THE Collins Stewart Jersey Touch team will depart for Stellenbosch, South Africa, tomorrow, to face extremely tough competition in the mixed open group of the Touch World Cup.

The team’s opening match against hosts South Africa next Wednesday.

Jersey’s squad features Michael Le Bourgeois who at 16 years of age could be one of the youngest players, if not the youngest, at the tournament.

Team manager, Morag Obarska said: ‘It’s a big opportunity for him, he played in the European Championships in Edinburgh in the men’s team and has come on so much – he’s now a strong player for the team and deserves his place.’ With Arnou Helmholt Kneisel awarded captaincy, the three times European Champions will now have to step up to the next level to face the best teams in the world.

With opponents in the form of Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Switzerland it is no surprise that Obarska admits: ‘It is a little bit daunting.’ ‘We do have a very good track record against European sides but playing against the likes of Australia and New Zealand who have played the game since childhood is a different ball game altogether,’ Obarska added.

‘The fact that we train together regularly gives us an edge on the bigger countries.

The team knows each other very well and we’ve trained hard so if we put this into practice who knows what we can do when we get there – it would be great to put in some scores against these strong teams and perform to our best.’ Le Bourgeois, currently on a construction course at Highlands College, is excited at going – and also, perhaps, a little surprised at his team selection.

‘Coach Dan McDowall asked me up for training two years ago and last May I was picked for the men’s team in the European championships, in Edinburgh,’ explained Le Bourgeois.

‘For the mixed team, which is being sent to South Africa, there were two trial sessions and I was lucky enough to be selected.

I know I’ll be the youngest Jersey player going, but that doesn’t mean I don’t believe we can’t win a medal.

‘I think if everyone’s on form, we could do.

We’ve been training three times a week.

I think that New Zealand will probably win the overall mixed title, but I’m looking forward to scoring at least a few tries.

‘I prefer rugby, but touch is fun – rugby is much more of a physical game; touch relies on quickness and awareness.

‘I think that we can definitely get to the semi-finals.

I was 14, I think, when I began playing touch and the Island team has definitely improved since we started training – the girls in particular.

I think we’re all pretty fit.’ Squad: Dan McDowall (player/coach), Mark White (vice captain), Arnou Helmholt Kneisel (captain), Chris Veal, Mark Knight, Simon di Meo, Ben Small, Dan Curzons, Michael Le Bourgeois, Zoe Smart, Chrissie Hefford, Claire Le Maistre, Rena Nelson, Sarah Kerley, Suzy Shore, Giselle Gosselin.