Serbia Tour – 29 September to 11 October 2009
The League’s rep team returned from its recent tour to Serbia with 2 wins from the 3 matches played and plenty of stories to tell about spreading the rugby league gospel in one of the game’s developing countries. It also carried the honour of being the first rugby league team from Australia ever to tour to Serbia.
Based at Belgrade University for the duration, the team arrived after a marathon 28 hour journey but it didn’t take them long to settle into the swing of things and coach Mick Williams soon had them in the mood to face their first opposition, a combined Serbia Universities team on Saturday 2 October.
Rugby league grounds are scarce in Belgrade and the venue for the match was a synthetic soccer pitch at Sportski Centar, situated on an island in the Sava River right in the middle of Belgrade. This was also the venue for the remaining two matches. A willing opposition and the need to shake off the cobwebs meant the team started slowly, with the locals having the upper hand for most of the first half. Notwithstanding, NSW still managed to lead 10-0 at the break. The second half saw the boys click into gear and they extended their lead to 38-0 when just on the final whistle the Serbian Students kicked a field goal to break their duck. NSW Captain Bernie Zachulski took out the Players’ Player award.
The second match on Wednesday afternoon 7 October pitted the team against the Serbian “B” team, comprising players from the local competition coupled with some overseas players vying for selection in the Serbian national squad. Still sporting the bruises from game one, not to mention skinned elbows and knees from the synthetic surface, the NSW boys overcame some spirited and at times fiery opposition, to beat the locals 42-6. A fine all-round effort from NSW centre Johan Cullen earned him the Players’ Player award.
The final match on Saturday night 10 October was against the Serbian national team. It was their main warm-up match before they would compete in the European Championships. Much bigger and fitter than either of the previous opposition teams, the Serbians took it up to the NSW boys from the kick off and were quick to gain the ascendancy, leading 18-0 at the break. NSW were outgunned but never gave up and went down 38-6, gallant in defeat. NSW Players’ Player was awarded to fullback James Dine.
At the after match presentation the team’s Player of the Tour award was presented to Johan Cullen, whilst Afif Barake received the Coach’s award.
Interspersed with the above matches was a programme of training sessions with local teams plus, of course, some sightseeing around historic Belgrade, including a cruise along the Danube River and a day trip to Serbia’s second largest city, Novi Sad.
The Playing Squad:
Afif Barake (Macarthur), Thomas Campbell (Uni Newcastle), Johan Cullen (UTS Tigers), James Dine (West Sydney Blues), Matthew Dove (Uni Newcastle), Greg Dowd (Nirimba/Norwest), Mitchell Gardiner (Nirimba/Norwest), Mathew Gavan (Uni Newcastle), Michael Gavan (Uni Newcastle), Arthur Hanna (Nirimba/Norwest), Alexander McCarron (Sydney Uni), Andrew McEwan (Uni Newcastle), Greg Nguyen (Sydney Uni), Mark O’Connor (Sydney Uni), Adam Southam (Uni of Newcastle), Bernie Zachulski (Canberra Uni).
Thanks, Mark
