"As good as the AIS, or better" - that was what one junior Wallaby said about Longreach after the team undertook a week-long training camp last week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 31-member squad for the Australian under 21 rugby union team, plus nine staff, bunked down at the Longreach Pastoral College in preparation for the Oceania competition to be held in early July.
The squad was made up of two players from the ACT Brumbies, 12 NSW Waratahs, seven Queensland Reds, five Melbourne Rebels and four from the Western Force.
Events coordinator Prue Button said the junior Wallabies were very impressed with the sleeping quarters, oval, pool, dining and meeting facilities at the college.
"They said with a returfed oval, it would be a potential training venue for groups in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympics," Ms Button said.
The squad, a mixture of 18,19 and 20-year-olds, assembled in Brisbane and took a bus to Longreach.
Although training camps have been held in regional centres before, none have been in such a remote location.
Junior Wallabies coach Nathan Grey said he had selected Longreach for two reasons; to make connections with rural Australia and it people, and because while conditions are tough, he said Longreach offered everything the team could need for success.
That was bolstered by an impromptu address on mental resilience by Ironman Triathlon world championship competitor Jody Browning, who lives and trains at Longreach.
"Jody's message was, no matter where you are, you can achieve if you put your mind to it, and the players were absolutely spellbound," Ms Button said.
While it had been a long time in the making - last year's plans were scuttled thanks to COVID - the mutual benefits of hosting a national team, giving them an opportunity to engage with the local community and giving Longreach an opportunity to showcase what it has to offer, were realised over and over.
The players spoke with around 200 students at four school visits, including to the School of Distance Education, and ran a community afternoon and mini touch competition.
"Barcaldine and Longreach high school students played six games of sevens, which most had never played before," Ms Button said. "The junior Wallabies started cheering them on and then forming honour guards - you could see it really meant a lot to the kids."
The players and staff were also billeted out to 13 different families for two nights at the end of their stay to experience outback life first-hand.
ALSO IN THE NEWS:
- Mount Isa school trio win music prize
- Glencore completes Isa copper smelter rebrick
- New equipment could help Mount Isa pistol shooter become a Paralympian
- Karumba gears up for Outback by the Sea Festival
- Pulverisers run 15 hours straight at Lake Moondarra
- Underground Hospital to host 80th birthday celebrations on July 3
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.northweststar.com.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News
Contact us at nwseditorial@northweststar.com.au