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South America tour berths for grabs
By Barry Rollings
Volume 50, No. 14, August 09, 2007 |
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PRIZED POSSESSION: Navy coach WO Jeff Stokes holds the ADF Rugby Union Trophy that Airforce, Navy and Army will strive to win during the Tri-Service Rugby competition from August 11 to 18.
Photo: LSPH Yuri Ramsey |
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Berths on the tour of South America beckon the best players in the Australian Services Rugby Championships in Canberra from August 11 to 18.
Army will be defending both its WGCDR John Caldwell Shield in the men’s competition and the CDRE Mick Dunn RAN Cup in the women’s.
At the end of the carnival, the Australian Services Rugby Union representative teams will be selected, with the men’s team to make a 25-day tour of Chile and Argentina in October.
Navy coach WO Geoff Stokes will look to his young guns to step up. “SMN Dale Johns, in particular, a young guy playing in the west has improved and New Zealander SMN Diri Nasala also has impressed,” WO Stokes said.
“Many of the younger guys have come through from the rugby academy — SMN Ashley Piquet, SMN Jason Chambers, and SMN Nasala. The halves have had to change. LT Dean Brown has stepped up and been playing No. 10 really well for us.”
While he had little formguide to work on in regard to this year’s opposition, he noted that Army had struggled against the British Army in an early-season encounter. The championship will open with a repeat of last year’s championship-decider between Army and Navy.
Last year Army eked out a memorable 22-13 win against Navy and the two will lock horns on the opening day of the tournament, August 11.
Their match at 12.10pm at Manuka Oval will precede the match between Canberra Vikings and Melbourne Rebels in the Australian Rugby Championship.
The focus will move to ANU North Oval on Barry Drive, O’Connor for the rest of the carnival with Air Force opposing Navy there at 3pm on August 15. On August 18, the combined Navy/Air Force women’s team takes on Army women at 1.30pm, preceded by a match between noon and 1pm contested by the ACT Veterans and the ASRU Old Boys for the Chiefs’ Cup.
The carnival winds up with the match between Army and Air Force at 3pm, followed by the presentation of medallions to the winning team.
ASRU representative teams will be announced that night at University-Norths Rugby Union club, where trophies also will be presented to the winning Services, as well as awards to the men’s and women’s Player of the Carnival and the Malcolm van Gelder Trophy for Rookie of the Year.
The selected men’s team will enter a development camp in Brisbane from September 26-30 to prepare for the South American tour.
The tour is expected to take place from October 1 to 26, though the dates may change to November 5 to 30.
The selected women’s team will participate in development camps to prepare for future competition. |
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