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| Visser Makes Amsterdam Return |
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| © Tim Visser (left) and brother Sep with the Middlesex Sevens trophy |
| 15 May 2008, 1:54 pm |
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| Newcastle Falcons' Dutch winger Tim Visser returns to his homeland this weekend, as he forms part of the KooGa Wailers team for the Amsterdam Sevens. |
It was at the same tournament back in 2004 that a young Visser's talents were first spotted by current Falcons team mate Joe Shaw, with the Dutch youngster making such an impression that he was brought in to the Newcastle Academy for two years before going on to win first team honours.
Now aged 20, Visser has already made 36 appearances for the Falcons first team, with his return to the Amsterdam Sevens sparking a media frenzy as the face of Dutch rugby returns to his native land.
“It will be great to play back in Holland, although it's quite weird seeing my face all over the billboards and posters,” said Visser, who as well as representing the Wailers is also the official ambassador for the tournament.
Visser will be joined in the Wailers squad by younger brother Sep, the Holland Under-18s international who formed part of the Falcons' group for their victorious Middlesex Sevens campaign, as they take on a star-studded 60-team Amsterdam line-up including the South African national Sevens squad.
Fellow Middlesex Sevens winners Adam Dehaty, Micky Young, Scott Riddell, Luke Fielden and Ross Batty are also named in the Wailers group, with coach Mark Laycock donning his boots for the games on the opening day.
Blaydon winger Andrew Fenby is included after scoring nine tries in two games for the Falcons Development XV at the tail end of the 15-a-side season, while former Falcon and Scotland 7s international Andrew Skeen also joins a Wailers squad which last month won the Langholm Sevens in Scotland, and only lost out to the Irish national team in the Kinsale 7s.
Coach Laycock said: “Amsterdam remains one of the toughest Sevens tournaments on the circuit, especially with the quality of teams entering this year including the South African national side.
“But we have a strong squad with a lot of Sevens quality, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the lads get on.”
KooGa Wailers squad for Amsterdam Sevens:
Andrew Fenby (Blaydon)
Scott Riddell (Darlington Mowden Park)
Aaron Myers (Darlington Mowden Park)
Micky Young (Newcastle Falcons)
Luke Fielden (Cambridge)
Adam Dehaty (Newcastle Falcons)
Tim Visser (Newcastle Falcons)
Ross Batty (Newcastle Falcons)
Drew Locke (Northumbria University)
Andrew Skeen (Watsonians)
Sep Visser (RC Hilversum)
Mark Laycock (Newcastle Falcons) |
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