By Mark Cashman

Has anyone got a Maltese grandparent and wants to play Test rugby? It could be your lucky day.

Malta are currently looking for Australian based players with Maltese heritage to play Test rugby and help Malta push up the Rugby Europe Rankings.

Former Gordon assistant coach Mark DeBrincat played a number of Tests for Malta at the backend of his playing days and is on the look out for players on this side of the globe to get involved.

“Back in 2002, I saw an ad in Rugby News calling for players with Maltese heritage to go over and play for the country,” Debrincat told this column.

“My grandfather was born in Malta and came to Australia when he was 8-years old.

"I sent an email and they got back to me and said if I could get over there and play a club game, then I’d be a good chance of getting picked to play against Bulgaria a few weeks later.”

Malta won two matches against Cyprus earlier this year and have a number of Tests scheduled in 2024 and 2025.

“It’s probably about a third or fourth grade Shute Shield standard or maybe first or second grade Kentwell Cup with a few good, experienced players and a few older guys thrown in around that.

“I’ve actually heard Sean McMahon’s mother is from Malta, so we’d love to get a hold of him one day.

“If Joe Schmidt isn’t giving you a call up, maybe this is your best route to playing Test rugby.”

Work is being done to help subsidise players travel costs to Malta and DeBrincat said you’ll barely need your wallet once you land in the Mediterranean.

If you’d like to get involved, shoot through an email to [email protected] 

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I’ve always enjoyed the gags and lines of logic that Manly Marlins evergreen hooker James Hilterbrand throws out there occasionally on social media and his take on the great Shute Shield points system was . . . as you’d expect.

‘Cecil’ argued that a points system should also apply to the boat race that club’s field at the after-match function.

“You can't field 4 professional drinkers to win the boat race - it's not fair,” Hilterbrand reasoned.