aiMinG for THE Top DoWn UnDEr
a Welshman could be playing November last year for the Dragon Cup, Swansea Magpies have their base at the
in the australian rules football with England coming out on top by 91-61. city's university sports complex on Sketty
aussie rules football
league within ten years, Lane, while the Gwent Tigers' proposed
believe the organisers of However, Bryce Stone, development ground is at Risca RFC.
the newest team sport to be officer for Aussie Rules Wales, believes
introduced to Wales. it is the perfect sport to keep people fit Aussie Rules is so popular down under
during the summer for winter sports like that over half-a-million people in Australia
There are already three clubs competing rugby union and football, similar thinking played the game last year, with teams
in a Welsh League across Cardiff and to the Welsh Rugby League who set-up spread far and wide throughout the
Swansea, with a new Gwent side due to their National Conference a few years various states.
be opened soon. ago.
But, where those matches are played on
And one teenager is already about to "Realistically the chance of getting a oval grounds, in Wales they use rugby
experience the Aussie Rules thrill of a player from Wales at least into the South pitches.
lifetime by playing for Great Britain. Australia League would be, probably,
about three to five years and then maybe Stone said, "What we do is move the
Edward Doe, from Penarth, plays for five to ten years to get a player into the rugby pitch sidelines a little to make it
Cardiff Blues academy sides in rugby AFL as long as things keep moving the more oval. We also have mainly all-Welsh
union but the 17-year-old has also just way they are," he said. players in the clubs and the international
been picked to represent the country team, unlike, say, Scotland who have
at the Aussie Rules International Cup in Cardiff Double Blues play in the city's imported a number of Australians."
Melbourne later this year. Canton district, while the South Cardiff
Panthers, Doe's team, are based at St Further information about the sport is
Indeed, Wales and England have already Peters RFC. available at
www.aussieruleswales.com
competed at international level in
rUGBy DoUBlE for Union
anD lEaGUE
a unique rugby tournament Union or League 'sevens' event but Triline Tens is, believes that players will enjoy
is being launched in Wales something totally new.The seven- the challenges this event will bring.
in august that will embrace minute each way matches will consist of
both Union and league a half under Union rules and half under Kerr said, "An increasing number of players of
codes for the first time in League regulations. The focus will be all levels understand the benefits of each code rugby
the prinicipality. The Triline on appropriate squad selection, tactics and are genuinely interested in both ‘rugbys’
Tens - is taking place on and adaptability.There will be something so this is an opportunity to try another game
august Bank Holiday Monday for every level of team as the stronger in a modified, tournament environment".
(august 25) at Taff's Well rfc. sides will win through to the main cup
competition, with the more social sides Ex-dual code international legend John
There could not be any more apt time competing for the plate. Devereux echoed Kerr’s sentiments He said:
to showcase both codes as Wales "I continued to play both codes of rugby for
rides on a wave of national glory The Triline Tens has already raised a Bridgend Blue Bulls (League) and Maesteg
after winning the Six Nations Grand few eyebrows and quite a degree of (union) into my late thirties and thoroughly
Slam this year and Celtic Crusaders interest among players and officals at enjoyed the variety this provided. The
wait to hear if they will have a side in the recent Wales A v Ireland A Home prospect of being able to play both back-to-
rugby league's top flight Super League Nations rugby league international at back in a tournament is genuinely intriguing
competition next season. Porthcawl. and I encourage players and officials to
embrace this exciting concept."
With this in mind, the Triline Tens Abe Kerr, who has managed
will appeal to a variety of clubs right professional union and league players
across Wales as it is not just another for eight years and whose brainchild the
sportingwales
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