NORTHERN QUEENSLAND WINS 2012 NATIONAL INDIGENOUS UNDER 16 CHAMPIONSHIP

Northern Queensland have won the title of tournament Champions at this year’s National Indigenous Under 16 Championship which wrapped up on the Gold Coast this past weekend.

The Championships, which sees Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players from state, territory and affiliate representative teams come together to compete, was secured by the Northern Queensland team after defeating Southern Queensland 19 - 12 in the final match.

Held at Palm Beach Currumbin Rugby Union Club on the Gold Coast, the tournament features six teams; Northern NSW, Southern QLD, Southern NSW/ACT, Combined States, Northern Territory, and Northern QLD competing against one another in a round robin format across two days. 

Day One saw teams play in three rounds of six 30-minute matches. The winners of each round then played one another in three final rounds on Day Two yesterday with Northern Queensland taking out the overall title.

Player of the Tournament was awarded to Moses Serevi from St Peters Lutheran College Brisbane with James Wedders Leece from Duval High School in Armidale winning the Best Forward or Back Award. Both were named to represent the National Indigenous Squad at this year’s National Under 16s Championship.

The National Under 16s Championships is a National representative tournament for Under-16 players from National, State or Territory representative teams, conducted annually by the Australian Rugby Union and is another important element of the Player Pathway at National, Provincial, Regional and Affiliate level.

The 2012 National Under 16s Championship will be held at St Ignatius College Riverview from Sunday 30 September until Friday 5 October.

The full list of players selected to represent the National Indigenous squad for the 2012 National Under 16s Championship is below.