Black Falcons set to swoop
By JARRAD PILKINGTON
20apr06 The Adelaide Advertiser
THE Adelaide Black Falcons enter Sunday's trial match against Darwin
with a new attacking combination and confident of a successful season
ahead.
It is the last hit out for the Falcons before the Australian Rugby
Shield competition begins in three weeks. Over the off-season, Falcons
coach Carl Jones has set up a new attacking combination with captain
Gareth Brown moving from half-back to take up a new role at five-eighth.
The vital half-back position will now be filled by Southern Suburbs
recruit Peter Gibson.
The change, along with the addition of the 122kg Kini Tavui to
inside centre has Jones excited. "We have seen at previous trials
that when Gareth moves to five-eighth we have a lot more go-forward,"
Jones said. "We are expecting big things from Gibson and Tavui at
inside centre will give us some extra attacking flair." The Falcons
start as favourite against Darwin at Gleneagles Reserve and are treating
the game as a chance to test some set plays and shore up their
ball-running combinations.
Jones, in his second year as coach, still has a few problems with two
players out with long-term injuries. Experienced hooker Richard Wasley,
who is nearing his 50th cap for SA, has slipped a disk in his back and is
out indefinitely while Kiwi prop Rudolph Timoteo won't play this season
after snapping his Achilles tendon. "Those two are big blows, they
are two of the front row so they are going to be sorely missed,"
Jones.
"But we are still confident, we feel we have lifted the bar this
season. We have concentrated on fitness and we have some trial games under
our belt, so the guys are feeling good."
The Falcons will soon find out where they stand when they play reigning
champions Perth in the first Shield game on May 7. The other two teams in
their pool are against Melbourne and Tasmania, and Jones is confident of
winning both. Meanwhile, the State Premiership season gets under way this
weekend with four games to be played on Saturday. Reigning champion
Brighton is favourite to take its 26th premiership but will face tough
opposition from Old Collegians while Burnside could prove to be a dark
horse following some strong off-season recruiting.
Ex-rowing star in rugby bid
By JARRAD PILKINGTON
21apr06 The Adelaide Advertiser
A FORMER British world championship rower will make his debut for the
Adelaide Falcons rugby union side on Sunday against Darwin at Gleneagles
Reserve.
Simon Burmester, a six foot five, 104kg second row lock, hails
from London, England, but moved to Adelaide at the start of 2005.
Burmester, 30, went to a "non-rugby playing school" and took up
rowing when he was 16. He rowed for Great Britain when he was 18 and won a
silver medal at the world championships in 1993 in the coxless fours. He
was also the under 18 national champion for indoor rowing - holding the
sixth fastest time in the world for his age group.
But his rowing career stalled when he left school and was ended only
months later after suffering prolapsed disks in his back, an injury common
to rowers. He played rugby union in England for a short time before moving
to Adelaide with his Australian partner to start a family. Burmester is
one of 12 new players to be selected to play for the Falcons this Sunday
and said he was itching to get out onto the park. "All of us are
itching to get playing competition," he said. "The build up in
the squad has been great and the boys have really bonded over the past
couple of months so it is going to be really good." He said the brand
of rugby played in Australia was far better then that in England. "It
is fantastic. To be honest I find it a lot better playing here. It is a
faster more flowing game. It is more expansive and the conditions are a
lot better," he said.
COACH: Carl Jones. CAPTAIN: Gareth Brown. SQUAD: Gareth Brown
(Brighton), Doug Signorini (Brighton), Richard Wasley (Brighton), Wayne
Londema (Brighton), Charlie Sheppeard (Old Collegians), Christian Tedge
(Old Collegians), Andy Farquharson (Old Collegians), Tevita Raikiwasa
(Port Adelaide), Tim Mattin (Port Adelaide), Declan Scragg (Southern
Suburbs), Matty Connor (Woodville), Andrew Plimer (Woodville), Inosi
Tukana (Port Adelaide), Kurt McKinley (Onkaparinga), Troy Doughty (Onkaparinga).
