Brumbies Academy players return for pre-season
New Academy recruits arrived at the CA Technologies Brumbies headquarters during the weekend, with official pre-season training kicking off on Monday evening.
In total, 21 new Academy players were introduced to CA Technologies Brumbies staff and facilities with several other familiar faces returning from last year’s squad. With the hard work now underway, Academy head coach Darren Coleman said he was looking forward to seeing the newest recruits reach their potential.
“The new boys have all settled in well, we had a run yesterday and got them settled into their new surroundings,” Coleman said.
“Trying out their Brumbies kit for the first time was a pretty exciting moment for a lot of the younger guys and it was a pleasure to see them enjoying themselves.”
“Now the hard work starts though, to make sure they are training properly, expanding their skills and reaching their potential. We’ve seen this year with guys like Robbie Coleman, Ed Stubbs and Nic White moving from the Academy to the fulltime squad that hard work pays off.”
The Academy has proven a valuable source of talent with Coleman having seen 11 of his 2010 squad promoted to fulltime contracts with the CA Technologies Brumbies, Western Force and the NSW Waratahs.
Along with Robbie Coleman, Stubbs and White, three other players in Sam Wara, Michael Hooper and Colby Faingaa were also successful in gaining promotion to the CA Technologies Brumbies fulltime squad for the 2011 Super Rugby season.
The Brumby Runners – made primarily from Academy players – face tough games this season when they tackle the Fijian, Tongan and Samoan national A sides in late February as well as regular games against A sides from each of Australia’s other Super Rugby provinces.
Games against the Reds and the Waratahs as well as the Samoan hit-out are curtain raisers for the main game to be played at Canberra Stadium in front of a vocal home crowd.
“We’ve got a nine game program this year for the Runners, with those games against the South Pacific A teams sure to be a big test,” Coleman said.
“That sort of experience will certainly be a huge benefit to our younger players and we expect to see more Academy players make the move up to the fulltime squad in the coming seasons.”
Excluding players with Wallaby commitments, remaining CA Technologies Brumbies will return to Canberra this weekend with the fulltime squad resuming pre-season training on Monday.
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