Sunshine Coast sport fans are urged to check out an action-packed beach rugby carnival, which will attract more than 100 teams – including some big name athletes – to Mooloolaba this weekend.
The Beach 5s Sunshine Coast will be played on Saturday and Sunday, as Beach Rugby Australia continues to take the exciting format around the country.
The Mooloolaba event was essentially sold out to almost 90 teams within two days in November, but organisers have secured more of the beach to accommodate extra players.
Now, 105 teams are set to take part, with about 1200 players, in youth and open divisions.
Plenty of local clubs will be in action, including nine teams from Brothers.
And the carnival has attracted some big names from rugby union and rugby league.
Former dual international Lote Tuqiri is the event ambassador, while ex-Wallabies star George Smith, former Broncos centre Jack Reed and ex-State of Origin halfback Todd Carney will be involved.
A curtain raiser involving Aussie Dingoes and Mooloolaba Magic, featuring marquee players, will get things started.
Opens will play on Saturday, in serious and social competitions, with some matches under lights at night.
The youth competition, from under-12s to under-17s, will be contested on Sunday.
Growing popularity
Beach Rugby Australia managing director Peter Hickey said the sport had taken off in Australia, within three years.
“We saw what happened in Europe with beach rugby, so I reached out to them to find out what they were doing,” he said.
“When we started it was unknown (here).”
An initial event on the Gold Coast in 2019 attracted 23 teams before an event in Townsville early last year sparked more interest, with the inclusion of rugby league legend Johnathan Thurston.
The Gold Coast event this year quickly capped out with 88 teams and they’ve just finished another popular carnival at Newcastle.
Hickey said Beach 5s was particularly popular among rugby league and rugby union players.
Teams of five, with seven reserves, play in a 30mx25m patch of sand, with five-minute halves and a two minute break.
There are no scrums or lineouts.
“It’s fast, exciting and entertaining, for players and the crowd,” Hickey said.
“Once you run for about 20 seconds on the beach, you’re calling for a reserve.”
He said the carnivals were attractive to football players during the off-season.
Hickey said the events held late in the year seemingly lure players who are looking to celebrate post-season, while the events held early in the year appear to attract players who are jelling for the season ahead.
“A lot of clubs have started to put their teams together for the winter and some of them go away beforehand and use the beach rugby as a bonding trip,” he said.
There’s commentary and music.
“A lot of the crowd have never seen beach rugby but once they know what’s happening, they flock in. It’s really a crowd pleaser.”
The Beach 5s Sunshine Coast will be held on Saturday and Sunday, from 7.30am, at Mooloolaba’s main beach, near the surf club.
Saturday’s action is expected to go into the night, under lights.
It includes premier men, premier women, social men, social women, Colts (under-21s) and youths (under-12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18).
