Indigenous athletes will have the opportunity to showcase their abilities in front of High Performance scouts from Rugby Australia at a talent identification clinic in Kempsey next Tuesday May 21.
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Players who identify as Indigenous and between the ages of 14-25 are invited to attend the clinic, which runs from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Verge St Oval.
The program is a part of Rugby Australia's attempt to unearth First Nations talent throughout regional New South Wales and Queensland.
At the conclusion of the tour, Rugby Australia will invite the top 130 players to fly to Sydney for a four-day camp, where their skills will be put to the test in front of a panel of national coaches.
Two squads of 20 will then be chosen to represent two First Nations Sevens sides who will compete in five domestic and two international tournaments.
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The long-term goal will be selecting at least two players to join the Australian Sevens squads for the 2024 Olympics.
Former Australian Men's Sevens Assistant Coach Jarred Hodges is leading the project with the support of Rugby Australia and the Member Unions.
''We're excited to get back out to regional Australia where we know there is a genuine thirst for rugby in these towns," Hodges said.
''We witnessed more than five hundred people put on a superb performance on the first tour and we're expecting that number to double.
''We will have several Australian Sevens stars joining us on the trip to help host sessions and educate people around the international opportunities this sport has to offer.
''We will also ensure this won't be a one-off visit as we will work with the Member Unions to re-visit each of these communities and keep tapping into existing talent."
Rugby Australia has also partnered with the Aboriginal Medical Services in each of the towns to promote the importance of keeping healthy both on and off the field.
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