Today’s announcement of the Bond University Queensland Country’s 35-man squad and Bond’s involvement in the new national rugby competition, the Buildcorp National Rugby Championship, is a significant milestone according to Vice Chancellor and President Professor Tim Brailsford.
Bond University is the partner of the Queensland Country team. Professor Brailsford said he was looking forward to seeing the Queensland Country side compete against arch rivals New South Wales Country at Bond University on 30 August.
Professor Brailsford said Bond University firmly believed in producing well rounded graduates who not only excelled in the classroom, but also in their chose extracurricular activity.
“We strive for academic excellence, but also for excellence in areas such as the arts and sport."
“The leaders of tomorrow will not simply excel in a single dimension, they will be individuals who are academically the best and also the best in their chosen area of extra-curricula activity, such as sport.”
Professor Brailsford said Bond University had a proud history of links to rugby. He said when the University was first launched in May 1989 it only took a few weeks before the first Bond rugby club was formed.
He said the University had a natural affinity with a Queensland Country team as many of Bond’s students came from regional areas throughout Queensland.
“To have the Queensland Country team branded as Bond University and to have the inaugural game played here at Bond and to have several Bond rugby players selected in the team is very exciting. We thank the Queensland Rugby Union and the Queensland Country Rugby Union Association for the opportunity,” he said.
“With the new national competition involving nine teams, talented young athletes now have a pathway through school, onto university and then through the ranks of rugby union right through to the national level."
“Moreover, it gives the Gold Coast a boost by the team’s participation in a national competition. We are delighted to be involved.”