The Bull Sharks rugby club have received a major boost ahead of the 2023 premiership with a host of players and coaches earning early season representative honours.
Prop Harrison Usher was named in the junior Wallabies squad for the upcoming World Cup in South Africa, his call-up coming hot on the heels of teammate Hayden Sargeant’s who flew to LA on Monday morning with the Aussies 7s squad.
And closer to home powerhouse lock Jake Upfield will earn his first Queensland Reds cap in Saturday’s Super Rugby season opener against the Hurricanes at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.
And it wasn’t just the players who have earned the opportunity to progress their careers at the higher level.
Bond University Rugby Club coaching coordinator and First grade coach Grant Anderson was chosen to coach the Reds A side.
Anderson has spent the week with the Reds at Ballymore and will call the shots for the Reds A side against Wests on Saturday in Toowoomba.
For Upfield the selection for his first Super Rugby game comes off the back of a post season tour of Japan with the Reds.
Usher, a 2021 Sports Leadership Scholarship holder will join the 40 man Junior Wallabies squad at a training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra starting Sunday.
The Junior Wallabies are drawn to face Fiji, Ireland and England in the pool stage of the Championship, which kicks off on 24 June.
Australian coach Nathan Grey said it was exciting to name such a strong squad.
"Many of the young players selected showcased their skills at the National U19 Championships late last year, while others have been named on the back of a strong pre-season period for their clubs,” he said.
"With the disruptions of the last few years behind us, I'm looking forward to bringing the group together in Canberra and stepping up preparations for a huge 2023."
Bond’s director of Rugby Luca Liussi said the rugby club’s ambition was to be a pathway for players and coaches to reach the highest level and everyone at the Bull Sharks were celebrating the recent representative honours achieved by Sargeant, Usher, Upfield and Anderson.
“This week has been a significant one for our club because we have been able to demonstrate that we provide a daily training environment that helps players and coaches to progress their careers,” he said.
“It is also especially pleasing to see that we are preparing players for both 15 a side and 7s rugby.
“Hayden, Harrison and Jake are all talented footballers, but they have had to work hard to make these teams and through their selections Grant’s record in developing players is also being recognised.’’