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Australia's top young talent ready for 2014 IRB Pacific Rugby Cup
1/22/2014
By ARU Media Unit
Australia’s best emerging Super Rugby talent will compete against national representative teams from Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and Argentina in next month’s 2014 IRB Pacific Rugby Cup (PRC) to be held over five weeks across Australia.
The competition was established in 2006 to help develop Rugby in Pacific nations, but for the first time in 2014, it will include the Argentina Pampas and will be held entirely in Australia.
The tournament is organised by the IRB in partnership with Australian Rugby Union and will feature Australian Super Rugby ‘A’ sides made up of development squad members as well as players from junior pathways including State under 20s teams.
NSW Waratahs coach Michael Cheika said it’s a valuable match program for players who are looking to make the step to Super Rugby and beyond.
“This tournament provides a great avenue for current and aspiring Waratahs players to stake their claim for a place in the New South Wales team in the Super Rugby competition. There is no better place for players to show their skills than in the match environment,” Cheika said.
“The timing is perfect as it parallels the start of our Super Rugby season and sits just before the start of our Shute Shield competition for the Sydney clubs so all players involved are preparing in a competitive match arena as opposed to training.”
Australian Rugby Union General Manager Development Pathways Ben Whitaker said involving Australian teams in the tournament is aimed at improving the pathway to develop more elite players across the country.
“This tournament will help bridge the gap between domestic and international Rugby for our best locally-based players who aren’t required at a Super Rugby level,” Mr Whitaker said.
“It also helps us forge strong relationships with developing Rugby nations and it forms an important step in the pathway players will take from the grassroots right through to elite and national representation. Ultimately, we’d love to see a player compete in this year’s Pacific Rugby Cup represent Australia at next year’s Rugby World Cup.
“We encourage Rugby fans to get out and support all teams competing in the competition, with free entry at all fixtures at matches to be held in Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth and the Gold Coast.”
Fiji is the reigning Pacific Rugby Cup champion, and is the only team to have successfully defended the title, having won the PRC every year since 2009.
Teams will be split into two pools and will play each team in their pool once, with the final to be played by the top-placed team from each pool.
The 2014 IRB Pacific Rugby Cup starts on Friday 21 February with a match between Western Force A and Queensland Reds A in Perth. The final will be held in Sydney on Sunday 23 March.
http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsArt...5/Default.aspx
Full list of fixtures http://www.irb.com/mm/document/tourn...ntschedule.pdf
Two games for Force A in Perth
How do you get tickets to the match?
Generally speaking you aren’t learning much if your lips are moving!!!
No Rebels A?
Another two rugby matches in Perth, great news
Simon Cron: “People talk about winning and losing all the time and they are critical, but there’s a process to get into and it’s the ability to stay present, do your job and execute skills under pressure.”
Awesome! They finally included us...
I guess this new format will fill the role of the planned Super B/reserves competitition. Smart move if the IRB's funding it.
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Some thoughts:
Rebels A - maybe they can be added to Pool A if they decide to join.
Why is Force A v Fiji Warriors in Brisbane? It's not as if the Force are playing the Reds that weekend.
I guess the organisers aren't expecting either the Argentine Pampas or Fiji Warriors to reach the final, seeing they're playing on finals day!
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
No tickets, entry is free. Now just have to find the venue?
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Venue with a bar please
Put one game on down at Suck Cess and the other at Mack Gilliveray.