The Woodlands RFC Head Coach Greg Doolan has been selected to direct the South team and St Edward's University Head Coach Lachlan Ferguson helms the Central team. Both of these coaches bring much hard-won experience to the competition. Coach Doolan is a two-time Bay of Plenty Premier Coach of the Year winner with more than 30 years of professional coaching experience in New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Canada, and the U.S.A. Coach Ferguson compiled a 30-1-1 record in Division 1 and 32-4-0 in Division 3 with the Austin Rugby Club over three seasons and is now the full time coach for the St Edward's University Rugby Club.
The Central team consists of 30 players from area rugby clubs: 14 players from the Austin Rugby Club, 10 players from the Huns Rugby Club, five players from the San Antonio Rugby Club, and one from the San Marcos Greys. Bob Kasper from the San Marcos Greys would have been the second selection from that club but unfortunately had his orbital bone broken playing in a club match last weekend. Over 45 players from the Central region have been training together three times a week for the past month in preparation for and in hopes of selection to this High Performance Series.
Central's Head Coach Lach Ferguson states, "This has been an awesome experience for players and coaches alike, coming together from different clubs to put together a very strong representative team. I have been really impressed by the players' attitudes and their excitement about playing top-level rep rugby. The guys have absolutely bought into the concept and every training session has been a pleasure. I want to thank my coaching staff of Kirk Tate (Forwards Coach) and Pete Pettinari (Backs Coach) from the Huns Rugby Club and Steve Corcoran (Defense Coach) from the Austin Rugby Club. These guys have worked tirelessly and really prepared the players well, providing them with a high level of professional coaching. The Texas Cup Representative Series is going to be a very close competition and provide exciting matches for all the players involved. All three regions have strong squads and rugby supporters in Texas are going to see some very high caliber rugby over the next month. My guys are really looking forward to getting out onto the pitch this weekend in Houston for the first game between South and Central."
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| Rugby on turf pitch at Alden Bridge Sports Park. Courtesy of Diane Uhl King. |
Coach Doolan also issued a statement about the Texas Cup Representative Series and this weekend's match:
"The initiatives launched by the Texas Rugby Union to rapidly accelerate the development of the union's players is to be applauded. The recent IRANZ Academy courses held in three cities was a real coup for Texas. There is no exaggeration in saying that the opportunity for players in Texas to receive coaching from the hottest coaches in the world in back-to-back Super Rugby Champion Coach Dave Rennie (Chiefs) and Jamie Joseph, another Super Rugby Coach (Highlanders) who also has coached the Maori All Blacks, was as good as it gets. Those players who attended are the envy of thousands of Kiwi players who literally beg their clubs for the chance to attend an IRANZ Academy course. It has become a gateway to the highest representative honors with their alumni now consisting of about 70 percent of the current All Black squad, most of the All Blacks Sevens and U20 squads, as well as several of the Springboks.
"I am sure the enthusiasm shown by the Houston area players was matched by those in the other regions. However it would all have been of limited value if a program like the Texas Cup had not been put into place on the back of the IRANZ Academy. Texas elite players needed an opportunity to express the skills learned and the sooner, the better so they could become ingrained and replace inferior skills and bad habits. The Texas Cup is the perfect opportunity.
"The Souths Select squad represents 6 clubs. The players, coaches, and management staff have gelled extremely well. With limited time to learn new systems the side may take a game or two to hit their stride, but there will be no doubting the players commitment. The team will be looking to play an attractive style of rugby that is enjoyable for players and a good advertisement for the game to those that attend games. While I am sure every team places winning the inaugural Texas Cup as their top priority. I feel it is of more importance that both players and spectators get to participate in a celebration of high quality, attractive rugby.
"The excellent all weather surface of The Woodlands field coupled with the first-class lighting will provide an ideal venue to kick off what promises to be an exciting new era for Texas Rugby."South Roster: Andres Dias (HARC), Ben Gehring (BARC), Ben Teaney (HURT), Charles Peterson (BARC), Chris Mehring, Chris Parker (HARC), Chris Saint (HARC), Chris Saxon (Woodlands), Chris Tofte (Woodlands), Colby Kreft (Woodlands), Conor Mills (Woodlands), Daniel Aaron (HARC), Danny Dunlop, Desmond Birdow (Woodlands), Gary Eakin, Jadeon du Toit, Josh Alden, Justin Blocker (HURT), Ken Peterson (HARC), Ken Wilson, Kenneth "Petey" Hepburn (HARC), Matt Drennen (Woodlands), Matt Hayes (HARC), Mitchell Earley (Woodlands), Paul Mullen (HARC), Paul Nieuwoudt, Rafael Casas (HURT), Randy James (Katy), Robert Rutherford (HARC), Sib Sikobi (BARC), Taylor Kraft (Galveston), Yamar Washington (Woodlands), Michael Wong (BARC)
Central Roster: Anthony Arnold (Huns), Austin Byrne (Austin), Brad Vaughan (Huns), Bradley Yandle (Austin), Brian Welborn (Huns), Chris Hanson, Captain (Huns), Connally McKay (Austin), Craig Welborn (Huns), Curtis Patrick Chaffin (Austin), David Caswell (Austin), Giovanni Bonilla (Huns), Gonzalo Sanchez (Austin), Jacob Wurz (Austin), Jake Bacon (Huns), Jarrod Amante Bueno (San Antonio), Joedee Reyes (San Antonio), Joey Malanka (Austin), John Hart (Austin), Justin Casino (Austin), Kellen Burke (Austin), Kevin Kemp (San Marcos), Levi Kereti (San Antonio), Matt Zappa (Huns), Paul Dombkowski (Austin), Rickey A. Johnson (Austin), Robert Drummond (Huns), Troy Spencer (Huns), Vainuku Siosaia (San Antonio), Will Martin (Austin), Zach Gonderman (San Antonio)
Referee: Scott Green
ARs: Scott Cagle & Tim O'Gara
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