University of Melbourne to be training home for new Vic rugby team
November 24, 2006 - 12:31pm
Story by: Other
The University of Melbourne will be the home training base and headquarters for the new Victoria Rugby Union (VRU) team in the expanded Australian Provincial Championship (APC) in 2007.
The new training base at the University was announced today by the VRU General Manager, Mr Ron Steiner, at the Weary Dunlop Club lunch at the Crown Palladium Ballroom. The lunch was attended by over 700 guests including the University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis, Melbourne Lord Mayor John So, Minister for Sport & Recreation Justin Madden, and Rod Macqueen, coach of the 1999 Rugby World Cup Champion Wallabies.
The University and the VRU have entered into a sponsorship arrangement where the University will provide the new Victorian team the use of a range of world class sports facilities at the University of Melbourne in return for promoting the University in VRU venues, publications, promotion opportunities and events.
This is not the first time the University of Melbourne has been a training base for elite sports. With some of the best facilities in Melbourne, it is a popular training venue including for the 1956 Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Mr Steiner says the VRU is delighted that the University is providing access to its world-class sports facilities. “This will greatly enhance the team's prospects for success in the APC Competition.”
Through Melbourne University Sport (MUSport) and the Melbourne University Rugby Football Club (MURFC), the University will provide access to the recently developed A$5.3m MUSport gym, pool, running track, indoor training courts, rugby specific equipment including a scrum machine and pads.
Vice-Principal Marketing and Communications at the University, Mr Pat Freeland-Small, welcomes the APC team to the University. “This is an excellent opportunity for the University to work with a community organisation with splendid outcomes for both parties,” he said.
Director of Rugby - MURFC, Simon Davis believes the new VRU squad is likely to include a number of past Wallabies and upcoming rugby stars who learnt their rugby in Victoria, such as Lloyd Johansson currently contracted with the Queensland Reds and John Ulugia currently contracted with the Brumbies.
“This is a very exciting development for the University rugby club. It will provide an excellent opportunity for young Victorian rugby players to be exposed to a professional standard of rugby. The University training headquarters will showcase the connection between sport, education, the community and business”.
