Bond University Queensland Country side named for Round 1 NRC clash
The Bond University Queensland Country side has been named ahead of their first Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC) match of 2016 against the University of Canberra Vikings this Sunday, August 28, at Bond University Rugby Club.
Despite having five players making their NRC and Queensland Country debut in the starting XV, the squad features nine players with Super Rugby experience including St.George Queensland Reds and Wallabies lock Rob Simmons.
Although having been a member of the Queensland Country squad since 2014, this will be the first NRC match Simmons has played in.
“It’s great to welcome back Rob Simmons for our first match of the season,” head coach Toutai Kefu said.
“We’ve put together a well-balanced team with a number of experienced heads coupled with some exciting young prospects coming out of club Rugby and the U20s system.
“Sunday’s match presents each player within the squad with the chance to put their hand up for higher honours and we’re looking forward to representing the Queensland Country name on the Gold Coast.”
The team will be led by Country’s most capped player, James Tuttle, who hasn’t missed a NRC game since the competition’s inception.
In the starting forward pack, GPS hooker Feleti Kaitu’u, Easts lock Izack Rodda and Apisai Naiyabo from Norths will earn their first opportunities in the Queensland Country jersey alongside Simmons.
In the backline, St.George Queensland Reds winger Eto Nabuli is the only new addition to the line-up, while the halves pairing of Tuttle and Mack Mason will re-unite having already represented both the Queensland and Australian Under-20s sides in 2016.
In the reserves, Alex Casey (Souths), Ben Daley (Bond), Kirwan Sanday (Easts), Phil Potgieter (University) and Lolo Fakaosilea (Sunnybank) will provide cover for the forwards. Queensland Premier Rugby Alec Evans Medal (Player of the Year) winner Issak Fines-Leleiwasa has been selected as the reserve scrumhalf. Mitch Third (Bond) and Izaia Perese (Easts) have also been named as reserve backs.
A tight-calf has ruled Brad Thorn unavailable for selection, while Saia Fainga’a has also been withdrawn due to injury.
The squad features three players with ties to the Gold Coast, with Tom Pincus, Daley and Third all hailing from the region. Both Pincus and Daley are products of All Saints Anglican College, while Third plied his trade as a junior for the Nerang Bulls before featuring for The Southport School (TSS) First XV. Both Simmons and Fines-Leleiwasa also played First XV Rugby for TSS.
“The Gold Coast as a region has produced some great Rugby talent over the years, including one of our Wallabies representatives James Slipper. The three players we have from the Gold Coast in the squad today are testament to the development opportunities that exist in the region and are great examples of players for the local juniors to look up to,” Kefu said.
“We hope that by showcasing the Queensland Country NRC side in front of the local junior and senior players on the Gold Coast, we’ll be able show to the local Rugby community that they have a pathway to reach higher honours through the Queensland Country pathway.”
The match between Queensland Country and the Vikings will kick-off at 3:00pm on Sunday afternoon at Bond University Rugby Club. Tickets are just $15 for adults, $10 for concession and $5 for juniors, and can be purchased at www.redsrugby.com.au.
Bond University Queensland Country side to face University of Canberra Vikings:
1. Sef Fa’agase – Reds/University of Queensland/Beaudesert
2. Feleti Kaitu’u – GPS*
3. Taniela Tupou – Reds/Brothers
4. Rob Simmons – Reds/Sunnybank/Theodore*
5. Izack Rodda – Queensland U20s/Easts*
6. Tyrell Barker – Easts
7. Conor Mitchell – University of Queensland/Sunshine Coast
8. Apisai Naiyabo – Norths*
9. James Tuttle – Reds/GPS
10. Mack Mason – Queensland U20s/Easts/Mitchell
11. Eto Nabuli – Reds/GPS*
12. Duncan Paia’aua – Reds/Norths/Rockhampton
13. Tyrone Lefau – Wests
14. Tom Pincus – University of Queensland/Gold Coast
15. Tom Banks – Reds/University of Queensland Reserves
16. Alex Casey – Souths**
17. Ben Daley – Reds/Bond University/Gold Coast*
18. Kirwan Sanday – Easts**
19. Phil Potgieter – University of Queensland/Toowoomba
20. Lolo Fakaosilea – Reds/Sunnybank/Emerald***
21. Issak Fines-Leleiwasa – Sunnybank/Port Douglas****
22. Mitch Third – Bond University/Gold Coast**
23. Izaia Perese – Reds/Easts
*Denotes NRC and Queensland Country debut
**Denotes Queensland Country debut
***Denotes potential NRC and Queensland Country debut
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