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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
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