Ins: Shane Hunt (Woodville returned from a season in NZ), Peter Gibson
(Southern Suburbs, relocated from Queensland), Kini Tavui (Old
Collegians, returned after two seasons with Canberra Vikings), John
Collins (Old Collegians, returned from UK), Ben Hamer (Old Collegians,
returned from UK), Solomone Donu (Southern Suburbs, relocated from
Fiji), Jack Glover (Brighton), Simon Burmester (Old Collegians), Will
Van Wette (Woodville), Mark Henty (Brighton), Mathew Adams (University),
Joe Krajina (Brighton), James Hodgson (Burnside). Outs: William TeTau
(Relocated to Queensland), Tim Lough (Retired from state Rep), Josh
Sutcliffe (Relocated to U.S.), Karl Afungi (Burnside).
Falcons sneak home by one point
By JARRAD PILKINGTON
24apr06 The Adelaide Advertiser
THE Adelaide Black Falcons dusted off some cobwebs to sneak to a
one-point win against Darwin at Gleneagles Reserve yesterday.
Up 23-8 at one stage in the trial match, Darwin finished the stronger
adding two converted tries, including one in the final phase of play, to
reduce the margin to a single point. The Falcons were rocked at the start
by the loss of new half-back Peter Gibson due to a red card in the
Southern Suburbs match against Burnside on Saturday. Gibson was due to
start in a new two-pronged combination with captain Gareth Brown moving to
five-eighth. His loss meant Fijian Solomone Donu had to step up to the
half- back position in the first half, but the Falcons lacked the bite
needed and went into the break at 8-8.
Coach Carl Jones rang the changes during half-time, which included
moving captain Brown back to half-back. The moves paid immediate dividends
with the Falcons scoring two quick tries to move to 23-8. Ben Hamer capped
off a brilliant team effort when he crossed the line to score after 10
phases of patient play.
There is still much improvement for the Falcons although they will take
much heart from their strong line-outs where Christian Tedge was
outstanding.
Jones said the game was invaluable to find out where his squad stood
before the Australia Shield begins on May 7. "Certainly we have got
work to do and these next two weeks will be make or break," Jones
said. "The game showed us we aren't ready for the Shield just yet,
but we know what areas we have to work on over the next few weeks to get
ready."
In the Premier Grade on Saturday, Adelaide Uni celebrated its first
game back in the top division with a tight 28-25 point win over Woodville.
Old Collegians defeated Port Adelaide 46-30 while a much stronger Burnside
beat Southern Suburbs 30-22. Premiership favourite Brighton scored a
gritty three-point win over Onkaparinga with Clinton Callaghan, Ben Wilson
and Brad Allan scoring tries.
17th May 2006
The third round of the Australian Rugby Shield kicks off this Saturday,
20 May when the Physio Direct Adelaide Black-Falcons take on the Tassie
Jack Jumpers under lights from 7.30pm at Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide.
Thanks to all our fans who came out to cheer us on last weekend against
the Melbourne Axemen in a match that featured some solid defence and was
in the balance until the final 10 minutes.
Unfortunately, after leading 13 – 12 at half-time we ended up going
down 31 – 20 when the Axemen scored two late tries to claim victory.
Both hooker Jon Collins and winger Jack Glover were impressive throughout
the match for the Black-Falcons.
After the second round of the tournament, we’re sitting third in Pool
2, so we will be keen to post a win this weekend at home against the
Tassie Jack Jumpers to finish the season on a high.
So whether you play Rugby, you’re a coach, a referee or an avid
spectator, make sure you don’t miss out on all the action of this week’s
match.
Gareth Brown, Captain - Physio Direct Adelaide Black-Falcons
| TEAM |
P |
W |
D |
L |
PF |
PA |
BP |
Points |
| Pool
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ACT
& SNSW Vikings |
2 |
2 |
- |
- |
62 |
21 |
1 |
9 |
| NSW
Country Cockatoos |
2 |
1 |
- |
1 |
60 |
12 |
2 |
6 |
| QLD
Country Heelers |
2 |
1 |
- |
1 |
41 |
67 |
1 |
5 |
| Darwin
Mosquitoes |
2 |
- |
- |
2 |
17 |
80 |
- |
0 |
| Pool
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Perth
Gold |
2 |
2 |
- |
- |
120 |
3 |
2 |
10 |
| Melbourne
Axemen |
2 |
2 |
- |
- |
87 |
28 |
1 |
9 |
| Adelaide
Black Falcons |
2 |
- |
- |
2 |
23 |
65 |
- |
0 |
| Tassie
Jack Jumpers |
2 |
- |
- |
2 |
8 |
142 |
- |
0 |
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|