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Australian Under 20’s skipper David Pocock will lead a 28-man Emirates Western Force squadon a five-week development tour of the UK at the end of the month.
Pocock was today announced as captain of the squad for a six-match tour pitting the WA side against four top-flight Guinness Premiership teams and two regional academy sides.
On his first tour as captain the 20 year old flanker will have an abundance of experience to draw from, with Wallabies Tai McIsaac and Scott Staniforth named in the touring party alongside a host of established Super 14 campaigners.
The 28-man touring squad includes all available contracted Emirates Western Force players, with the exception of the five Wallabies Tri Nations squad members and five players with long term injuries.
Forwards Scott Fava (ankle), Tom Hockings (shoulder) and David Pusey (foot)and backs Nick Cummins (leg) and Cameron Shepherd (ankle) were not available to tour due to injury.
The squad will open their tourprogram against Jonny Wilkinson’s Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park on August 8,before matches against fellow English Premiership sides Saracens, Leicester and Northampton.
Coach John Mitchell said Pocock’s appointment as captain was part of a succession planning strategy to grow the team’s leadership group.
“We see David as a quality footballer and a quality individual and have recognised him as having outstanding leadership potential,” said Mitchell.
“While all players in the squad are responsible for leadership, David has been named as captain for the UK tour and thoroughly deserves his position.”
Mitchell said he had assembled a developing squad for the tour.
“We have named some experience in the squad along with some of our developing young local players and academy members,” said Mitchell.
“The purpose (of the tour) is to provide us with some tough competition and to bring some of our developing players through and provide them with tour experience and expose them to high quality rugby,” he said.
“The team will travel as the Emirates Western Force and will wear the Emirates Western Force jersey. We are going on this tour with the intentions of developing our game and to perform well in preparation for the 2009 Super 14 season,” he said.
Mitchell said his side will face quality opposition throughout the tour.
“We are expecting the English teams to field strong sides. These will be important pre-season trial matches for each of these teams and they will be just as serious as we are about performing well.”
The touring squad contains several fresh faces, including three RugbyWA Academy squad members in Tom Murday, Valeni Tia Tia and Justin Turner, plus a trio of local youngsters from the KWIK Senior Rugby Competition.
New Emirates Western Force recruit Caleb Brown, who joined the club on a two-year contract last month, will also see his first action in the ocean blue jersey.
The team departs for the 34-day tour next Thursday 31 July.
Emirates Western Force 2008 UK Development Tour
The Squad
Dion Berryman, Caleb Brown, Pekahou Cowan, Scott Daruda, Gareth Hardy, Dane Haylett-Petty, Matt Hodgson, Luke Holmes, Tamaiti Horua, Kieran Longbottom, Barry Mansfield, Tai McIsaac, Tom Murday, Brent Murphy, James O’Connor, Pat O’Connor, Chris O’Young, Junior Pelesasa, David Pocock (c), Filipe Manu, Haig Sare, Scott Staniforth, Troy Takiari, Josh Tatupu, Valeni Tia Tia, Justin Turner, AJ Whalley, Sam Wykes.
The New Faces
Berryman, Dion
20/4/1986
177cms
84kgs
Kalamunda Fullback
Mansfield, Barry
8/9/1988
181cms
86kgs
Nedlands Wing
Manu, Filipe
12/10/1985
190cms
103kgs
Souths(Brisbane) Flanker/No.8
Murday, Tom
27/4/1989
198cms
105kgs
University Lock/Flanker
Murphy, Brent
10/10/1986
199cms
100kgs
Perth Bayswater Lock
Tia Tia, Valeni
30/3/1989
196cms
113kgs
Kalamunda Lock/No 8
Turner, Justin
12/3/1990
180cms
93kgs
Associates Scrumhalf
The Schedule
Thursday 31 July - EWF squad departs Perth for Newcastle via Dubai
Friday 1 August - EWF squad arrives in Newcastle
Friday 8 August
EWF v Newcastle Falcons
Kingston Park
8pm (3am 9/8 WST)
Tuesday 12 August
EWF v Saracens Academy
Old Albanians
7.30pm (2.30am 13/8)
Saturday 16 August
EWF v Saracens
Old Albanians
7.30pm (2.30am 17/8)
Saturday 23 August
EWF v Northampton Academy
Franklin’s Gardens
3pm (10pm WST)
Wednesday 27 August
EWF v Northampton Saints
Franklin’s Gardens
7pm (2am 28/8)
Saturday 30 August
EWF v Leicester Tigers
Welford Road
3pm (10pm WST)
Monday 1 September – EWF squad departs Birmingham for Perth via Dubai
Wednesday 3 September – EWF squad arrives in Perth
New faces to don Western Force colours on England tour
Nick Taylor
July 22, 2008 03:00pm
SEVERAL new faces will wear Western Force colours for the first time on the club's five-week development tour of England.
The touring squad includes RugbyWA Academy squad members Tom Murday, Valeni Tia Tia and Justin Turner; local youngsters from the RugbyWA premiership, Dion Berryman (Kalamunda), Barry Mansfield, (Nedlands) and Brent Murphy (Perth-Bayswater); and prospective academy member Filipe Manu from the Brisbane Souths club.
Another new face will be recent Force signing, winger Caleb Brown.
Force flanker David Pocock, who recently captained the Australian Under-20 side, will skipper the 28-man squad that was announced today.
Read more...
Last edited by laura; 22-07-08 at 16:43.
Interesting that they are going to wear their Super14 jersey.
Do the sponsors have a say in that??
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Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.
And at just 20. Impressive. The EWF hierarchy are obviously just as impressed with Pocock the man as Pocock the openside. Well done young man.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
will valentine be a late inclusion?
it will be intersesting to see what players the opposition will field against this force side? will wiko and tait be playing for newcastle, chris jack, andy farrell at saracens, carlos spencer, sean lamont at northampton........
Word on the street is that Stannard's contract might not be renewed, with Valentine coming in. They're training "Two-Step" Turner to be a development scrumhalf.
But Stannard can play 5/8 and fullback pretty well as well... They'll regret it if they let him go...
Theres no lachlan mackay either or am i just slow on the news from the Force ?
Mackay is in France. His contract was not renewed/his services were no longer needed.
I have a feeling that decision will come back to bite RugbyWA in the bum soon though.
Congratulations to all the youngsters that got selected for this tour party.
Exile
Port Macquarie
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I wanna tell you it’s gonna be okay. I wanna tell you that the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason, because what’s in front of you is so much more important than what’s behind you."
Jelly Roll
Mackay is in france now for pre-season.
But the stannard thing is not confirmed, but what has been going around in the ranks of University, the club he plays for. Talked to some of my mates in 1st grade and that was the word on the street that he wasnt expecting to be renewed. Anyway, i doubt he can play flyhalf or fullback at a super 14 standard yet.
sounds like a good touring team all the best to the lads
Well done to Dave, he is a credit to his family and the Force. He has a huge future ahead of him