The WA Police Rugby team enlisted expert help last week, going ‘under cover’ for a training session with Emirates Western Force players and coaching staff at Perry Lakes.

Formed just this year, the WA Police Rugby team will make their maiden appearance at the third Australian Police Rugby Championships in Geelong in May.

Made up mainly of UK recruits, the WA Police team includes a handful of stars from the WA Senior Rugby Competition and is captained by dual PJ Hampshire medal winner Matt Aiken.

Aiken, who played for the WA representative team in 2001, ’03 and ’04, said the team was privileged to have a special training session under the Emirates Western Force coaches.

“We’re very grateful for the Emirates Western Force coaching staff and players donating their time to coach the boys for a session and it will go a long way to ensuring we are competitive at the national championships,” said Aiken.

Aiken said the team trained whenever it was possible.

“We try to train at least once a fortnight but it can be difficult to organise at times with the different shifts involved in Police work,” he said.

While the WA side boasts some good talent including Aiken’s Cottesloe teammate Travis Wilson and former Newcastle Knights rugby league player John Allerson, the powerful number 8 expects tough opposition from the Eastern States teams.

“It’s our first national championships and our first year together as a team so we’re hoping to be competitive, but naturally the more established Eastern States teams are expected to do very well,” said Aiken.

Aiken said WA was keen to host the Australian Police Rugby Championships in years to come.

“Firstly, we’d like to keep the team together here in WA and hopefully down the track we’ll have the opportunity to host the Australian Championships in our home state.”

WA Police Assistant Commissioner Gary Dreibergs was also on hand to watch the boys being put through their paces by Emirates Western Force Assistant Coaches John Mulvihill and Tom Fearn, who were assisted during the session by players James Hilgendorf and Pat O’Connor