Preparation for Pacific rugby showdown

Volume 48, No. 15, August 24, 2006

PREPARATIONS have stepped up a notch for the Australian Services Rugby Union representative team in its quest for the inaugural Pacific Nations Military Rugby Cup in Canberra next month.

The cup will be held at Vikings Rugby Park, Erindale, from September 12 to 16, with the ASRU joined by teams from the Royal New Zealand Defence Force, French Armed Forces New Caledonia, Tongan Defence Services, Republic of Fiji Military Forces and Papua New Guinea Defence Force in what promises to provide a competitive standard of international rugby.

Pool matches will be held on September 12, 13 and 14 with the finals on September 16.

The ASRU team assembles in Brisbane on September 4 for a six-day intensive training and preparation camp.

The ASRU will play Queensland Country Red Heelers at Ballymore on September 7 before moving to Canberra on September 10.

It will train on September 11 at RMC Duntroon before its first match against the French New Caledonian Armed Forces team at Erindale at 1pm on September 12.

Pool A will consist of ASRU, Tonga and New Caledonia. In Pool B, New Zealand will do battle with Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

Given that rugby is arguably the “language of the Pacific”, the competition also provides an excellent opportunity for the touring teams from the respective nations to get to understand each other better, both on and off the paddock.

ASRU chairman CDRE Kevin Taylor has extended a warm welcome to everyone to attend Vikings Park at any stage of the competition.

ASRU assistant coach and coaching and development director, WGCDR Graham King, said all participants in the cup would provide quality opposition and challenge the ASRU.

“My predictions for the pool section of the tournament are, in Pool A - ASRU 1, Tonga 2, and New Caledonia 3; in Pool B - RFMF 1, RNZDF 2, PNGDF 3.

“In the Pacific Cup I expect ASRU to defeat RFMF in a thriller. The Pacific Shield should go to RNZDF over Tonga in another thriller, and in the Pacific Bowl New Caledonia should defeat PNGDF in the closest encounter. Naturally, the other teams have different ideas about the final outcome.”

WGCDR King said the ASRU would field a highly-disciplined team, with strongly structured set pieces with good vision and approach to phase play.

The draw is (all matches at Vikings Park, Tuggeranong):

• September 12, Pool 1, Australia v French New Caledonia, 1pm; Pool B, Papua New Guinea v Fiji, 3pm.
• September 13: Pool A, Australia v Tonga, 1pm; Pool B, Papua New Guinea v New Zealand, 3pm.
• September 14: Pool A, French New Caledonia v Tonga, 1pm; Pool B, Fiji v New Zealand, 3pm.
• September 16: Bowl final, Pool A third placegetter v Pool B third, 11am; Australian Services Rugby Old Boys v ACT Veterans, 12.45pm;
• Plate final, Pool A 2nd v Pool B 2nd, 2pm; Cup final, Pool A 1st v Pool B 1st, 3.45pm.
  

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