Rising cross-code star Tess Staines set to shine for University of Canberra in sevens series

"I'm sort of looking at it as whichever opportunity comes first," the rising cross-code star said.

Because the Leeton product has been rising through the ranks of both rugby sevens and rugby league with her name never far from the minds of representative selectors.

She has pulled on the green and gold for the Prime Minister's XIII against Fiji and donned the sky blue for the NSW under 18s.

But now the rugby league convert will trade the 13-a-side code for the fast-paced world of rugby sevens.

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Staines is set to play a key role for the University of Canberra in their University Sevens Series opener at Woollahra Oval in Sydney this weekend.

So you naturally wonder which code she prefers. As Staines travels to Goulburn to meet her University of Canberra teammates on the way to Sydney, she jokes "you can't ask me that question".

"I don't know," Staines grinned, having spent last Saturday playing sevens and backing up for Riverina a day later for the NSW rugby league country championships.

"I'm a leaguie through and through. I was playing that since I was a young pup. I was playing with the boys up until under 10s or under 12s or whatever, then I had to jump to tag.

"I got back into league when I was 17, when I was first eligible to play for country championships. All of that kicked off, and then I only went to union [after that].

"I was playing for Reddies last season because all the sport around home stopped. I was coming over to Wagga to play every weekend.

"There was a fella from Brumbies XVs that got onto me maybe two years ago after he watched me play in a sevens comp. He was probably the first contact and he kept pushing for it but I didn't want a bar of XVs.

"He saw me play in the 10s and I'm fairly confident he put my name forward to the sevens blokes, because I didn't want a bar of the XVs."

So why has sevens always been her calling card in the rugby union sphere?

"The space, not running at big bodies ... It's not real fun when you're this little," Staines said.

That's not to say she would shy away from contact when she played football with her four brothers in the backyard of their family home.

Games would often shift into the lounge room, but only when mum was out and provided they steered well clear of the china cabinet.

Now their attention turns to Woollahra Oval, where Staines will take the next step on her whirlwind ride to the grand stage.

UNIVERSITY SEVENS SERIES 2021

Pool A: University of Queensland, Bond University, Griffith University, University of Adelaide, Melbourne University.

Pool B: University of Sydney, University of Canberra, University of Technology Sydney, University of Newcastle.

UNIVERSITY SEVENS SERIES FIXTURE

Regional round one: March 27-28 - Pool A at Easts Rugby Club in Brisbane; Pool B at Woollahra Oval in Sydney.

Regional round two: April 10-11 - Pool A at Surfers Paradise Rugby Club; Pool B at Newcastle No. 2 Sports Ground.

National round one: May 1-2 - Forshaw Rugby Park, NSW.

National round two: May 15-16 - Bond University, Queensland.

University of Canberra squad: Ella Ryan (c), Aroha Spillane, Brooke Gilroy, Lillyann Mason-Spice, Alahna Ryan, Claudia Obst, Tess Staines, Grace Tokobobo, Sidonie Carroll, Gis Vaea, Lily Croker, Talei Wilson. Coach: Liam McGrath.