Two Mudgee Dragons players have been selected to tour with the Australian Institute of Sport rugby league squad in November.
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For the second consecutive year under 18s halfback Nick O’Hara has been selected to tour and this year he will tour with team mate and local lock Casey Burgess.
In 2011 O’Hara couldn’t tour with the squad because he injured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) but has made a successful return in 2012.
Burgess, a Coolah junior, was provided with a scholarship through the AIS earlier this year.
O’Hara said it was “a great honour” to be selected again.
“I was there last year when Col [Matthews] was coaching and he took me in under his wing and then I was lucky enough to get selected on the tour but I tore my ACL and ended up missing most of the season,” O’Hara said.
The halfback said he had to trial again and it was a test on his rehabilitated knee.
“The AIS trial game was the first game back from my ACL injury and I didn’t pull up too bad,” he said.
O’Hara said his role was simple within the AIS squad.
“I’ll be playing halfback again. My role is pretty easy down there, you tell the boys where you want them [on the field] and they are there for you. There are some quality players and it makes my job a lot easier,” he said.
This will be the first overseas trip for both.
“It’s pretty exciting,” Burgess said.
It’s a four week tour and we play Wales, France, England and a couple of other sides.
“I didn’t expect to get in, you never do, but I gave it my best and now I’m touring.”
O’Hara said the tour will be “an eye-opener”.
“It’s a four week tour and we play Wales, France, England and a couple of other sides.
“The European sides have always been pretty strong but the AIS has a great record over there. I think they’ve [AIS] lost only a few games in a decade of touring.”
The Dragons talent said the coaching and playing experience was like none other.
“There are a lot of coaches and staff working with the AIS. We had Trent Barrett and Mark Drewe coaching us earlier in the year who are both former NRL players. I think Mark is coming on tour with us,” O’Hara said.
“There’s a good opporuntity down there. Scouts and player managers are always watching when they come down to the camps as well.”
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