11 May 2021

Under 16’s Country Championships

In my eyes the NSW Country Championships are the heart and soul of junior representative rugby. As our U16 boys checked into camp in Armidale the big country sky and fresh country air couldn’t help but get the boys focused and pumped for the weekend ahead.

Every year the anticipation of the Country Championships is electric and after last year this year meant even more. The standard at the Country Championships is very high and the games are short and played fast. This year our Hunter U16s were exceptional both on and off the field. We finished a gallant 3rd, we had 6 players named in the Country squad and played a lot of excellent rugby. We now look to the State Championships in June knowing we can do better and we will.

It’s important for the boys to look after themselves during the Championships and this year having the Hunter Marquees helped us comfortably reset between games. It gets cold as the sun drops and the marquees provide a space to stay connected as a team. Throughout the weekend staying connected is vital, supporting the other Hunter teams is also important and all teams were always on the sideline. The team tunnels are pretty special at Country too, for that short moment the boys throw their support behind whatever region is running out onto the field.

Something is brewing with Hunter Juniors. As we sat at dinner on Saturday night with our fellow U15 and U18 squads, everyone in the room knew they belonged to something special. It’s a privilege to represent your region and it’s a big commitment to pull on the Hunter jersey, as a Manager I get to see first hand, a team of talented, strong young men and I love supporting them achieve their dreams.

We would like to congratulate the following players on being selected in the Under 16’s NSW Country Team – Ethan Thomas, Ethan Cameron, Angus Cheetham, Noah Jackson, Chase Morris and Brendan Palmer.

Ainslie, Team Manager, Under 16’s