Batley Bulldogs’ Evie Kilburn and Millie Taylor have been invited to tour New Zealand with the Australia school champions. As part of the tour they will face the Haka when they play the New Zealand School Champions – an exciting though maybe daunting prospect but one both girls are definitely looking forward to.
Following on from the successful Batley Bulldogs girls U16 rugby league tour of Australia last October, two of the girls have been selected to represent and play for Australian School Champions Merrimac High on a tour of New Zealand.
Merrimac High runs a National Rugby League accredited rugby league program for girls. As part of that there is an outreach program that allows coaching staff to identify gifted and talented players from outside Queensland to play for or take part in the program.
Early on Wednesday morning, Batley Bulldogs players Evie Kilburn & Millie Taylor received their call up letters.
The Merrimac coaching staff were so impressed by their performances while on tour last year, they have invited them to take part and play in the school’s 10 day tour of New Zealand in September.
During the tour they will play: the New Zealand School Champions; a district team and Rugby Union 7’s as well as playing in a beach touch rugby tournament.
This is a fantastic reward for two girls who have played from the age of 6 and who eat, sleep and breathe rugby league.
However, Evie and Millie need to raise funds in order to take advantage of this wonderful experience and coach Craig Taylor has launched a Crowdfunding page:
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/evie-millies-tour-fund
If you can help at all please donate to the fund.
The girls are due to leave for Australia on 7 September and on their return to the UK we will update you on how they have got on.
This is a fantastic opportunity for both the girls and an accolade to their club and coaches.
Report courtesy of Craig Taylor
