Rugby rep blitz
Volume 11, No. 45, June 15, 2006

ASRU MEN’S TEAM Cfn Joe Rains, Cfn Tor Killman, Spr Shaun Richardson, Capt Scott Davidson, Cpl Dean King, Cfn Matt Fraser, Tpr Jake Byrt, Capt Sean Kearns, Cpl Ricky Dumigan, Lt Stephen Wright, Cpl Ben Jones, Pte Jake Jonkers, Sgt Gavin Whiteside, Pte Keiran Dan, LCpl Chey Bird, Cpl Zane Mitchell (all Army), Flg-Off William Scott, Flt-Sgt Jason Ryan, LAC Richard Falkenmire, LAC Brenton Eastwood, Cpl Michael McCabe, LAC Ryan Baden, AC Mathew Irvine, LAC Paul Hampson, Cpl James Hood (Air Force), Leut Tor Sorensen, LS Jason Harrington, LS Shaun Megahey, PO Andrew Thorpe, LS Damien Tanaka, LS Brad Simmons, AB David Harris.

ASRU WOMEN’S TEAM OCdt Kate Porter, Capt Jorja Jones, Sgt Kelly Hammant, Capt Rebecca Talbot, Pte Kathy Faase, Sgt Joanne Downes, Sgt Peta Rogers, Capt Emily Sapwell, LCpl Renae Cooper, OCdt Cheryl Moir, Sgt Leah Kite (all Army), Midn Ashley Paine, Sub-Leut Liz Quinn, AB Tennielle Sullivan, AB Sara Mooney, LS Cassy van Rythoven, AB Renae Woodward, AB Rebecca Manners, Leut Kylie Schulstad, Smn Ellise Holl, OCdt Margaret Quinn, LACW Rebekah Allen.

ARMY players have dominated selections in both the men’s and women’s ADF representative rugby teams.

The teams were selected at the end of the Australian Services Rugby Championships at Vikings Park in Canberra from May 28 to June 3.

The selections reflected Army’s clean sweep of the championships, regaining the men’s title for the Wg-Cmdr John Caldwell Shield with a hard-fought 22-13 victory over Navy and the women’s team edging Navy 12-10 in an equally tough Cdre Mick Dunne Cup encounter.

Army also took the individual awards. Cpl Ben Jones was the BAE Systems Australia Men’s Player of the Series. Pte Kathy Faase won both the BAE Systems Australia Women’s Player of the Series Award and the Malcolm van Gelder Trophy as the Rookie of the Series.

Army had 16 men included in the ASRU representative squad of 32 and 14 in the women’s squad of 25.

The men’s team will play in the inaugural Pacific Cup Military Challenge from September 10-17 at Vikings Park.

At this stage the Armed Forces of Fiji, Papua and New Guinea, and New Zealand have indicated they will attend, while Tonga and New Caledonia also are expected to compete.

Two men’s development camps, one in Brisbane in July, and the second in Sydney in August will help trim the squad to a final 26.

It is proposed to hold the Pacific Cup once every two years, with New Zealand to play host in 2008.

The women’s team will attend several development camps – venues and dates to be finalised - before taking on teams from NSW Country, the ACT and Sydney at the same time as the men’s tournament in Canberra in September.

Until last year the ASRU championships were conducted at a number of venues in Sydney but it was decided to bring the titles to Canberra in 2006, because of the community support for rugby union, coupled with its superior sporting facilities and the proximity of a significant number of Defence personnel.

The organsiers would not have been disappointed with the good crowds which attended each day, particularly for what were virtually championship-deciders on June 3.

The two matches produced tense, tight rugby before a big and appreciative crowd, replete with a small band of musos who provided appropriate atmosphere with timely renditions of Rocky, Sailor’s Hornpipe and In The Navy.