Competing codes: Women's Sevens tournament hoping to attract and keep star players

The inaugural Women's University Sevens Series next month is being hailed as a huge step forward in creating a path to allow young talent to pursue a full-time career in Rugby Union.

Women Rugby Sevens players at the launch of the first National competition. Source: SBS

It's boom time for Women's Rugby. 

On the back of the Olympic gold medal won by the Sevens team last year comes a new national competition to be held in August.

Eight universities will battle it out over four tournaments to be held over a five week period. 

For Macquarie University player Page McGregor, the tournament is a chance to earn a professional Sevens contract and a possible place on next year's Commonwealth Games team.

"We've been training a lot over the past few weeks and we're ready for the first game," she said.

Page McGregor and her mother Glenys celebrating her Commonealth Youth Sevens Gold medal and the creation of a new national University tournament. Source: SBS

The Australian Rugby Union is expecting the tournament to grow.

Five other universities have already expressed an interest in joining once the first installment has been staged.

Chief Executive Bill Pulver says he is aware that with other sports looking to grow their own women's leagues, the competition is getting tougher to identify and retain female athletic talent.

"There is a 'land grab' for elite female talent, every sport, whether it's cricket, soccer, Rugby League, AFL or Rugby Union," he said.

After the huge success of the women's Big Bash cricket and the AFL Women's league, among others, the leading sports in Australia are gearing up for a new battleground - get women on board before they go elsewhere.