The Australian Rugby Union supports initiatives to increase the exposure of Rugby to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
Indigenous Rugby Programs
These programs are a joint initiative of the Australian Sports Commission Indigenous Sports Program, the ARU, the and four of our Member Unions (QRU, NSWRU, NTRU, Brumbies).
Indigenous Rugby Programs are for school students in targeted communities and schools around regional Australia. To participate, players must attend school and have the support of their school community.
The Indigenous Rugby Program creates a pathway for young talented Indigenous players. Players within the program can be selected for regional U16's Championships. In turn, teams are selected from these regional championships to compete in the National U16 Indigenous Championship held in Sydney in August 2011.
2011 will also see the start of a National U18 Indigenous Rugby Program, to extend the pathway and create more opportunities for Indigenous youth to remain in the game.
Players and schools should contact their local State Union for more details.
National Under 18 Indigenous Championships 2011
Alice Springs - April 2011
Four teams from across Australia took part in the inaugural National Indigenous U18's Rugby Tournament. This tournament was a rugby development and cultural camp for U18's, and also gave the Lloyd McDermott Program an opportunity to select a National Indigenous Schoolboys team (to be announced in May).
The tournament is an extension from the National Indigenous U16's program. However all players (who are eligible) were invited to nominate for selection. To be eligible for the 2011 tournament, players must be born 1993/1994, attending full time school and playing Rugby.
The four teams involved were Queendland, New South Wales, Northern Territory, and Combined States.
RESULTS
Monday:
Queensland 24 (Jaidyn Yeatman, Joseph Collins, Boche Satrick, Lloyd Steiger tries, Angus
Dorante 2 conversions) drew Combined States 24 (Justin Gilbert, Lindon Casey, Anton
Wolmby, Patrick Booth tries, Blake Neilson 2 conversions)
New South Wales 31 (James Moylan, Swade Dunn, Isiah Dawe 3 tries, Robert Kennedy,
Swade Dunn 2 conversions) def Northern Territory 0
Tuesday:
New South Wales 5 (Jake Ferguson try) def Combined States 0
Queensland 52 (Jaidyn Yeatman, Branden Ramsamy, Joseph Collins, Stephen Daniels, Aiden
James Wikaira 4 tries, Angus Dorante 3, Boche Satrick 3 conversions) def Northern Territory
12 (Taurian Abrum, Peter Kilgour tries, Jacob Rainger conversion)
Wednesday:
Combined States 20 (Steve Daniels, Keith Morgan, Lindon Casey, Zane Bashford Tries) def
Northern Territory 10 (Jacob Rainger, Nathan Hazel Tries).
QLD 28 (Sansom Link Hookey, Cameron Eastman, Kyle Blackman, Boche Satrick tries; Angus
Dorante 4 Conversion) def NSW 17 (Isiah Dawe 2, Liam Lawford Tries, Swade Dunne Conv)
National Under 16 Indigenous Championship 2011
The Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team (LMRDT) will run a National Under 16 Indigenous Championship with six teams participating from across Australia. Teams are selected through regional programs and represented the following areas;
More details will be posted soon.
National Indigenous Schoolboy Teams
Australian Under 16 and Under 18 Indigenous teams are brought together annually by the LMRDT for participation in the National Schoolboy Tournaments.
The ARU work in partnership with the LMRDT and Member Unions in selecting these teams. Players who participate in Indigenous Rugby Programs are available for selection, provided their state and territory representative teams do not require their services.
National Indigenous Team at the National U16's Championships
The National Indigenous U16s faced a tough game against South Australia on the final day of the 2010 National U16's Championships.The South Australia team was too strong and ran out 25-17 victors. It was the first time in seven years the National Indigenous Team hadn’t walked away Division 2 Champions (And it was only the Third time since the start of the Competition in 2001). The National Indigenous Team plays Northern Territory, Tasmania and South Australia during the championships. Complete details of fixtures and results can be found on 2010 National U16 Championships
Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team Inc.
The Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team's aim is to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth with a future through the game of Rugby Union.
The LMDRT work in partnership with the ARU in assembling Indigenous Rugby teams to the National U/16 Championships, the Australian Schools Division 2 Championships and assist women to participate in the National Women's Championship each year.
For more information, contact Tom Evans - Executive Director LMRDT on (02) 9323 3456