Queensland Rugby Union today announced the Bond University Queensland Country squad and coaching staff for the 2018 National Rugby Championship (NRC), ahead of this weekend’s Queensland Premier Rugby semi-finals.
The 36-man squad features 19 current St.George Queensland Reds, many of whom have progressed from the 2017 Queensland Country Championship squad to make their Reds and Super Rugby debuts in 2018, including Teti Tela and Angus Blyth, who both made their debuts against the Sunwolves in the Reds final match of the season. The remaining 17 players have been drawn from Queensland Premier Rugby.
With University of Queensland, GPS, Easts and Souths set to compete in the semi-finals this weekend, a total of 17 players from the squad will be in action from across the four clubs.
The three nominated Wallabies who will be part of the squad include Taniela Tupou, Izack Rodda and Caleb Timu, all of whom have progressed from the Queensland Country NRC pathway onto higher honours.
Eleven players from the 36-man squad trace their roots to country Queensland, with players including Harry Hoopert (Jondaryn), Duncan Paia’aua (Rockhampton) and Tate McDermott (Sunshine Coast) having progressed through Queensland Rugby’s pathway from regional schools and clubs.
In addition to the 36-man squad, 2018 Queensland Country Heelers players Jack Cook (hooker) and Will Gilbert (scrumhalf), both from the Goondiwindi Emus, have been invited to join the group as development players.
The side will be coached by Rod Seib, current Queensland Schoolboys head coach and Bond University Premier Grade assistant coach. Seib comes into the role with a wealth of experience, having spent many years as head coach at Sunnybank Rugby club, before forming part of the Brisbane City NRC program as both an assistant coach in 2014 and 2015, before becoming head coach in 2016.
Seib will be joined by former Fijian international and current Souths assistant coach Moses Rauluni and Reds Senior Video Analyst Michael Todd in the coaching staff.
“I’m really excited about this year’s National Rugby Championship and the group we’ve brought together,” said Seib.
“We have a lot of returning players from both the Reds and club Rugby, and a particularly exciting group of young players who performed well last year with many going on to represent the Reds in 2018. I’m looking forward to seeing how they’ve improved with a season of Super Rugby under their belts.
“I’m also pleased to be able to reward and recognise club players who’ve been outstanding throughout the season, with a number of club players coming into the NRC fold for the first time.
“Considering we’re also taking matches to regions further north in Townsville and Mackay, it’s going to be an exciting year for the squad.”
Queensland Country will continue to take matches to regional Queensland in 2018, with matches to be played in Townsville, Mackay and the Gold Coast.
The NRC, which runs from September 1 to October 27, is a more streamlined competition than previous years with eight clubs - including a stand-alone Sydney franchise - now represented.
Country’s season begins with a Grand Final re-match against the Canberra Vikings at Viking Park in Canberra on Saturday, September 1, kicking off at 5:00pm.
The first home game for Country will see the side host the Melbourne Rising at Townsville’s Mike Carney Park on Sunday, September 9, at 3:00pm.
FOX SPORTS is the only place to watch every game of the NRC with no ad-breaks during play.
Two games per week will be broadcast on TV, with the remaining two games available to stream LIVE via foxsports.com.au/live and the FOX SPORTS App.
