Club Stars Win Gulf Air Development Tour Call Up
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Thursday, 21 September 2006
NSWRU Media Unit
Four standouts from Sydney club Rugby have been called into the HSBC Waratahs Gulf Air Development Squad for its four game tour to England and Ireland starting Monday.
Nigel Staniforth .. one of four Sydney club players to win a tour call up
Nigel Staniforth .. one of four Sydney club players to win a tour call up
Warringah prop John Adams, Manly utility back Luke Johnson, Sydney University flyer Nigel Staniforth and Parramatta goal kicker Josh Weeks have all been added to the 30-man squad, which will finalise its preparations with a hit out against the NSW Country Cockatoos in Bathurst on Saturday.
“Injuries have played a part in the selection process, meaning the squad has been something of a work in progress,” tour co-coach Les Kiss said.
“However the squad we’ve arrived at is very strong and well suited to the four tough matches coming up.”
Fellow coach Steve Tuynman said the lead up to this tour has been somewhat different to that of the past two years.
“Because of the APC, we’ve had a much longer lead in time than in the past,” Tuynman said.
“In 2004 and 2005 we left on the Monday after the Tooheys New Cup Grand Final, which greatly restricted the access we had to the players.
“This time we have a solid month of training behind us, which can only lend to a more cohesive performance.”
The squad – which also features Waratahs Will Caldwell, Sam Norton-Knight, Daniel Halangahu, Aaron Broughton-Rouse, Al Manning, Dean Mumm, Sam Harris and Lachlan Turner – is due to arrive in the UK on Tuesday afternoon ahead of a Thursday clash with Saracens A.
They then take on the Northampton Wanderers – the A side of Guinness Premiership outfit Northampton – on Monday 2 October, before transferring to Ireland for meetings with Ulster A in Belfast (Friday 6 October) & Leinster A in Dublin (Sunday 8 October).
The team arrives back in Sydney on Thursday 12 October.
“It’s a tough programme but one that the players will get a lot out of,” Kiss said.
“The Development Tours were designed to test the players both on the field and off and while this time we’re going to English speaking countries, there’ll be no free rides.”
HSBC Waratahs Gulf Air Development Tour – Schedule 2006
GAME ONE
HSBC Waratahs Development Team v Saracens A
Thursday 28 September, 3pm (Midnight Thursday AEST)
Venue: Woollams Playing Fields, St. Albans School, St. Albans
GAME TWO
HSBC Waratahs Development Team v Northampton Wanderers
Monday 2 October, 7.30pm (4.30am Tuesday AEST)
Venue: Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton
GAME THREE
HSBC Waratahs Development Team v Ulster A
Friday 6 October, 5pm (2am Saturday AEST)
Venue: Ravenhill, Belfast
GAME FOUR
HSBC Waratahs Development Team v Leinster A
Sunday 8 October, 3pm (Midnight Sunday AEST)
Venue: Donnybrook, Dublin
HSBC Waratahs Gulf Air Development Tour Squad 2006
John Adams (Warringah), Pelea Afu (Parramatta), Aaron Broughton-Rouse (Eastwood), Will Caldwell (Sydney University), Clint Eadie (Warringah), Tom Egan (Sydney University), Ofa Fainga’anuku (Gordon), Scott Fardy (Warringah), Ben Hand (Eastwood), Daniel Halangahu (Sydney University), Sam Harris (TBC), David Haydon (Sydney University), Ed Jenkins (Sydney University), Luke Johnson (Manly), Patrick McCabe (Warringah), Shawn Mackay (Randwick), Al Manning (Northern Suburbs), Josh Mann-Rae (Manly), Jackson Mullane (Southern Districts), Dean Mumm (Sydney University), Sam Norton-Knight (Northern Suburbs), Nick Reily (West Harbour), David Rimmer (West Harbour), Beau Robinson (Northern Suburbs), Nathan Sievert (Sydney University), Nigel Staniforth (Sydney University), Jeremy Tilse (Sydney University), Lachlan Turner (Eastwood), Josh Weeks (Parramatta), Sam Wykes (Parramatta)