in USA. But that is not only for those getting opportunities for the first time, but those who have played at the highest level for several years. All of this creates the perfect storm for Dowty, who is enjoying the opportunity of coaching a group of players whose experiences vary from being a promising youngster, to the immense experience of Stephanie Rovetti.
“I cherish the opportunity to help younger players who aspire to get to the next level,” Dowty said.
“What I am also realizing is, having players who have reached some of the highest levels, to have more places and venues they can go to play to, even after they have played internationally.
“They still have a lot to give the game. I think it is just a great opportunity for both people trying to climb the ladder and breakthrough, but also people who are super experienced players on the tail end of their career who can still go out there and put on a show.
“I really love seeing those players come back to the game too and to be able to play on a stage like this.”
ANSWERING QUESTIONS
San Jose is, of course, just the first stop for Loggerheads x Rhinos this summer. Heading to Washington DC from California on July 11 week, the squad will then take a brief break before concluding their 2022 Championship campaign in Austin, Texas. Austin will be the Series Championship of all the teams’ efforts in July, with San Jose and Washington DC setting up how the final round will look. But first, it is the Bay Area leg on the mind, with the Loggerheads’ leader knowing that this week will dictate how the rest of their season goes.
“We want to get better and better at each stop,” Dowty said. “With that said, you also want to position yourself in Sevens, as well as possibly going into the next tournament.
“We want to hit the ground running as best we can in the buildup to this first Saturday, and it will be a learning process as we go.
“A lot of questions will probably be answered on the pitch this weekend, and then we will be able to make good adjustments from week to week and the team that does best will fare the best in Austin.”
LOGGERHEADS x RHINOS WOMEN FIXTURES
SATURDAY JULY 9 – PAYPAL PARK, SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
• 12:25 PDT, Headliners vs Loggerheads
• 14:20 PDT, Loonies vs Loggerheads
• 17:05 PDT, Women’s Consolation
• 18:00 PDT, Women’s Final
