ACT team included in National Rugby Championship

Mon, Mar 24, 2014, 1:00 AM
Brumbies.rugby
by Brumbies.rugby

Christian Lealiifano was a star for the Canberra Vikings during the ARC.

The ACT will be represented by a side in the new National Rugby Championship, as announced by the ARU on Monday.

It is intended the team will be an entity formed by the ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union, Tuggeranong Vikings and the University of Canberra.

Playing out of Viking Park, the team will be made of ACT players not involved in the Wallabies Rugby Championship between August and November.

The competition will include two teams from Queensland, four from New South Wales and one each from the ACT, Victoria and Western Australia.

UC Brumbies Interim Chief Executive, Doug Edwards, said the competition was a great opportunity for elite players in the ACT to advance their trade in a professional environment.

“The inclusion of the UC Vikings is an exciting development for rugby players and supporters in the ACT and its surrounding regions,” Edwards said.

“This team will provide a clear pathway for the best players in the ACT premier grade to show their wares and potentially earn a start in the Brumbies squad.

“With four home games on the cards, rugby fans in Canberra will have greater access to elite level rugby and live sport in general.

“Like all rugby teams in Canberra, we are expecting to give the competition and real shake with ambitions to be the first team to take home the silverware in 2014.”

One of the key ambitions of the tournament, as outlined by the ARU on Monday, was to reconnect with rural areas of Australia.

The inclusion of Queensland Country and NSW Country will act as a strong link to the bush, playing tough rugby week in, week out against sides from metropolitan areas.

More details for the competition, including team rosters and a draw, will be made available in the coming weeks.

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