
Decorated Sky Blues players Ruan Sims and Rebecca Young are putting those years of playing experience into their new coaching careers in 2023.
Sims is no stranger to the clipboard and whistle. She coached the 2022 NSW Country Women’s team to a 14-6 win over City in May and then was assistant to Harvey Norman NSW Sky Blues coach Kylie Hilder in their 20-16 Origin win over Queensland in June.
In 2023 she will be head coach of the Cronulla Sharks in the NSWRL’s Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership, and assistant coach to the NRLW side making its debut this year in a 10-team competition.
Young, who like Sims is a former Jillaroo, is also stretching her Rugby League talent into the coaching sphere and has been named an assistant for the NRL Indigenous All Stars women’s team.
Young will work with head coach Ben Jeffries for the game in Rotorua on Saturday 11 February – the first time the annual men’s and women’s event against the Maori All Stars has been held in New Zealand.

For Sims, she is already enjoying the cross-pollination with True Blue Craig Fitzgibbon – the Sharks NRL head coach.
“Absolutely. I get a lot more out of if than he does, that’s for sure,” Sims told nswrl.com.au
“He’s been incredibly open and accommodating. From the get-go any training sessions or meetings I’d like to attend, Craig is happy for me to be there.
“It’s great for me to observe and learn off Craig, who in turn worked under Brad Fittler and Trent Robinson as part of their success in Origins and Grand Finals.
“He himself was a rookie NRL coach in 2022 and had such a good year (Sharks finished second on the ladder) so it’s too good an opportunity to pass up as he’s so receptive.”
Sims’ CV is equally impressive as a pioneer of the women’s game – a dual international who represented Australia in rugby union and Rugby League – and the first female player to sign a professional player contract in 2016.
She retired in 2019 having played two seasons of NRLW for the Sydney Roosters. The Sharks were not among the first four clubs in the inaugural 2018 season.
“There’s a real buzz about the Shire regarding the women’s program,” Sims said.
“It kicked off in Cronulla in 2016 and then the NRLW started in 2018. There was a fair bit of disappointment when the Sharks didn’t get a team into that first year,” she said.
“But now we have and the support locally has been absolutely massive. That’s been a driving force for the club.”
The chance to continue the improvement of the women’s game motivates Sims.
“I have always really enjoyed the feeling I got from helping players develop their skills and find even more enjoyment in the game,” she said.
“There’s always challenges and opportunities that come along and these (Sharks appointments) are ones I didn’t think I would get but I’m relishing definitely – it’s an exciting time, very exciting.”
Sims will be a busy woman alongside her work with ABC Grandstand and the Nine Network’s programs and NRL coverage. That’s on top of her regular job with the NSW Fire Brigade.
“There’s an Excel spread sheet that keeps my life running on track,” Sims joked.
“The thing is, that if you love what you do it doesn’t seem like work. I’m really fortunate that all the careers I do have, I really enjoy them.”
Sims was recognised with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to Rugby League in 2021.