Rugby union got a much needed boost in the area when the Australian Wallabies team conducted an open training session in St Marys on Friday.
More than 1000 fans turned out for the training and autograph session in an area that`s the heartland of rugby league, while soccer and AFL continue to increase the public profile of their respective codes.
This was Australian Wallabies' coach Robbie Deans' second visit to St Marys after he was in town to launch the Penrith Emus' season last year.
The Star emailed questions to Deans ahead of Friday's
visit to find out about his views of the growth rugby union in western Sydney.
Check out the Tuesday's (July 20) edition of the Star for more details about last Friday's visit and an interview with Wallaby Kurtley Beale, who hails from Mt Druitt.
1. Why are the Wallabies coming out to St Marys for the first time?
A. ``As the Australia's national rugby union team, we try to get the players to as many different parts of the country as is possible. During my previous visits, I've been very taken with the spirit and enthusiasm of those involved in rugby union out at Penrith and thought
that this preparation, ahead of the Tri Nations, was a great opportunity to take the Wallabies to those people and display the team to a wider Western Sydney audience.''
2. What are your views on the state of rugby union in western Sydney, compared to other football codes which have a bigger public profile?
A. ``Western Sydney has massive scope for all sports, in terms of player development and broadening the appeal of games. The key thing is that the local population embraces sporting pursuits, whether it is rugby union or any other code. Rugby league is obviously well established in the area and AFL is setting up a professional team. Thats great for the profile of those codes in the region but it seems to me that, with the population in Greater Western Sydney, there is plenty of scope for all of the main winter sporting codes to thrive.''
3. What does the ARU need to do to lift the profile of rugby union in western Sydney?
A. ``The more exposure rugby union gets in any region, the greater the developmental opportunity. Hopefully Fridays public training session will inspire some of the youth who attend to take up the game, and see how they go. We have in Kurtley Beale, Tatafu Polota-
Nau and Wycliff Palu, three players with strong Western Sydney roots who have all gone on to represent Australia. Theyve shown what can be achieved. Im sure that there will be others from the region who follow in their footsteps.''
4. Is there anything local rugby union clubs should be doing to boost the profile of the sport?
A.My experience is that there is huge enthusiasm for the game in Penrith and the greater west and there is a strong future because of that. The Penrith and Parramatta clubs might be down the pecking order in terms of performance among the Sydney clubs, but the enthusiasm and commitment of those who are involved with those teams remains undimmed.
5. What are your hopes for the upcoming Tri Nations series?
A. The Tri Nations is going to be tough. Were ranked number three in the world and are playing the two teams rated ahead of us, but that only adds to the challenge. While were chasing, we have a young team full of promise that is starting to find its feet at this level.
While the month of June wasnt without its challenges in terms of the games that we played, a number of new players were exposed in Tests due to guys being out injured, and that will only broaden the playing depth of the Qantas Wallabies going forward.
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