UC Vikings Name Club-Based Training Squad
Nick-Jones
Posted 07 Jun 13:07 in Vikings


The University of Canberra Vikings have named a preliminary 34-man training squad made up of players from the John I Dent Cup in preparation for the 2016 National Rugby Championship (NRC).

All seven John I Dent Cup sides will be represented in the preliminary training squad which will come together for the first time on Monday 13 June.

These players will train together twice a week until August 15, when Aquis Brumbies contracted and development players who will feature in this year’s NRC will join the rest of the squad.

Among the John I Dent Cup club players named there will be eight players with previous NRC experience and five members of the 2016 Brumbies Colts U20s squad, including current John I Dent Cup leading try-scorer Jamie Kotz (Gungahlin) and Faalelei Sione (Royals) who is currently representing Australia at the U20 World Championships in Manchester.

In total, defending champions Royals have seven representatives in the side, while league-leaders Tuggeranong and Queanbeyan have eight representatives each. Gungahlin have five, Wests have three, Uni-Norths two and Easts will have one representative in the preliminary squad.



Director of Rugby Dan McKellar said the players selected will all have their chance to push for a spot in the UC Vikings full squad which will be named in early August.

“We have some very experienced players, and some up and coming talents that are set to make their mark on Super Rugby in the coming years,” McKellar said.

“Wayne Southwell and his coaching team have seen how these guys play week-in week-out and have been impressed with their form over the opening rounds of the John I Dent Cup.

“We brought the club players together prior to the start of last year’s NRC and it helped build depth for our NRC program, which was a key factor in our run to the grand final in 2015.

“The NRC is a great way to showcase the talents of players who are on the verge of beginning professional careers.

“If you look at the likes of Rory Arnold, Allan Alaalatoa and Joe Powell, their performances in the NRC were the platform that propelled them to Super Rugby and now the Wallabies training squad,” McKellar said.

As announced last week the UC Vikings will play all home games at Viking Park in 2016.



UC Vikings Preliminary Training Squad

NAME - POSITION - CLUB

Nick Dobson - Prop - Gungahlin Eagles
Mitch Douch - Scrumhalf - Queanbeyan Whites
Luke Duffey - Centre Gungahlin Eagles
Carl Elliot - Hooker - Queanbeyan Whites
Seth Going - Wing - Canberra Royals
Brent Hamlin - Scrumhalf - Canberra Royals
Cuan Hublutzel - Hooker - Uni-Norths Owls
Nick Jones - Flanker/No.8 - Uni-Norths Owls
Jake Knight - Wing - Tuggeranong Vikings
Jamie Kotz - Wing - Gungahlin Eagles
Brodie Leber - Flanker - Western Districts Lions
Harry Lloyd - Prop - Western Districts Lions
Connal McInerney - Hooker - Canberra Royals
Keith Morgan - Centre - Queanbeyan Whites
Neori Nadruku - Prop - Queanbeyan Whites
OJ Noa - Flanker/No.8 - Queanbeyan Whites
Dean Oakman-Hunt - Flanker/No.8 - Tuggeranong Vikings
Dan Penca - Flanker - Queanbeyan Whites
Jake Rakic - Centre - Tuggeranong Vikings
Andrew Robinson - Centre - Tuggeranong Vikings
Nick Saunders - Flanker - Eastern Suburbs
Eli Sinoti - Wing - Western Districts Lions
Faalelei Sione - Prop - Canberra Royals
Steve Sione - Flanker/No.8 - Canberra Royals
Brendan Spears - Wing - Queanbeyan Whites
Ernest Suavai - Centre - Tuggeranong Vikings
Sione Taula - Prop - Tuggeranong Vikings
Isaac Thompson - Flyhalf/Fullback - Tuggeranong Vikings
Iosua Tonga - Flanker/No.8 - Tuggeranong Vikings
Pat Tuidraki - Centre - Gungahlin Eagles
Harry Tyson - Fullback - Canberra Royals
Mitch Ward - Scrumhalf - Gungahlin Eagles
Toby Wilson - Lock - Queanbeyan Whites
Brendon Woodward - Flanker - Canberra Royals