KARAWANA A BOLT FROM THE BLUE FOR AUSSIES
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Hyperion Paradise 7s, November 18: The Aussie Thunderbolts will throw former Newcastle Knight NRL utility player Marvin Karawana and a host of emerging youngsters into the fray on the opening day of the Hyperion Paradise 7s on the Gold Coast tomorrow.
The two-day $40,000 Paradise 7s tournament at Carrara Sporting Complex
has attracted teams from throughout Asia and the Pacific and around
Australia in the men’s and women’s divisions and the East Coast
Challenge for local South East Queensland clubs.
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Thunderbolts coach Mick O’Connor has selected a mix of established 7s players and a new breed of youngster to join Karawana, who finished an injury-plagued career with the Knights this season.
Although the 25-year-old former New Zealander does have a rugby background, O’Connor said this weekend’s Hyperion Paradise 7s will be Karawana’s first Rugby 7s appearance.
“He’s come from a rugby environment early in his career, before switching to the NRL and he has a strong defensive game which we are always looking for,” said O’Connor.
“Marvin is keen to have a crack and he’s obviously a very good footballer so it will be good to see how he stacks up in 7s football.”
Karawana played his rugby in Wellington and made his NRL debut against the St George Dragons back in 2007.
O’Connor is also excited about the youngsters he has elevated into the Thunderbolts, including Nudgee College graduate and Australian Schoolboy, Sean McMahon, who will join the likes of Gold Coast Breakers Colts Tim Hindmarsh and Sean Cox in the Aussie squad.
McMahon, just 17, stood out in the Australian Schoolboys team, where O’Connor first noticed him, but he certainly rammed home his talent in the 7s game when he played a leading role in NewStar’s win over the Thunderbolts in the Noosa International 7s tournament last Sunday.
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“Sean certainly stood out and he’s a player we have had our eyes on through the Schoolboys and along with Tim and Sean we are going to throw these boys into the deep end this weekend,” said O’Connor.
Karawana will be just one of several NRL players who will line up in the third running of one of Rugby 7s most popular tournaments with another former Knight, former NSW State of Origin star Robbie O’Davis joining former Roosters and St George Dragon try-scoring winger Nathan Blacklock and NRL and rugby journeyman Wise Kativerata in the Country King Browns line up.
The Warwick Bombers, the final team added into the competition, will field former Wallaby and Eastern Suburbs Rooster Andrew Walker in their starting lineup.
Tomorrow’s opening game will see NewStar, winners in Byron Bay and Noosa, take on the Hong Kong Dragons at 10am. The Aussie Thunderbolts will kick off their campaign against Queensland Country at 12 noon.
NEWSTAR THE TALK OF THE TOWN
NewStar are the talk of the town although they will field a new-look
team, following the loss of McMahon and the ACT’s Lindsay Crook to the
Thunderbolts but will rely on the skills of former Fijian Under 20s
captain Junior Rasolea and former Nudgee half-back Jake Milne.
The Dragons are made up of senior international players who are all
playing their domestic rugby in Hong Kong and they will field an
experienced group including captain and centre, Rowan Varty, outside half Keith Robertson, half- back, Fan Shun Kei and wing Yiu Kam Shing Salome.
Also in the Dragons team will be the McQueen brothers, Alex and Tom, who will bring local knowledge to the squad having just completed under graduate degrees at Queensland University along with Tim Alexander who was born and bred in Albury, NSW.
Other teams to watch out for will include the URLSamurai, which is made
up of the majority of the Auckland team that won the New Zealand
National 7s in September and Fijian-based teams the South Sea Drifters
and Daveta.
PEARLS “TOUCH AND GO” FOR 7s GLORY
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Meanwhile in the growing women’s division all eyes will be focused on the Aussie Pearls and 2009 champions and Byron Bay winners Eastsyde.
The Pearls, fresh from wins on the Central Coast of NSW and at Noosa, have been in a training camp in Casuarina as they prepare for the Paradise tournament on their way to the Dubai 7s next week.
And it will be a case of “touch and go” for two of coach Chris King’s girls when they front up for the opening day’s games at Carrara.
Australian Touch Football stars Lizzy Campbell and Emilee Cherry will be rested later in the day so they can prepare for the Brisbane Touch Football Grand Final tomorrow night.
Campbell and Cherry will both turn out for the Southern Stars against the Colts from the Sunshine Coast, before coming back to the Gold Coast for Sunday’s finals.
The Pearls will open up their weekend against Murri Magic at 10.20am tomorrow, followed by Tonga at 1pm and Sunnybank at 3.20pm.
All the Saturday action starts from 10am with Sunday’s countdown to the finals also kicking off at 1am with the men’s final starting at 4:40pm.
Spectators are encouraged to take advantage of the discounts on offer, and plan for a great start to the Gold Coast's Festival of Rugby, an exciting 8-day Festival of Rugby that will include Veterans 10s, culminating in the "Gold Coast Sevens - Fever Pitch tournament - the first leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series at Skilled Park on November 25 and 26".
"The Festival of Rugby and the Gold Coast Sevens - Fever Pitch are supported by the Queensland Government through Events Queensland."
For information on the 2011 Hyperion Paradise 7s – please visit www.paradise7s.com.au or keep in touch via facebook.com/paradise7s or twitter.com/paradise7s
DOWNLOAD:: Hyperion Paradise 7's Rugby Media Accreditation 2011
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW THROUGH Foxtix PARADISE 7S TICKETS
TICKETING PRICES (Tickets are available through Foxtix )
| Hyperion Paradise 7s 2-Day Pass PRE SALE General Admission - Adult General Admission - Concession Adult Concession Junior (14 and Under) Saturday 19th November General Admission - AdultGeneral Admission - Concession Adult Concession Junior (14 and Under)
Saturday 19th November
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$15 $12 $20 $15 FREE
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“The Festival of Rugby and the Gold Coast Sevens – Fever Pitch are supported by the Queensland Government through Events Queensland.”
