West Coast U16 Rugby Team Set for South Island Tournament

West Coast U16 Rugby Team Set for South Island Tournament

The West Coast Under-16 rugby team will kick off their campaign in the South Island Tournament this Wednesday, facing North Otago in Tai Tapu.

Sixteen teams are set to compete in the tournament, with the West Coast squad fielding 24 talented players. The team is coached by Colin van der Geest and Kings Henry, and managed by Lisa Tollison and Rachel van der Geest.

The tournament, hosted at the Waihora Rugby Club in Tai Tapu and organised by Canterbury Rugby, will take place over three days from October 3rd to 5th.

Team manager Lisa Tollison shared her excitement about the team’s preparation: “The boys have been training hard over the last two months, fine-tuning their skills and building a strong team spirit. They’re looking forward to the chance to play competitive rugby and test themselves against some of the best under 16 players in the South Island.”

Tollison also expressed her gratitude to local Marist senior players Greg Crampton, Jack Olsen, David Lowe, and Jack Channing, who have been lending their expertise to the team.

“These players have generously given their time to help our boys improve in key areas such as lineouts, scrums, and tackling. We’re incredibly grateful for their support, and we hope to make the Coast proud at the tournament”.

West Coast Under 16 squad for the tournament:

Max Walklin, Marcus Tollison, James van der Geest, Noah Smith, Elliot van der Geest, Blake Gaudin, Cooper Wilson, Corben Mirrielees, James Partridge, Harlem Keown, Keil Guthrie, Liam Russ, Jayden Richardson, Brennan Thomas, Phynix Lagden, Spencer Kelly, Mack Fahey, Brayden Williams, Quinn Berry, Declan Robinson, Issac Harrington, Koben Wieblitz, Jake Clark, Luke Swartz.

Story & Photo – Adam Gilshan