Ballymore Tornadoes

Rugby team
teamname = Ballymore Tornadoes


union = Australian Rugby Union
location = Brisbane, Australia
country

founded = 2007
region = Brisbane North and northern Queensland
ground = Ballymore Stadium
capacity = 24,000
coach = Chris Roche
captain = Tom McVery | league = Australian Rugby Championship
season = 2007
position = 7th
unionurl=www.qru.com.au
pattern_la1=_navylower|pattern_b1=_silversides|pattern_ra1=_navylower| leftarm1=660033|body1=660033|rightarm1=660033|shorts1=000033|socks1=660033

The Ballymore Tornadoes were an Australian rugby union football club that played in the now-defunct Australian Rugby Championship. The Tornadoes were formed as one of Queensland's two clubs that will participate in the inaugural season of the championship, starting in August 2007. Based in Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane, they represent the northside of the city, as well as the north of Queensland. The team colors are maroon, blue and silver and their local rivals are the East Coast Aces.

History

The inaugural Australian Rugby Championship, which started in August 2007, included eight teams of which two are based in Queensland. In June 2006 it was announced that one of the Queensland sides will be playing out of Ballymore Stadium in Brisbane.cite web | work=rugby.com.au | title=Queensland Rugby begins planning for new competition | date=2006-02-14 |url=http://rugby.com.au/news/queensland_rugby_begins_planning_for_new_competiti,45626.html/section/21893| accessdate=2007-02-20] The name, logo and team colors (along with the Aces) were unveiled on the 14 February, 2007, by the Queensland Rugby Union (QRU).cite web | work=qru.com.au | title=ARC Team names and logos announced | date=2006-06-02 |url=http://www.qru.com.au/qru/qru.rugby/page/63338/section/62590| accessdate=2007-02-21]

On February 23 Chris Roche was announced as the coach of the Tornadoes. Roche, the Coaching Director of Norths QUT, one of the Tornadoes feeder clubs is also a former Wallaby, playing 17 Tests as well as 49 matches for the Reds during the 1980s.cite web | work=qru.com.au | title=Former Wallaby and ex-AB to coach new Qld national teams | date=2007-02-23 |url=http://www.worldcupweb.com/wcrugby/news/viewarticle.asp?id=2137| accessdate=2007-02-23] The selection process of Queensland's (Tornadoes and Aces) two coaches were overseen by Reds head coach Eddie Jones. The Tornadoes selected a preliminary squad of 56 players from the Premier Rugby competition in early April.cite web | work=qru.com.au | title=Tornadoes announce fitness test lineup | date=2007-04-02 |url=http://qru.com.au/qru/qru.rugby/page/63753| accessdate=2007-04-04]

Colours and logo

with the team name. Their colours are maroon, blue and silver.

tadium

The Ballymore Tornadoes will be playing out of Ballymore Stadium. Ballymore was built in 1966 and is the home of the QRU. It was also home to the Super Rugby team the Queensland Reds until they moved to the larger Suncorp Stadium in 2006. The stadium has a capacity of around 24,000. [cite web | url=http://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/stadiums.php?id=10 | title=Ballymore Stadium | publisher=Ausatdiums.com | accessdate=2007-02-21] It was known from early stages of the planning of the competition that one of Queenslands' clubs would likely use Ballymore as its home ground for the competition. It was even mentioned at one stage that both clubs may use Ballymore as a home base. [cite web | url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Two-Brisbane-rugby-teams-crazy-Connolly/2006/08/18/1155408013528.html | title=Two Brisbane rugby teams crazy: Connolly | date=2006-08-18 | publisher=SMH | accessdate=2007-02-21] Ballymore has also in the past played host to international games.

Franchise area

Queensland's two teams in the ARC were aligned with existing clubs and regions. The Brisbane River formed a georgaphical divide between the two ARC teams. [cite web | url=http://rugby.com.au/fixtures_results/australian_rugby_championship/teams,50383.html| title=Teams | publisher=rugby.com.au | accessdate=2007-02-22] The Tornadoes are aligned with six clubs that participate in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition, those six are; Brothers, GPS, Norths/QUT, Sunshine Coast Rugby, University and Wests.

Former squad

Records

Head coaches

* Chris Roche (2007)

Assistant Coach

* Paul Healy (2007)

Captains

* Tom McVerry (2007)

ee also

* Queensland Rugby Union (QRU)
* Queensland Reds
* Queensland Premier Rugby

References

External links

* [http://www.qru.com.au/qru/qru.rugby/page/62680 Ballymore Tornadoes] on QRU.com.au
* [http://rugby.com.au/fixtures_results/australian_rugby_championship/overview,50381.html Australian Rugby Championship] on rugby.com.au