By Jonathan B Geddes

There will be a strong Australian influence when Malta hosts Austria in a big rugby Test on Sunday, in front of an anticipated crowd of 5000 plus.

Two former Shute Shield players are among the three Aussies in the Maltese team. On top of that, former Queensland Reds coach Brad Thorn recently spent time on the Mediterranean island oasis working with the Rams’ forwards before they played Cyprus.

Malta has topped their pool in the Rugby Europe Conference competition and, in a massive game on Sunday, is playing for promotion to the Trophy Division.

The three Australians in the team to play at the National Stadium in the capital, Valletta, are Sydney brothers John and Ryan Connelly, along with Queenslander Adam Kelly.

Ryan is a hooker who has played for Southern Districts, the Two Blues and Eastwood. John is a former Australian Schoolboy representative and graduate of The King’s School, who also played with Eastwood. They were both in Malta’s last two Test wins over Angora and Israel.

When the brothers returned home from those previous Tests, they described it as the best experience of their lives.   

Winger Kelly is the nephew of Brad Thorn, whose wife is Maltese. Kelly is a real rugby globetrotter who currently plays in Holland.

The door is open for other Aussies to become Test players for the national team, currently 46^th in the World Rugby rankings. 

The best-known Australian to have played for Malta is former Brumbies and Randwick outside back Adam Magro.  

This story demonstrates rugby is truly an international game whose boundaries stretch far beyond Papua New Guinea and Las Vegas.

RUGBY MISSIONARY DOING GOOD WORK 

A REAL driving force behind the growth of rugby in Malta is Mark DeBrincat, the former Gordon coach, who first represented the country in 2002 as a lock.

His grandfather was born in Malta and came to Australia as a young boy

Mark got his start with the national team after answering an ad in the Rugby World magazine. He played one club game and later that week made his Test debut against Bulgaria.    

DeBrincat, a former development manager with Rugby Australia and NSW Rugby, has been a passionate advocate of the code in Malta, coaching and recruiting eligible players from Australia.

“I love being involved with it and love getting over when I can and helping out with the coaching and getting some guys over who can play,” he said.  

Asked about the standard of international rugby at this level, DeBrincat replied: “Once they get to the better teams, it’s probably second-grade Shute Shield. There are some good players in there.”   

Six local clubs play in Malta’s national competition.

“Every time Malta plays a Test match, roughly half of the 23 are Maltese guys who live in Malta, and then half come in,” DeBrincat said.

In a real boost for the code, there has been a lot of local interest in the build-up to Sunday’s game.

“I’d say for this game they will probably get 5-6000 people,” DeBrincat said. “I have seen a heap of media this week leading up to it.”   

TEST PLAYERS WANTED

DeBrincat is always on the lookout for players to represent Malta, provided they meet the minimum eligibility requirement of having one grandparent born in Malta.

“Anyone with Maltese heritage, get in contact,” he said. “If you can trace your heritage and fancy playing a Test match, what a great opportunity.”  

Prospective recruits can touch base at mdebrincat@hotmail.com             

The Malta v Austria game can be viewed on the Rugby Europe website.