Eight players, coach and manager from the Melbourne University Rugby Football Club have been selected in the Melbourne University  Barbarians (MUB) team to play Sydney University (SU) and the University of Queensland (UQ) in Brisbane over the Easter long weekend.  Details of those selected are as follows:

Josh Hately, Loose Head Prop
Adrian Garvey, Tight Head Prop
Barry O'Neill, Hooker
Tom Twinn , Hooker
Jimmy White (Arts/Science - Melb) No 8
Gareth Cameron (Arts/Engineering - Melb) Inside Centre
Jared van Heerden , 5/8

Sione Uhi, Wing
Murray Harley, Coach
Simon Davis, Manager

In the early 1900's only Melbourne University and Sydney University participated in inter-varsity sport.  The University of Queensland was included some years later and to mark nearly a century of inter-varsity rugby the three oldest academic establishments in Australia will be doing battle in a three way University rugby tournament.

All three academic institutions have rugby teams that play in the respective Premier Grade club rugby competitions.  Over the last decade SURC has been at the forefront of Australian rugby in terms of infrastructure, players, coaches and management and in recent years UQRC and MURFC have tried to leverage of the great work done by SURC and are really starting to achieve success both on and off the field.

To be eligible to play individuals have to be enrolled at a University or first year since graduation.  The tournament is being played as a selection for the Australian Universities Rugby Union team that will play New Zealand Universities on 24th April and Australian Services later in the year.  Planning has commenced for an overseas tour some time over the period Nov - Feb so there is plenty to play for.

The Melbourne University Barbarians team is open to students from every university in Australia outside Sydney and Queensland Universities.  In an attempt to promote university rugby, students who play for university rugby clubs are given preference however in some cases this is not always an option.  Not all universities are represented as:

1) some students are currently involved with Super 14 and State Academy programs and playing professional or semi-professional rugby;

2) Sydney grade rugby commences over the Easter weekend; and

3) the standard across Australia varies significantly to a point where it is hard to cater for all skill levels.