Budding CA Brumbies on show at the AIS
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Brumbies Media Unit

Brumbies Rugby will keep an eye out for the next generation of CA Brumbies at the Australian Institute of Sport this week.

The Brumbies Rugby Talent Development Camp – commencing today – introduces selected 15- to 17-year-old players to a professional rugby program. The three-day camp’s schedule includes speed, power and endurance testing, comprehensive skill development and recovery techniques. The camp will conclude with players pitted against one another in matches on Friday.

Seventy players have been included in the 2009 squad – whittled down from more than 200 applicants – with participants travelling from as far as NSW Country, Victoria and South Australia to attend. CA Brumbies and Australia A front rower John Ulugia is a former Brumbies Rugby Talent Development Camp participant having attended camp in 2003.

The camp, now in its seventh year, is run by Brumbies Academy staff and Brumbies Rugby Development Officers from the ACT, Far South Coast and Southern Inland, with CA Brumbies Head Coach Andy Friend also attending selected sessions.

Brumbies Rugby Coaching & Development Manager Craig Leseberg says the camp is an excellent introductory program for talented young players.

“Our aim is to give these players a taste of a full-time rugby program and promote them along the pathway to one of the talent programs, such as the various academies and the ARU’s NTS [National Talent Squad],” he said. “These camps have always been extremely well received and we’ve got a number of players returning for their second and even third time.

“There’s always fierce competition in narrowing the squad to just 70 but we’re very pleased with the final list and we’d love to eventually see these guys progress on to professional programs.”

http://www.brumbies.com.au/act.rugby/page/55309

Just to give an idea as to how the brumbies find young academy talent...