Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/510672
22 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 13 MAY 2015 Sport RUGBY FOOTBALL Malta Rugby League launches national squad MALTA coach Anthony Micallef has heralded another develop- ment move with the launch of the national squad at LivingWell Health Club. Training together since March, the national squad is capped at 10 domestic players, includes strict attendance and dress-code re- quirements, social responsibility commitments, specialist training from foreign based coaches and full access to LivingWell Health Club at Hilton Malta. Dual Malta rugby international Malcolm Attard said the national squad concept has been bought into by local players both young and experienced. "There's a lot of energy in the younger guys, and this part-time approach takes it up a level from what everyone is used to. We work full-time jobs, but having a structured approach for a select group of players puts everyone on the same page and gives eve- ryone a lot more direction" said Attard. The squad, with an average age of 25, includes a focus on bridg- ing the gap in playing and fit- ness standards between local and foreign based players, a concen- trated youth involvement, and the squad includes four players under the age of 22 that all play in the MRL Championship. Micallef looks at Australia and UK based talent Malta has eligible players play- ing in the two highest competi- tions in the world; Australia's NRL and England's Super League. Players including the Wakefield Wildcats' Jarrod Sammut are regulars in the Malta team. The national team's 34-16 loss in Sydney against Lebanon last week unearthed some new play- ers eligible from the Australian leagues that Micallef is keeping a close eye on. "There were a number of solid performances in Sydney. I'm working closely with our manag- er in Sydney, David Axisa, to get four or five of them over to Malta this year" said Micallef. Malta based players preparing for Belgium test Birkirkara 19-year-old winger Jean-Pierre Zarb debuted against Greece last year and was in the Malta team that defeated Czech Republic 34-8 away from home. Zarb commented, "Everyone is looking forward to the June match against Belgium. We're expect- ing the biggest crowd we've ever played in front of, and the players from Malta are trying to be in the best condition we've ever been in for a summer international. The overseas based players are always at a strong level and we want to be closer to that level". Its important local business supports Maltese sport LivingWell Health Club Manag- er Paul Sparling said the partner- ship with the MRL was a continu- ation of a relationship held since the team's European Bowl victory over Norway in 2010. "Its important local business supports Maltese sport; the play- ers involved give up a lot for the honour of wearing a national shirt. Here at LivingWell we can offer an excellent training envi- ronment but also somewhere to come to relax and recover which is just as important when the guys are holding down full time jobs and training" said Sparling. LivingWell Health Club is a tem- perature-controlled environment and is located within Hilton Mal- ta. The facilities include steam, spa and sauna, squash courts, rowing facilities and all gym fa- cilities are within the confines of the Portomaso complex. High performance coach to be appointed ahead of Ireland clash Malta national coach Anthony Micallef said ideas were taken from pro clubs and setups abroad including Jamaica's well docu- mented Hurricanes Rugby League project. The national squad con- cept will benefit in the coming months from the appointment of a high performance assistant coach. The Maltese national rugby league team is currently ranked 24 in the world and face 21st ranked Belgium on June 21 at Carnegie Headingley Stadium in Leeds. In August, Malta host the 7th- in-the-world ranked Ireland as its final warm-up before the World Cup Qualifying campaign kicks off on September 26 in Valencia against Spain. The Malta national squad: Malcolm Attard (Stompers RL), Christian Briffa (Malta Origin RL), Julian Caruana (Stompers RL), Dragan Cerketa (Stompers RL), Peter Debono (Malta Origin RL), Darren Edmunds (Team Pit RL), Sam Keep (Malta Origin RL), Joe Paolella (Malta Origin RL), Jean-Pierre Zarb (Eagles RL) PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTIN CIAPPARA Maltese referees to participate in the Lennart Johansson Academy Trophy Youth Tournament, Sweden FIFA Referee Esther Azzopardi, FIFA Assistant Referee Jurgen Spi- teri, Elite Assistant Referee David Castillo, Category 1 Referees Mat- thew De Gabriele and Etienne Man- gion, later this week will officiate in the prestigious Lennart Johansson Academy Trophy 2015 Youth Tour- nament, played in Skytteholms IP, Solna from 15 to 17 May 2015. Other talented participating refe- rees will be from Bosnia and Herze- govina, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Sweden. Mentor and advisor for all the in- ternational referees will be Kyros Vassaras, FIFA instructor, UEFA ob- server and chairman of the Romani- an Football Association for Referees; while referee director from Sweden will be Markus Lejonstad. The tournament is reserved for boys' teams born in 2001 and 2002, and girls' teams born in 2001. The 28 participating teams this year are: in the boys' categories AIK (Sweden), AS Roma (Italy), Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona (Spain), Crystal Palace and Liverpool FC (England), Dynamo Moscow (Russia), FC Co- penhagen (Denmark), FC Honka (Finland), FC Twente (Netherlands), Juventus FC (Italy), KRC Genk (Bel- gium), Panathinaikos FC and PAOK FC (Greece), Rapid Vienna (Austria), Stabaek Fotbol (Norway); in the girls' category AIK (Sweden), FC Honka and ONS (Finland), Madrid CFF (Spain), Oslo Fotballkrets (Norway), Paris Saint-Germain (France), RCD Espanyol (Spain), Strikers FC-South Coast (USA). Together with referees' exchanges started four years ago by the Malta FA Referees' Department, this is another in the chain of opportuni- ties which are indeed proving to be a fruitful experience for our top match officials (including interna- tional ones to broaden their overseas experience, as in this case) and the young and upcoming ones which should serve them well in their fu- ture career, possibly earning them FIFA Badge recognition in the years to come. from left to right: Etienne A. Mangion (Category 1 Referee), David Castillo (Elite Assistant Referee), Esther Azzopardi (FIFA Referee), Jurgen Spiteri (FIFA Assistant Referee) and Matthew De Gabriele (Category 1 Referee) PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOMENIC AQUILINA