0
LOCAL TALENT SET FOR PERTH SPIRIT CALL UP
By Fraser Smith on Mon 25th July 16 in NRC, Pindan Premier Grade
Perth Spirit Head Coach Dwayne Nestor has identified 27 talented players from the Pindan Premier Grade for a potential call up to the Perth Spirit for the 2016 Buildcorp National Rugby Championship (NRC).
The players hailing from nine different local clubs will take part in some preparation work over the next two weeks before the final squad is named for third installment of the championship.
Ladder leading Wests Scarborough have the strongest presence in the preliminary training squad with six players selected including the Pindan Premier Grade’s leading points scorer, AJ Alatimu.
2015 Perth Spirit representatives Michael Ruru (Nedlands) and Auega Seumanutafa (Kalamunda) are both in the mix to pull on the black and gold jersey again after standout seasons for their clubs.
The 27-man group features eight members of the Future Force Foundation including Australian Under 20’s representative Shambeckler Vui (UWA) and West Scarborough young guns Angus Taylor and Riley Winter.
Nine members of the Western Force 10s team that Nestor coached to the World Club 10s Mauritius Championship have also been identified for a potential call up including dynamic backs Jarome Leonard-Tekanawa (Wests Scarborough) and Eric Vasukicakau (Cottesloe).
Nestor says all 27 players have shown strong form in the Pindan Premier Grade this season and the coaching staff will use the next two weeks to identify which players they believe are ready to step up to the next level.
“These guys that we’ve identified have shown some really good form for their club sides,” he said. “We’ve been watching for the whole season and taken that all into account, so even though some players have maybe been injured or their team hasn’t been winning a lot we have seen what they are capable off.”
“From now we will bring these guys in for medicals starting this week to make sure they are physically up to playing NRC. Then over the next two weeks we will start to get a little bit of learning into the players and get to know everyone and from there we will make the selection of a final squad.”
“Potentially we could have as many as 20 of these guys in the final squad so it’s an awesome opportunity for them.”
After five players from last year’s Perth Spirit squad went on to make their Super Rugby debut for the Western Force in 2016 Nestor says the NRC provides a massive opportunity for talented club players.
“With the amount of Perth Spirit guys that moved up to play for the Force this season we saw that the pathway from NRC to Super Rugby is feasible. These guys are just playing club rugby at the moment but as we saw with Anaru Rangi that they could be playing Super Rugby within 12 months.”
The Perth Spirit will also look to develop local coaches with Wests Scarborough and Nedlands Head Coaches Dwayne Grace and Luke Doherty to work with the side under the direction of Nestor and assistant coaches Kevin Foote and Elwee Prinsloo.
NAME SURNAME CLUB POSITIONAJ Alatimu Wests Scarborough Flyhalf Lukas Birch Joondalup Flanker Russell Burges Kalamunda Flanker Brad Campbell Wanneroo Lock Manihera Eden Palmyra Fullback Mees Erasmus Palmyra Prop Al Haining Cottesloe Centre Onehunga Havilli Palmyra No 8 Beau King Kalamunda Prop Grayson Knapp Nedlands Lock Jarome Leonard-Tekanawa Wests Scarborough Fullback Louie Toete Wests Scarborough Centre Ammon Matuauto Nedlands Centre Hadleigh May Cottesloe Flanker Nick Mclennan Wests Scarborough Prop Liaone Mulikihaamea Joondalup Prop Dylan Pieterse Cottesloe Flanker Michael Ruru Nedlands Scrumhalf Auega Seumanutafa Kalamunda No 8 Angus Taylor Wests Scarborough Scrumhalf Clay Uyen UWA Fullback Eric Vasukicakau Cottesloe Centre James Verity-Amm Nedlands Fullback Shambeckler Vui UWA Prop Naude Wessels Associates Flyhalf James Wepener Joondalup Wing Riley Winter Wests Scarborough Lock