2018 BOND UNIVERSITY QUEENSLAND COUNTRY SQUAD
Name
Age
Club Representative
Honours
Country Background
Props
Richie Asiata 22 Easts Queensland Schoolboys (2013, 2014), Australian Schoolboys (2014), Queensland U20s (2016), Australian U20s (2016), Queensland Country NRC (2016-), Queensland Premier Rugby President’s XV (2017) -
Fred Burke 29 GPS Queensland Country NRC (2014, 2015), Crusaders Academy (2013), Canterbury ‘B’ ITM Cup (2012), Crusaders U21s (2010), Crusaders U20s (2009), Crusaders U19s (2008) -
Harry Hoopert 20 Reds / Brothers Queensland Schoolboys (2015), Australian Schoolboys (2015), Queensland U20s (2016, 2017), Australian U20s (2018), Queensland Reds (2018-) Jondaryn (Darling Downs) – played schoolboy Rugby for Toowoomba Grammar and junior club Rugby for Dalby Wheatmen
Kirwan Sanday 27 Easts Australian Barbarians (2014) Reds A (2014), Fiji Warriors, Queensland Country NRC (2014, 2016, 2017), Queensland Reds (2017) -
Jake Simeon 23 Souths - -
James Slipper 29 Reds / Bond University Australian Schoolboys (2007), Australian Under 20s (2009), Queensland (2010-), Australia A (2010), Australian Wallabies (2010-), Rugby World Cup (2011, 2015), Queensland Country (2016-) Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast
Taniela Tupou (Wallabies allocated player) 21 Reds / Brothers Queensland Country NRC (2015-), Queensland U20s (2016), Queensland Reds (2016-), Wallabies development player (2016), Wallabies (2017-) -
Hookers
Alex Casey 27 Souths Queensland U15s (2007) Queensland Schoolboys (2008), Brisbane City U19 team (2010), Brisbane City NRC (2015), Queensland Country NRC (2016-), Queensland Premier Rugby President’s XV (2017) -
Jack Cook (Queensland Country Heelers Development Player) 24 Goondiwindi Emus Queensland Country Heelers (2016, 2017, 2018) Goondiwindi
Matt Faessler 19 Brothers Queensland Schoolboys (2016), Australian Schoolboys (2016), Queensland U20s (2017), Australian U20s (2018) Toowoomba – Played school Rugby for Toowoomba Grammar and junior club Rugby for USQ Saints.
Efi Ma’afu 20 Wests Queensland Schoolboys (2015), Australian Schoolboys (2015), Queensland U20s (2016, 2017), Australian U20s (2017) -
Locks
Angus Blyth 20 Reds / Bond University Australian Schools Barbarians (2016), Queensland U20s (2017), Australian U20s (2017 ,2018), Queensland Country NRC (2017-), Queensland Reds (2018-) Gold Coast – Played schoolboy Rugby at The Southport School, plays club Rugby for Bond University.
Josh Fenner 19 Sunnybank Melbourne Rising (2017), Leicester Tigers Academy (2016) -
Harry Hockings 20 Reds/University of Queensland Australian U20s (2017, 2018), Queensland U20s (2017), Queensland Schoolboys (2015), Queensland Country (2017-), Queensland Reds (2018) Bowen – Played junior Rugby for the Bowen Mudcrabs.
Rob Puli’uvea 28 Wests Queensland Country (2017) -
Izack Rodda (Wallabies allocated player) 20 Reds / Easts Queensland Schoolboys (2014), Australian Schoolboys (2014), Queensland U20s (2016), Australian U20s (2016), Queensland Country NRC (2016), Queensland Reds (2017-) -
Backrow
Sunia Finefeuiaki 20 Souths Victorian Schoolboys (2016), Australian Schoolboys (2016), Tongan U20s (2018) -
Tai Ford 27 Bond University Waikato U16s, Queensland Premier Rugby President’s XV (2017), Queensland Country NRC (2017-) Gold Coast – Current Bond University Premier Grade player
Tom Kibble 18 GPS Queensland Schoolboys (2017), Australian Schoolboys (2017) -
Angus Scott-Young 21 Reds/University of Queensland Queensland U16s (2013), Queensland U20s (2015, 2016, 2017), Australian U20s (2016, 2017), Queensland Country NRC (2016-), Queensland Reds (2018-) -
Caleb Timu (Wallabies allocated player) 24 Reds/Souths Queensland U16s (2010) Queensland Schoolboys (2011), Australian Schoolboys (2011), Broncos U20s (2013), Queensland Reds (2016-), Queensland Country (2017-), Wallabies (2018) -Harry Wilson 18 Brothers Queensland Schoolboys (2016, 2017), Australian Schoolboys (2016, 2017) -
Liam Wright 20 Reds/Easts Queensland U20s (2016, 2017), Australian U20s (2016, 2017), Queensland Country NRC (2016-), Queensland Reds (2018-) -
Scrumhalves
Tate McDermott 19 Reds / University of Queensland Queensland U20s squad (2017), Australian Sevens (2017), Queensland Premier Rugby President’s XV (2017), Queensland Country NRC (2017), Queensland Reds (2018-), Australian U20s (2018) Sunshine Coast – Played schoolboy Rugby for Sunshine Coast Grammar and junior club Rugby for the Maroochydore Swans.
