Four
Derby UKD youngsters are set for the rugby tour of a lifetime after
being invited to Australia with the Notts, Lincs & Derbys Counties
team.
Ross MacDonald, Callum Schofield, Joe Cooper and Jamie Turner, who
all played for the Derby under-16 side last season, will jet out to
the Southern Hemisphere this week for a three-week sport and
sightseeing tour. |
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The
young players will represent the three counties in six games against
Australian opponents.
"The experience of playing in
another country is going to be great," said Schofield, who attends
Ecclesbourne School.
"It'll be completely different to any game I've played before."
MacDonald, who goes to the Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in
Ashbourne, added:
"I'm looking forward to the tournament most. Just testing yourself
against teams from another country is going to be an experience."
Although only players who have represented NLD teams in the past
were invited, the players all had to raise just under £3,000 to
cover the cost of the tour.
It meant the boys had to spend a year raising funds for the trip,
with Derby RFC donating £150 to each player.
"I just sent out letters to organisations and companies and worked
quite hard as well," said MacDonald, who captained the under-16 team
last season.
"It was very generous of the club to give us some money. I'd like to
say thanks to them."
As well as round-robin tournament and games against Manly and
Surfers Paradise, the squad will also visit the Crocodile Hunter's
Australia Zoo, Fraser Island, the Gold Coast and Sydney Harbour.
The will even receive surfing lessons in Queensland.
"I've got family in Melbourne so I've been out there before but it's
going to be great to actually play out there as well," said Tupton
Hall pupil Cooper.
"I'm looking forward to the surfing.
"I'm going to do a lot of surfing while I'm out there.
"I think I stayed on the board for about one second last time I
tried but I'll give it another go."
The team fly to Australia, with a stop-over in Singapore, on June 30
and return on July 20. |
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