The Aon Women’s University Seven Series will start on August 25 with eight teams participating in the five-week long tournament.

Featuring in the first season will be Macquarie University, University of Queensland, Bond University, University of Canberra, University of New England, Griffith University, University of Tasmania and the University of Adelaide.

The teams will be made up of players from the universities, the associated region where the sides are based and a selection of 16 national team players who will be split between the outfits.

Part of the role of the national team players is to mentor the younger squad members.

Australia’s women won the rugby sevens gold at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in The Bahamas last month and some of the stars from that team are set to feature in the competition.

Gold was also won by Australia’s women at the Rio 2016 Olympics, where the sport was making its debut at the Games.

Tim Walsh, the women’s national team coach, said the tournament will provide a real boost for the sport in Australia.

"It’s really exciting for the future of women’s rugby to make sure that there is a sustainable future but a successful one as well," he said.

"It was always going to grow, but to the extent to which it has is down to the foundations of that gold medal.

"I think the awareness it gave the sport and the role models that it created only accelerated the game of rugby sevens."