Goulburn’s Ashley Mewburn has been selected as the head coach for the inaugural Australian Schoolgirls Rugby 7s side, with the former Brumby describing the appointment as “the proudest moment of my life”.

Fresh off steering the NSW Combined High Schools 2s team to the final of the NSW All Schools Championships in Parramatta last week, Mewburn received the call confirming her appointment on Sunday.

Mewburn will be joined by former Wallaroo vice-captain Cobi-Jane Morgan as her assistant coach, and Shayne Hayes as team manager, with the team to gather in camps before contesting the international tournament in December this year.

“When Sarah from [the Australian Schools Rugby Union] called me, I was at church, and just burst into tears of jubilation and joy,” Mewburn said.

“I am so honoured to be selected to coach the first ever Australian Schoolgirls team, and with such amazing women such as Cobi-Jane and Shane.

Head coach for the inaugural Australian Schoolgirls Rugby 7s side, Ashley Mewburn. Photo PETE OLIVER.

To have an all-female management and coaching staff is inspiring and empowering for the future of Australian Schools Rugby.”

Her new role with the Australian team is the latest in a long line of coaching honours for Mewburn, who currently oversees the Goulburn Dirty Reds women’s program. She was the coach of the NSW A team, which won the inaugural ASRU Australian Schoolgirls 7s 16s Championships in 2022, with several of her girls selected in the Australian Schoolgirls 16s merit team. They also defeated Queensland in the Emerging Girls 7s series 4 – 0.

This Sunday, she will go into camp as coach of the NSW All Schools 1s team, where they will take on teams from NSW, ACT, Queensland, and the Lloyd McDermott Development team. The Australian team will be selected from this tournament.

The Goulburn High School maths teacher has a history of being a trailblazer, including captaining the inaugural University of Canberra 7s team in 2017, and pulling on the boots at flyhalf for the Brumbies Super W foundation side in 2018. Now, as the maiden coach of the Australian Schoolgirls Rugby 7s side, she has another chance to create some history.

Locally, Mewburn was part of the Goulburn Dirty Reds Women’s two premiership runs in 2019 and 2022, and is also responsible for Goulburn High’s rugby program.

Goulburn Rugby Club’s highest scoring women’s player Ashley Mewburn in action against the Jindabyne Miss Piggies. Photo: PETE OLIVER.

• All photos this page, Pete Oliver Imagery.