Brumbies confirm French tour
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:37
The Brumbies have confirmed dates for next month’s four-match development tour of France which will see the ACT-based side take on French Top 14 Champions, Perpignan, as well as matches against Toulon, Bayonne and Bourgoin-Jallieu.
The tour – completely financed by a French organisation arranging the tour and the participating French clubs – will begin on Friday, July 24 against Bourgoin-Jallieu in Lyon before taking on Bayonne (Tuesday, July 28), Perpignan (Friday, July 31) and Toulon (Thursday,August 6).
While the ACT squad for the tour will be named next week it will include Brumbies contracted players (not involved with the Wallabies), Brumbies Academy representatives and selected club rugby players.
Brumbies head coach Andy Friend says the two-week tour represents an opportunity to test themselves against a number of Europe’s leading clubs.
"We’re very fortunate to have four quality matches against a number of the top clubs in France," he said.
"Obviously Perpignan will be very strong after winning the Top 14 against Clermont earlier this month and having only dropped one match at home this season, it provides a very exciting challenge for us.
"Toulon and Bayonne narrowly missed out on the Top 14 finals series and will also be tough. Toulon is a French side that will be fairly familiar to Australians with their big name recruits including Sonny Bill Williams, Matt Henjak and Jonny Wilkinson, while Bayonne has a number of Australians playing for them in Craig Gower, Rodney Blake and Manny Edmonds.
Friend says the tour is a chance for selected players to test themselves against strong Northern Hemisphere opposition.
"It will definitely be a different style of rugby from the one we’re used to," he said. "This is a great opportunity for our forwards to test themselves in a very proud scrummaging nation, while our backs will also have the opportunity to take on some world-class players.
"While we’re still finalising our squad, it will provide players with a great opportunity to play a number of additional high quality matches and for a number of the younger guys, it will give them a chance to get use to the rigours of touring as part of a professional team.
"With four matches in two weeks it is a demanding schedule, but these are the realities of professional football."
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