Rugby Union Season 2021/2022 Shaping up to be best yet for the Saints

Rugby Union season is back and kicks off this week for MacKillop students with three very special guests coming to visit the College on Thursday, with former Wallabies, Radike Samo, Digby Ioane and Shirley Russell dropping in to deliver a training session to our Year 7 students and then hold a Q&A sitting with our older students. This unique opportunity will lead well into our season launch to be held on Wednesday evening on the 8th of September.

The Saints will be looking to bring back the u14s side that has grown in ability and confidence over the past two seasons. Additionally, we are hoping that there will be demand to enter a team into the u16s competition for the first time. Perhaps what we are most excited about however, is the really positive engagement from our junior girl players and expect to be entering a team in their division, depending on the competition structure the NTRU decide.

Director of Rugby, Matthew Sharp, will be taking care of both boys teams this season and said that he was excited to branch out from coaching league, into union, for the first time in a few years. “It has probably been close to a decade since I last coached a full season of Rugby Union at schoolboy level”, Sharp said, adding, “I’m looking forward to the challenge and think we’ll see all teams have very successful seasons both on and away from the pitch”.

Sharp was asked to list 3 players across all teams that he thought had the potential to take their game to the next level this season and he identified the following 3 names as his players to look out for –

1. Natalia Grant – Natalia was our u14s mixed team Most Improved award winner last season. She is quick around the field and can ruck as good as any player out there on the field

2. Alfie Walker – Alfie is making a Saints comeback and his experience will be invaluable for the team. Alfie is a versatile player who is tough enough to play anywhere in the forwards, and crafty enough for any position in the backs

3. Jack Yewsang – Yewy will be completing his third season in the u14s division this year. After seeing how he’s handled it over the past two years, we’re excited to see play as a veteran in the team

If you would like to become a member of the Saints Union squad, keep your eyes out for more information from the posters put up around the College and on our social media platforms. The official season launch starts in Week 8, and we hope to see as many people at the sign on night as possible.

April O’Neil

Investigative Sports Journalist