National coach Kane Krlic has today announced his 24 man extended squad for the upcoming internationals, including 5 cobras. National team stalwart and Cobras founder Daan van Rossum has been named once again as well as 4 debutants in Adam Brax, Thieu Heuijerjans, Joran Schoenmaker and David Schram.
Daan van Rossum making a crushing tackle
Cobra #01 Dann van Rossum is in his 5th year of national selection and is one of the most experienced players selected in the national side. Daan first learned about Rugby League from his “Jedi Master” Jason Bruygoms after a chance meeting in 2008 while playing rugby union for AAC. In those early days of Dutch League there were no domestic clubs, so Daan’s first league match was with the Dutch Devolpment side playing against a touring team from Oxford University. One game, and a late night watching Billy Slater highlight videos later had Daan hooked for life, and the rest as they say is history. Now ten years later with 7 Test caps to his name, and just one week out from his first Netherlands National Championship Grand Final he’s noticeably excited.
“The games against our neighbours are epic. The atmosphere, the anthems, the skill level and the intensity of the battle is unlike anything else,” said the club founder. “I’m not on cloud 9, cloud 999 wouldn’t even cut it to describe my feelings. Years of hard work trying to set a club up and weeks of working with this group leads finally to this point. We have such a strong club feeling, it is magical to be part of. New faces join every week and stay which is amazing. [I’m] proud as a “hond met 7 lullen” as we say in Amsterdam.”
Joran Schoenmaker breaking a tackle.
Cobras recruit Joran Schoenmaker is setting Dutch Rugby League on fire. In just 7 weeks he’s gone from playing his first ever game of Rugby League to being called up to the Dutch national side, and what a 7 weeks it’s been. Joran has smashed the club record for tries scored in a season and currently has the most tries of the entire competition. The 18 year old from Zwolle is turning heads with his electrifying play style but when asked about his selection to the national side, he’ll talk down his abilities.
“Well it says something about the Netherlands, nay?” jokes Schoenmaker, ” I just want to get the best out of myself, no matter what team I am in I am proud of what I do, how I play, and of the guys I play with.”