QUEENSLAND Country Rugby Union has wrapped up the first stage of the annual country representative program in Brisbane and the recently run Queensland State Junior Championships in Toowoomba.
Teams from Townsville, Central Queensland, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Darling Downs arrived in Toowoomba including teams from Brisbane and Northern Territory to contest age groups of Under 13s, Under 14s and Under 16s with Country Teams named as Merit Squads due to COVID and logistical challenges.
Of note the CQ Bushrangers, which have players from Longreach, Airlie Beach down to Hervey Bay and everywhere in between, featured in two out of three finals in the Under 14s and Under 16s, going down narrowly to their city cousins in the final.
Queensland Country would like to congratulate the players that made the Country Merit Teams and thanks to the hosts Downs Rugby Limited for putting on a fantastic competition.
Queensland Country Under 19s (Colts) continued their solid performances from previous years with all in efforts against Queensland Maroon and Queensland White.
Results:
Queensland Maroon def Queensland Country 80 - 14
Queensland White def Queensland Country 65 - 19
Head coach Fran Lando from the Burdekin, with support from assistant Dwayne Irvine from FNQ Rugby, said our lads now know what the standard is to meet the level of the players in the city. We hope that next year that we can play the teams again and give them a run for their money.
Notable mentions from the tour are Ben Malone, most improved, and Leo Langbridge, most valuable.
Conversations are ongoing with the QRU High Performance Unit and some of the Brisbane premier clubs that reinforces that Country has a pathway to the next level. Congratulations to all who have been selected to play for Country and are looking to make the next step in their rugby playing journey.
The focus for Queensland Country now turns to the Open Men's Heelers and Open Women's Orchids playing against Queensland Suburban, Norths Rugby Club and Brothers Rugby Club in both men and women.
Head coaches John Browne from Townsville and One` Mata`uiau have both said the squads they selected would do the jersey proud.
"The players know what the people in Country Queensland have endured over the past 12 months and this will be front of mind when the team comes up over the next week. This is the first year of the Orchids, so we are going to make this special for the ladies."
Games time and locations are:
Thursday September 30: QCRU v QSRU (Open Heelers & Open Orchids) at Ipswich Rangers Rugby Club, 133 Woodend Rd, Woodend, 6.30pm and 8pm.
Saturday October 2: v Norths Rugby Club (Open Heelers & Open Orchids) at Norths Rugby Club Hugh Courtney Oval, 150 Shaw Rd, Wavell Heights, 1pm and 2.30pm.
Monday October 4: v Brothers (Open Heelers & Open Orchids) at Crosby Park, 103 Crosby Road, Albion, 1pm and 2.30pm.
