The Chronicle

Young guns in running for Country selection

Rising stars impress Heelers coach

- Ben Drewe ben.drewe@thechronic­le.com.au

RUGBY UNION: Darling Downs rising stars could have played themselves into the Heelers squad thanks to their impressive outings at the Queensland Country Championsh­ip at Bundaberg.

And if not this season, certainly in the coming years.

Darling Downs players helped South Queensland take out the Queensland Country Championsh­ip at the weekend, which bodes well for considerab­le representa­tion in the Heelers squad.

Queensland Country coach Rob Johnston was impressed with the performanc­es of the Downs players.

“I’m very happy with how the Downs boys went,” Johnston, the former Darling Downs coach.

“They played extremely well to be honest.”

Some of the Downs players have made the Queensland Country team previously and are again in the mix for selection, while Johnston was also impressed with the young brigade coming through.

He praised the efforts of the likes of Lachlan Tulloch, Harry Hawker and John Vinson, who each put their hands up for selection in the Queensland Country Heelers squad.

“They really gave themselves every opportunit­y of making the Queensland Country team,” Johnston said.

“If you keep putting your name up each year you’ll get picked.”

The Queensland Country team is expected to be announced this Friday.

Sam Tweedy, Will Gilbert, Jack Cook, George Stacey, Ben Loxley, Jay Schulte and Angus Ramsey were the other Downs players in the victorious South Queensland squad in Bundaberg.

They really gave themselves every opportunit­y of making the Queensland Country team.

— Rob Johnston

 ??  ?? MAKING HIS MARK: Harry Hawker (centre) trains with the Darling Downs representa­tive rugby union squad. PHOTO: NEV MADSEN
MAKING HIS MARK: Harry Hawker (centre) trains with the Darling Downs representa­tive rugby union squad. PHOTO: NEV MADSEN

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