Shute Shield risign stars Hunter Ward, Yool Yool get NSW sevens call-up ahead of Olympics

As country kids they played school sport together. Now 12 years on these rugby best mates are in the same team and sharing the same dream after a phone call out of the blue from an Aussie coach.

Great mates Hunter Ward and Yool Yool have been playing together since they were kids with time spent at the Orange City Lions.

Rugby young gun Yool Yool wondered why Australian sevens coach Tim Walsh was at Manly Marlins training late last year.

He was even more bemused when told to expect a phone call from Walsh.

“I had no idea what it was all about,” said the 21-year-old rugby talent, who learned the game at the Orange City Lions and Saint Stanislaus’ College in Bathurst before moving to Sydney to play Shute Shield with the Marlins.

Yool Yool and his oldest mate Hunter Ward. Pic: Supplied.

Best mate Hunter Ward didn’t even know he’d also received a phone call from Walsh until two days after it happened.

“I was actually near Scone, welding metal fences at a stud and didn’t have any phone reception. It took me two or three days to get back to him,’’ Ward said.

The call was to ask the best mates if they wanted to be in a NSW sevens squad being put together to play a series of tournaments against top teams, including the Australian sevens squads, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

“I jumped at the opportunity,’’ said Yool, who was born in the Sudan, moved to Egypt at age two, then Australia at four, living in Orange, then Seven Hills, Bathurst and now Manly where he is studying property at the International School of Management.

Yool Yool stepping out for Manly Marlins.

So did Ward, with the pair, who both made their Shute Shield debuts last season, now preparing for two sevens tournaments in Narrabri in February against the Australian squad, Queensland and a Pacific team.

Potentially up for grabs is a spot in the Australian sevens squad where two original members of the NSW team - Henry Paterson and Nathan Lawson - have been elevated to in recent weeks.

“We are the closest thing to being brothers we can be. He’s family,'’ said Ward, who has played in the same rugby schools, 15s and sevens teams as Yool for more than a decade and studies agriculture online.

“It’s nice to be doing this together. Nice to have each other.’’

The pair said they are excited to be playing a tournament in Narrabri this month where the Waratahs will steps out against the Reds in their only Super Rugby trial match of the pre-season.

“It’s great to go to the country. I guess we are proof you can make it if you are from the country,’’ Yool said.

Jake Gordon offloading to Michael Hooper in the last Super Rugby tournament.

Both players are hoping to pursue professional careers in rugby and travel around the world with the sport.

“I just enjoy playing football. Enjoy playing all parts of it,’’ Ward said.

“This is such a great opportunity, im jumping at it.’’

“It’s great we are going to Narrabri. A lot of players get missed in the country and have to come to Sydney to play. It’s a big financial commitment living on your own, paying rent.’’

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Originally published as Shute Shield risign stars Hunter Ward, Yool Yool get NSW sevens call-up ahead of Olympics