FOUR rugby union players from Port Stephens have been selected to tour with the NSW Country under-18 side to South Africa later this year.
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Medowie's Tom Underwood, 17, Scott Triston and Ethan Fray, both 16, and Kane Murray, 16, from Swan Bay, began their Newcastle-Hunter representative careers playing juniors with the Medowie and Districts Rugby Union Club.
Underwood and Murray now play for Maitland and Triston and Fray for Merewether in the weekend competition.
The teens were selected for the 25-person NSW Country squad who will play four games in Pretoria and Johannesburg regions of South Africa in November.
"We are all really honoured to be representing NSW Country and the Port Stephens region," Fray said.
"The tour will be a great experience to compete against very tough South African sides and experience the culture in South Africa."
Darren Anderson, president of the Medowie Rugby Club, said that the boys had proved that representative pathways could be realised from playing with smaller clubs like Medowie.
"Even though we couldn't provide the boys with a Medowie team this season and they're playing with Newcastle and Maitland clubs for 2015, we feel Medowie rugby has really contributed to their development and we'll continue to support them as locally grown talent," he said.
The four teens are currently fundraising to cover the cost of their trip.
They will be at Medowie home games selling raffle tickets, with prizes supplied by NSW Country Rugby Union including a signed Wallabies jersey.
Sponsorship was also being sought. Anyone who would like to help can email president@medowierugby.com.