St Patrick’s College’s rugby program continues to shine, with nine students winning selection in state teams that will travel to Tasmania later this year.
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Regan Champley, Jesse Jury and Chris Tuitea have been named in the Victorian Schools' Rugby Union under-17 side and will be joined on the trip by under-16 representatives Mitch Hammond, Tarquin Schreenan, Pou Siola'a and Sean Antrobus and under-14 players Quinn Bogers and Escher Eastcott.
The boys will now look forward to a number of training sessions before the matches against Tasmania during August.
St Patrick’s College head of rugby Mike Silcock said the school has never had nine students make state teams in a single year.
“It’s an unprecedented number,” Silcock told The Courier.
“We’ve had individuals in the past and we had a reasonable-sized group last year, but we’ve never had nine boys get through across three age groups.”
Silcock said the success in the school’s rugby program was largely attributable to its many volunteers.
“The sport at this school is indebted to many volunteers, particularly on a coaching front,” he said.
“These boys owe a great deal to their coaches, who are giving up their time for nothing (except) their love of the game and their support of the college’s program.”
Silcock said the boys’ selection for Victoria came after their school games were monitored and a trial session on Sunday.
“They’ll (now) have a series of training sessions across all three age groups and that will take place over the next few weeks,” he said.
Silcock said having players picked in three different age divisions showed “strength and depth” at the school.
Meanwhile, two other St Patrick’s College students are hunting a place in the Victorian under-18 side.
St Pat’s first team captain Inoke Siola'a – the older brother of Pou – and Ola Tauelangi will play this weekend with the hope of being selected in the team that travels to the upcoming national schoolboy titles.