RUGBY UNION: Maley making his mark (From Oxford Mail)

RUGBY UNION: Maley making his mark

4:44pm Wednesday 10th March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(2)

Dom Maley’s boredom has proved to be Oxford Harlequins gain, with the centre already running in 17 league tries.

Australian Maley moved to Oxford after securing a job as a PE teacher at Wheatley Park School.

But unlike most of Quins’ overseas players, there had been no prior contact between him and the club.

Maley said: “I finished university in December 2008 and came out here to do a bit of travelling and work.

“I just got a bit bored at weekends and looked up rugby clubs on the internet.

“I found Oxford Harlequins, spoke to Tony Edney and had a few games for the seconds at the end of last season.

“I just got in touch and one thing led to another.”

This campaign Maley has become one of Quins’ most impressive players and his involvement led to No 8 Jason Welburn and fly half Jeff Stewart joining as well.

The trio are friends from New South Wales and went to Charles Sturt University together.

They all seem to have adapted well to life at Quins – and even the cold winter has not been too much of a hardship.

Maley, who comes from the town of Orange, said: “It sometimes snows out where we are from, so you do play the odd match in cold temperatures.

“It is not totally foreign to us.

“But we much prefer these days when it is a bit springier and drier under foot.

“It is great fun and good to have a few mates here.

“Quins try to play an open style of rugby and that really suits me.”

As for the future, Maley added: “My visa runs out in December, but the other two guys are pretty keen to stay around longer.”

Maley’s try brace against Barnstaple took his tally to 17 in National 3 South West – the same as Quins’ wing Martin Nutt.

“I have been pretty lucky I guess,” said Maley, when asked about his good form.

Ahead of them on 20 is Taunton’s Charlie Walker-Blair.