Southern Cross University students head to OzTag World Cup in Ireland

As OzTag skyrockets in popularity, Australia’s best and brightest players are heading to the highly-anticipated World Cup in Ireland this August.

Among the national OzTag superstars, are not one, but two Southern Cross University students, who are competing in the sport’s first international tournament since the 2018 Tag World Cup in Coffs Harbour.

Southern Cross University Master of Osteopathy student Tessa Pennefather will represent the Australian Mixed Open Division playing middle position, with Diploma of Health (Occupational Therapy) student Georgia Horniman playing fullback/wing for Australia's under-21 side at the University of Limerick tournament, staged from August 2-5.

Tessa said she was thrilled to be taking part of the first tournament to be staged in the Northern Hemisphere, with more than 17 nations competing across 13 divisions, from Under-21s right up to 60-plus.

“It’s an honour to be selected to be part of the Australian team heading to Ireland. It’s my first international competition in 10 years of playing rep OzTag,” said Tessa, who regularly plays for Labrador on the Gold Coast, and at state and national titles.

“I’m studying Osteopathy at Southern Cross and absolutely love it. I love how hands on it is and how we can really make a difference in the lives of our patients. I previously studied health at another university but am so much happier now at Southern Cross with smaller class sizes and a more personable approach. It’s busy timing heading overseas in the middle of my Masters year, but I’m taking on the opportunity and really appreciative of all the support Southern Cross Uni has given me.

“I’m really lucky our OzTag competition here on the Gold Coast is probably the strongest in Queensland, which keeps us very competitive and our state team has been very successful, which is how I was selected for Worlds in November last year during the Australian National Carnival.

“Our World Cup team is spread out all over Australia, so there has been a lot of individual training with gym and field work before we all get together in Ireland for the round-robin tournaments leading up to the finals. Then afterwards I’m very excited to explore the UK for the first time.”

Southern Cross Osteopathy lecturer Bimbi Gray said the University was thrilled Tessa had been selected to represent Australia at the Oztag World Cup, and was backing her all the way.

“Tessa is an exceptional, very diligent student and has applied a high level of focus and commitment throughout her study and training. We are proud!” Bimbi said.

Meanwhile Southern Cross University Coffs Harbour student Georgia Horniman will head to Europe for the second time this year, this time thrilled to pull on the Aussie jersey for the under 21s OzTag team, followed by a holiday in Greece.

“I love studying towards becoming an occupational therapist at the new facilities at Southern Cross,” said the Dungowan Cowgirls premiership winner, who returns home to Tamworth most weekends to see family and play for her team.

She was named 2022 Group 4 league tag player of the year, and told The Northern Daily Leader that making the World Cup team was a “huge achievement… especially being from a rural area... it's very hard to make an Australian team from where we are”.

OzTag is a non-tackling game, with eight players in each team and players wearing shorts or tights with a Velcro patch on each side, known as a tag.