Gold Coast Rugby partners with Australian Army to whip Cyclones into shape

Cyclones players Scott Stokes, of the Helensvale Hogs, and Lachlan Currie of the Palm Beach Currumbin Alleygators, led a scouting trip to test out the base’s land warfare obstacle training course.

Gold Coast rugby union and the Australian Army have entered into a partnership to nurture the relationship between the sporting body and soldiers from Canungra’s Kokoda Barracks.

The new partnership will see soldiers from the base encouraged to engage with local sporting clubs, including rugby teams, in a bid to create more well-rounded men and better soldiers.

The Australian Army are partnering with the Gold Coast Cyclones representative rugby program to cement the relationship between the Canungra base troops and the Coast. Cyclones players at the base ground warfare obstacle course at Kokoda Barracks. Scott Stokes, Colonel Arran Hassell Commandant Land Warfare Centre, Lachlan Currie and Captain Gordon Terry. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

As part of the relationship, the Gold Coast Cyclones representative program will look to take advantage of the training tools on-base to supercharge their performance on the field and as leaders ahead of the representative season.

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Cyclones players Scott Stokes, of the Helensvale Hogs, and Lachlan Currie of the Palm Beach Currumbin Alleygators, led a scouting trip to test out the base’s land warfare obstacle training course yesterday.

The Australian Army are partnering with the Gold Coast Cyclones representative rugby program to cement the relationship between the Canungra base troops and the Coast. Cyclones players at the base ground warfare obstacle course at Kokoda Barracks. Scott Stokes and Lachlan Currie. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

The duo climbed rope walls, crawled under barbed wire fences and completed other training activities for a preview of the challenges awaiting them in the representative pre-season.

Colonel Arran Hassall, Commandant of the Land Warfare Centre, said the Cyclones performed admirably on a course designed to push hardened infantry soldiers to their limits.

“They were fantastic,” Col. Hassall said.

“They weren’t afraid of any obstacles - although one of them looked a bit nervous towards the top of the high one – but I thought they did really well for their first time through.

“We’d love to see teams like that come take part and see how they bond as a team and how their leaders emerge through these activities.”

Col. Hassall said the partnership with the Cyclones and Gold Coast Rugby was an important pillar of the Army’s goal to connect soldiers with their community.

The Australian Army are partnering with the Gold Coast Cyclones representative rugby program to cement the relationship between the Canungra base troops and the Coast. Cyclones players at the base ground warfare obstacle course at Kokoda Barracks. Scott Stokes negotiates the barbed wire obstacle course. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

“That’s the key thing for us,” he said.

“It’s important for us to not be a closed-off Army community but members of the Gold Coast community as well.

“We are part of the community, we live in the community and it’s really important for us and our people to be able to play sport in our communities because it’s good for the body and the mind.

The Australian Army are partnering with the Gold Coast Cyclones representative rugby program to cement the relationship between the Canungra base troops and the Coast. Cyclones players at the base ground warfare obstacle course at Kokoda Barracks. Lachlan Currie and Scott Stokes. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

“We hope that there are more who do take this up because we’ve had individuals play with Helensvale Hogs, Surfers Paradise Dolphins and it would be good to see more come through.”

Gators front-rower Currie said he would be excited to return to the base with his Cyclones teammates ahead of their first clash of the season, against Far North Coast on ANZAC DAY.

The Australian Army are partnering with the Gold Coast Cyclones representative rugby program to cement the relationship between the Canungra base troops and the Coast. Cyclones players at the base ground warfare obstacle course at Kokoda Barracks. Lachlan Currie with Scott Stokes. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

“It would be a great bonding experience for the whole playing group (to train here),” Currie said.

“You can be as good as you want on the field but if the team isn’t connecting off the field you can’t expect to get good results.

“I think it would be nothing but a benefit for us if we did this.”

The Australian Army are partnering with the Gold Coast Cyclones representative rugby program to cement the relationship between the Canungra base troops and the Coast. Cyclones players at the base ground warfare obstacle course at Kokoda Barracks. Lachlan Currie and Scott Stokes. Picture: Lawrence Pinder