James Tuttle 22 Reds / GPS Queensland U20s (2014- 2016), Australian U20s (2015, 2016), Queensland Schoolboys (2013), Queensland Country (2014-), Queensland Reds (2015-) -
Flyhalves
Hamish Stewart 20 Reds / Bond University Queensland Schoolboys (2015), Australian Schoolboys Barbarians (2015), Queensland U20s (2017), Australian U20s (2017), Queensland Reds (2017-)Pittsworth (Darling Downs) – Played schoolboy Rugby for Toowoomba Grammar and junior club Rugby for the Toowoomba Bears.
Teti Tela 27 Reds / Souths Queensland Country (2015, 2017), Queensland Reds (2018-) -
Centres
Daniel Boardman 21 Bond University - Gold Coast – Bond University Premier Grade in 2018
Chris Feauai-Sautia 24 Reds / Souths Australian Schoolboys (2009-2011), Queensland (2012-), Australian Under 20s (2012), Australian Wallabies (2013-), Queensland Country NRC (2015, 2017) -
Tony Hunt 20 Norths Queensland Schoolboys (2015), Australian Schoolboys (2015), Queensland U20s (2016-2017), Australian U20s (2017) -
Duncan Paia’aua 23 Reds / Norths Queensland U16s (2011), Broncos U20s (2013-2014), Queensland U20s (2015), Australian U20s (2015), Queensland Reds (2015-), Queensland Country NRC (2014-) Central Queensland – played school Rugby for Emmaus College and club Rugby for Rockhampton Colts
Outside Backs
Jock Campbell 23 University of Queensland Queensland Country NRC (2017) -
Filipo Daugunu 23 Reds/Wests Fijian Sevens, Queensland Country NRC (2017-), Queensland Reds (2018-) -
Joey Fittock 22 Bond University Queensland Schoolboys (2014), Australian Schoolboys (2014), Queensland U20s (2015-2016), Australian U20s (2015-2016) Gold Coast – Played schoolboy Rugby for The Southport School, current Bond University Premier Grade player
Will Gilbert 22 (Queensland Country Heelers development player) Goondiwindi Emus Queensland Country Heelers (2017, 2018) Goondiwindi
Patrick James 23 Brothers Queensland U20s (2014-2015), Brisbane City NRC (2015-2016), Queensland Premier Rugby President’s XV (2017), Queensland Country NRC (2017) -
Izaia Perese 21 Reds/Easts Queensland U16s (2013) Queensland Schoolboys (2014), Australian Schoolboys (2014), Queensland U20s (2015), Reds Elite Development Squad (2015), Queensland Country NRC (2015-), Wallabies development player (2016), Queensland Reds (2016-), Australian U20s (2017) -
Jordan Petaia 18 Reds / Wests Queensland Schoolboys (2016-2017), Australian Schoolboys (2016-2017), Queensland Reds (2018-) -
2018 BOND UNIVERSITY QUEENSLAND COUNTRY TEAM STAFF
Head Coach: Rod Seib (Bond University)
Assistant Coach: Moses Rauluni (Souths)
Assistant Coach: Michael Todd (QRU / University of Queensland)
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Jono Roussetos (Brothers)
Team Manager: Nico Andrade (QRU)
Physiotherapist: Gina Nelson (QRU / Brothers)
Team Doctor: Gary Mitchell (Brothers)
Video Analyst: Tom Wainwright (QRU)
Media Manager: Brendan Hertel (QRU)
