Australian squad for UK Tour announced
The Right at Home Jackaroos squad for the upcoming tour of the United Kingdom has been announced, including a quartet of new additions to the open team.
Western Australia’s Cody Packer and Queensland’s Matt Lucas have earned their place in the national squad following successful trials at Club Tamborine on the Gold Coast over the past fortnight.
The door was also left ajar for two women to make their way into the national team, following recent decisions by Commonwealth Games gold medallists Carla Krizanic and Kelsey Cottrell to make themselves unavailable for selection for this tour.
Jamie-Lee Worsnop and Kylie Whitehead have earned the favour of the national selection panel, following impressive displays at the trials a fortnight ago.
The tour will provide the foursome with the opportunity to receive their inaugural international caps, in addition to another another two individuals who have suffered an arduous wait.
Due to border closures and travel restrictions in 2020 and 2021, Genevieve Delves and Carl Healey were left languishing without an international cap, but that wait will end in May when they board the plane to the UK.
Victoria’s Jay Bye-Norris will remain in the Emerging Jackaroos squad.
The Para-Jackaroos squad will also tour the UK in May, with Serena Bonnell, Jo Hunter, Cheryl Lindfield and Alison Meakin to represent the nation in women’s pairs.
The men’s pairs teams will consist of Josh Thornton, Damien Delgado, Tony Bonnell and Chris Flavel, while the vision impaired mixed pairs squad includes Helen Boardman, Fred McConnell and Jake Fehlberg, with one more selection to be made.
National coach Gary Willis is buoyed by the selected squad and was soundly impressed with the recent trials at the Australian Institute of Sport and in Queensland on greens replicating the experience at Leamington Spa in May and again later on at the Commonwealth Games in July.
“I am extremely excited by the squad that will tour the UK in May, they were all magnificent at our recent trials on greens with speeds similar to what we will expect,” Willis said.
“They are all looking forward to the challenge of going outside their comfort zone and undertaking some significant preparation ahead of the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
“This is one of our most important tours in years and this team is more than well equipped to thrive in the conditions.
“I would like to extend my thanks and gratitude to Damian Bartlett and the crew at Mount Tamborine for the tireless work they have done to replicate the conditions we will face in the UK.”
Bowls Australia acknowledge the considerable support given by Commonwealth Games Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport in ensuring the best possible preparations for the Right At Home Jackaroos’ Commonwealth Games campaign.
BA is also appreciative of the funding provided by City of Gold Coast to aid in the delivery of training camps and lead-up international events.
Open Jackaroos Women
Natasha Van Eldik (Raymond Terrace, NSW)
Rebecca Van Asch (Invermay, TAS)
Dawn Hayman (St Johns Park, NSW)
Genevieve Delves (Raymond Terrace, NSW)
Lynsey Clarke (Tweed Heads, QLD)
Kylie Whitehead (Wodonga, VIC)
Ellen Ryan (Cabramatta, NSW)
Chloe Stewart (Tweed Heads, NSW)
Kristina Kristic (Manning Memorial, WA)
Jamie-Lee Worsnop (Cabramatta, NSW)
Open Jackaroos Men
Ben Twist (St Johns Park, NSW)
Carl Healey (Cabramatta, NSW)
Aaron Wilson (Cabramatta, NSW)
Aaron Teys (Warilla, NSW)
Corey Wedlock (Warilla, NSW)
Wayne Ruediger (Grange, SA)
Barrie Lester (Burleigh Heads, QLD)
Jesse Noronha (Cabramatta, NSW)
Mathew Lucas (Helensvale, QLD)
Cody Packer (Osborne Park, WA)
Para-squad:
Women’s Pairs – Serena Bonnell (Broadbeach, QLD), Jo Hunter (Gymea, NSW), Cheryl Lindfield (Mt Gravatt, QLD), Alison Meakin (Mullgrave Country, VIC)
Men’s Pairs – Tony Bonnell (Broadbeach, QLD), Damien Delgado (Tweed Heads, QLD), Josh Thornton (Murray Downs Golf and Country, VIC), Chris Flavel (Lockleys, SA)
VI Mixed Pairs* – Helen Boardman (Enoggera, QLD, Director – Peter Doherty), Fred McConnell (Cudgen Leagues, NSW, Director – Graham Border), Jake Fehlberg (Bargara, QLD, Director – Grant Fehlberg)
* – One selection to be made.
