Brotherly love for reigning champs
ONE of Australia’s best chances of a medal at the upcoming Maccabiah Games will come in the rugby event, when the Aussies look to defend their gold from 2009.
ONE of Australia’s best chances of a medal at the upcoming Maccabiah Games will come in the rugby event, when the Aussies look to defend their gold from 2009.
In the ultimate grudge match, Australia toppled Great Britain 19-16 and will be hoping to go back-to-back when it heads to Israel in July.
“Our intention is to go to Israel and defend the gold – nothing more, nothing less,” rugby section manager David Greenstein told The AJN.
“On paper, we are just as accomplished across the field as we were in 2009 … and we are as good a chance as last time to win it.
“But I think it’s probably more difficult to defend the gold medal than it was to gain it in the first place.”
In a historic achievement for the team, five sets of brothers will don the green and gold in Israel, including Sydneysiders Keith and Dean Friedlander, Kevin and Shaun Jankelowitz, Dave and George Davis, and Daniel, Nathan and Ben Ezekiel, as well Victorians Jonathan and Antony Kastelan.
“I would say this would be a first in [Australian] Maccabiah history … of the 26 players, 13 are siblings,” Greenstein said.
Former Australia representative Glen Ella will coach the team and Greenstein believes that under the guidance of the ex-Wallaby, as well as his assistant Andrew O’Brien, the Aussies have the ability to go all the way again.
“I’m confident that under their skills, or tutelage, the boys will accomplish great things on the field,” Greenstein said.
The majority of the squad is based in Sydney, but there are four players who reside in three other states.
The Kastelan brothers will represent Victoria, Ben Phillips, who is also an accomplished cricketer, hails from Brisbane, and first grade player Rafael Gollach, who will this week be part of an integration process with the Maccabi NSW Blues team, is from Perth.
Ashley Shenker
Photo: Peter Haskin
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