Jias Mick, Paige McCourt among NT rugby juniors getting interstate chances
The NT’s brightest rugby talents will be in the national spotlight this week with call-ups into squads across the country. Find out where the rising stars are playing here.
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As Australia fights for survival in the World Cup the NT’s brightest talents will be in the national spotlight with 14 Territorians set to shine in Australia’s biggest representative round.
Among them are six Territory boys who have been selected to play in an under-16s Barbarians side to face the Queensland Reds under-16s Academy on October 1.
Casuarina Cougars will be heavily represented with Tjaart Van Der Walt, Ilikava Turgavukica, James Watt and Jias Mick all set to play at Ballymore Stadium.
Elusive runner Mick has already proven himself in the past year after getting a scholarship to study at Ipswich Grammar.
They will be joined by University Pirates’ tall line out jumper Tomasi Eaton and Zion Lafaele-Selio from MacKillop Saints, who is known for being a strong runner with plenty of acceleration.
Meanwhile, MacKillip duo Paige McCourt and Natalia Grant have been selected to take part in the inaugural Super W Youth Camp.
The camp will span from September 23-28 at Bond University on the Gold Coast where the pair will be able to show off their skills in front of top quality coaches.
Both players enter the camp off NT seasons with the potential to earn themselves a Super W contract for 2024.
And six senior Territory products have been given the oppourtunity to play alongside some of Queensland’s best amateur players with QLD Suburban Rugby taking them on.
Palmerston Crocs playmaker Hayden Schatz and strike weapon Nemani Macauva will bolster the QLD Suburban men’s backline stocks.
South Darwin’s Nicki Hickman, Darwin Dragons’ Tamara Madzika and University Pirates duo Mary-Ellen Pascoe and Holly Lovatt will join the women’s squad.
NT Rugby Pathways manager and U16 Barbarians coach Paul Healy said it was an exciting time for Territory rugby talent.
“It’s great we have some representation on the national stage,” Healy said.
“It creates a wonderful opportunity for these developing NT senior rugby players up here and in preparation for the upcoming season.”
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