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Ford Australian Under 19s announce Squad for IRB World Cup defence, no room for a single WA Player...
March 05, 2007 - 5:46pm
Story by: ARU
Queensland Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper has been named as part of a 26-man Ford Australian Under 19s squad for the iRB World Championship in Belfast in Northern Ireland in April.
The Australian squad contains five players who were part of the team which defeated arch rivals New Zealand 17-13 in a thrilling Under 19 final in Dubai last year. Another 12 players are from last year’s Australian Schoolboys team.
The team, coached by Queensland Reds Academy Coach Phil Mooney, with former Wallaby Mark Bell as his Assistant, will have its first training day as a squad in Sydney this Sunday.
With the Under 19 program traditionally providing future Wallabies, Mooney says the World Championship is a vital stepping stone in many young careers.
“The world championships provide us with a rare benchmark of where our junior development is at compared with the other nations,” said Mooney.
“It also gives the players valuable match experience and a great springboard to launch their Super 14 and Test rugby careers against the best Under 19 players in the world.”
“We’ll certainly be going to Belfast with the purpose of winning the tournament, although we have a very tough group with Ireland, on home turf, Fiji and a strong French outfit.”
The Australian Institute of Sport has also pitched its support for the Under 19 program, by providing world class facilities and expertise to the players and coaching staff and Mooney believes this has augmented the squad’s preparations.
“The AIS is a proven nursery for international athletes and their support is providing a great step-up for our young up-and-coming players,” he said.
The Australians will begin their title defence against hometown favourites Ireland in Belfast on April 5.
The squad will come together for a nine day camp at the AIS in Canberra from March 20 before flying out for Belfast on March 29.
Ford Australian Under 19s Squad for IRB World Cup in Belfast:
First Name Surname Position Hometown/suburb State
Albert Anae Prop Dara QLD
Andrew Barrett* Centre/Wing Kogarah NSW
Peter Betham* Fullback Mt Druitt NSW
Blair Connor Wing Banyo QLD
Quade Cooper* S14 Flyhalf Eight Mile Plains QLD
Ben Daley^ Prop Clear Island Waters QLD
Tetera Faulkner* Prop Wanniassa ACT
Will Genia^ S14 Halfback Tingalpa QLD
Brett Gillespie^ Inside Centre Chapel Hill QLD
James Hanson^ Hooker Indooroopilly QLD
Chris Harkins* Flanker Wanniassa ACT
Mitchell Inman Inside Centre Yowie Bay NSW
Rowan Kellam* Outside Centre Carlingford NSW
Rodney Ma’a* Flanker Hoxton Park NSW
Alfi Mafi* Centre/Wing Auburn NSW
Patrick McCabe Fullback Manly NSW
Ben McCalman* No.8/Flanker Glebe NSW
Daniel Palmer* Prop Barrack Point NSW
Daniel Penca Hooker Gordon ACT
Jason Ryan Halfback Cudal NSW
Robert Simmons* Lock Alderley QLD
Jeremy Sua* Halfback Edensor Park NSW
Michael Uoka* No.8 Wanniassa ACT
Waqa Vulawalu Lock Macquarie ACT
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves Flanker Frenchs Forest NSW
Sam Wykes^ Lock Lalor Park NSW
* From last year’s Australian Schoolboys (13)
^ From last year’s Australian Under 19s (5)
S14 – Contracted or on a Rookie Contract in the Super 14 (2)
NSW- 13
Qld- 8
ACT- 5
WA- 0
Coaching staff:
Head Coach – Phil Mooney
Assistant Coach – Mark Bell
Manager – Bill Swain
Program Coordinator – Ben Whitaker
Medical Coordinator/Doctor – Corey Cunningham
Physiotherapist Coordinator – Cameron Watson
Physiotherapist – Andrew Cooke
S&C Coordinator – Brynley Abad
The Ford Australian U19s program is proudly supported by the Australian Institute of Sport
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