6 March 2024
Australian Stockman has announced a 26-man squad for its upcoming ‘For King and Country’ tour of England with former Australian Sevens and Super Rugby representatives enlisted to don the jersey alongside grassroots recruits.
Drawing players with regional and rural backgrounds from across Queensland and New South Wales, the squad will also be bolstered by experienced recruits in dual Olympian Lewis Holland, former Australian Sevens and Queensland Reds flyer Alex Gibbon and former Melbourne Rebels hooker Steve Fualau.
The tour will run from 4-25 October, with a warm-up match and launch function in Sydney, before departing for England to take on historic clubs Oxford University, Cambridge University and Black Heath Rugby, with a final fixture to be announced.
The squad will be led by former Wallabies and Super Rugby coach Jim McKay, who will be joined in the coaching ranks by former Wallabies and Super Rugby prop Guy Shepherdson and assistant coach Mark Cassidy.
Australian Stockman head coach Jim McKay said: “From a significant pool of talented players from across regional Australia, I believe we’ve picked a competitive and well-balanced group to represent Australian Stockman.
“There is a great mix of players from a range of backgrounds, different stories and rugby journeys. When the players and staff don the Australian Stockman logo, we’re representing something bigger than ourselves - not only the values and traditions of this proud team, but also our communities from across rural, regional and remote Australia. This is an opportunity for players to step up and showcase their talents and represent their roots.
“We will be playing a positive, abrasive and enjoyable style of rugby, whilst embracing the traditional values of team sport, namely connecting and bringing people together.
“While the action on the field is important, this tour is also an opportunity to raise awareness around men’s mental health. It’s about coming together as a group for a collective goal and leaving as better players and people.
“We’re looking forward to taking country rugby from the bush to Buckingham as we do our best to represent country Australia on and off the field.”
Australian Stockman is an invitational representative side founded in Longreach in 2013 to provide athletic and personal development opportunities for grass-roots rugby union players from regional, rural and remote Australia, with a strong focus on positive conversations around men’s health.
The ‘2024 For King and Country Tour’ is the fifth tour initiative by Stockman Rugby, having previously toured New Zealand (2013), Ireland (2015), North Queensland (2016), New Zealand and Argentina (2017) and Perth to play the Western Force (2018).
Australian Stockman - Playing Squad for England 2024 (Name - Club)
Samuel Callow - Maitland, NSW
Marcus Christensen - Wanderers, NSW
Oscar Cunningham - Queanbeyan, NSW
Ben Damen - Wollongbar-Alstonville, NSW
Jake Douglas - Southern Districts, NSW
Charlie French - Forbes Platypi, NSW
Steve Fualau - Moorabin Rams, VIC
Alex Gibbon - Richmond Range, NSW
Travis Gifford - Warringah Rats, NSW
Lewis Holland - Braidwood Redbacks, NSW
Faa Lafaitele - Sunshine Coast Brothers, QLD
Samuel Laffy - Dalby and District, QLD
Edward McGrath - Grafton Redmen, NSW
Jake McPhie - Avoca Beach, NSW
Alex Meades - Wagga Ag College, NSW
Dudley-Thomas Miles - JCU Mariners, QLD
Hayden Pratt - Richmond Range, NSW
Rob Puliuvea - Hunter Wildfires, NSW
Vincent Quigley - Bond University, QLD
Lachlan Robinson - University of New South Wales, NSW
Jayvan Scarff - Hunter Wildfires, NSW
Ryan Schoupp – Woonona Shamrocks, NSW
Josh Schwager - Narrabri Blue Boars, NSW
Eli Sinoti - Tech Warratahs, NSW
Isaac Talbot - Maroochydore Swans, QLD
Nathan Thomson - USC Barbarians, QLD
Riley Turner - Young Yabbies, NSW
Australian Stockman - Support Staff for England 2024 (Name - Club)
Shaun Mackin - Tour Manager
Theresa Mackin - Tour Manager
Jim McKay - Head Coach
Guy Shepherdson - Forwards Coach
Mark Cassidy - Head Physiotherapist and Assistant Coach
Dr Tim Jones - Medical Support
Nigel Grevett - Tour Support
Clancy Blacklock - Content Creator
*All squad members are self-funded, both players and support staff have been encouraged to source individual sponsorship to help alleviate their individual tour costs.
ENDS
Media resources including photos and b-roll: https://bit.ly/StockmanMedia Media contactShaun Mackin - Australian Stockman Rugbyinfo@stockmanrugby.com | 0439 336 036
Stockman Rugby is an initiative of Little Windmills: the Country Kids Charity, a not-for-profit with three key programs - financially assisting seriously sick and injured children in regional, rural
and remote Australia, disaster relief for Australians displaced by natural disasters and the Stockman Rugby - Youth Development program.
Congratulations
Nathan Thompson