Trip of lifetime for indigenous union reps
By TANIA PHILLIPS
KINGSCLIFF High students Sam Watego and Josh Togo are off on a trip of a life-time after being selected in the prestigious Lloyd McDermott Rugby Union Development Team to tour New Zealand.
The side is a national under-16 indigenous team, chosen from nearly 1600 players from around Australia.
Kingscliff sports teacher and Sam's proud mother Michelle Watego said the two, the second Kingscliff duo to make the squad in as many years, were chosen after an exhaustive selection process.
She said the pair, who follow in the footsteps of Kingscliff High's Strath Johnson and Luke Dumas, went to several development days before being chosen for the final selection camp at Tallebudgera in late July.
"Four teams of players played in the Santos National Indigenous championships at Tallebudgera in late July," Michelle Watego said.
"Our boys were in the NSW team and they won the title. Sam was captain of the side and quite a few of the NSW squad made it through. From the 83 players at the championships they selected 23."
The boys will travel to Rotorua in late September for a three-day tournament before competing in the Australian Under-16 titles in Sydney.
