Weipa’s Mitch Higgins will don green and gold on the world stage as an Australian Emus Men’s 35+ team member at the inaugural Asia Pacific Seniors Touch Cup. Photo: Supplied.
Weipa’s face of touch footy is dusting off his passport as he prepares to show off his skills on the field in Japan.
Mitch Higgins has been selected to play for the Australian Emus Men’s 35+ team at the inaugural Asia Pacific Seniors Touch Cup to be held on 7-10 October. He will be one of 16 team members chosen to represent the country in Utsunomiya, near Tokyo.
In 2024, the Weipa Touch Association president was also selected by the Federation of International Touch as manager of the Australian Men’s 40s team at the World Cup in England.
“Logistics-wise, it’s a completely different feeling; I sort of just have to worry about myself this year, whereas when you’re managing, you’ve got to worry about all the players and staff getting over there, and make sure all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed,” he said.
“But on the other hand, it’s making sure my fitness and the body is in good shape, and the mind is in good shape to perform at the tournament.”
He has participated in the team’s training camps in Brisbane over the past few months, and recently received his gear at the jersey presentation ceremony on 13 September.
There will be 30 nations competing in 10 senior and masters age divisions. Following Australia’s dominance at the World Cup in 2024, when they won gold in 12 out of 13 divisions, Higgins said he was quietly confident in the team from Down Under.
“Personally, I feel like our team’s had a really good build-up to the campaign, everyone’s done the hard yards, so hopefully we get a lot of success over there,” he said.
“Being Australia, we’re sort of the hunted ones, I suppose, because we were so successful in 2024. I think everyone will be coming after us.”
Higgins said that while many of Australia’s World Cup team were returning to the paddock to fight for green and gold glory, there would also be plenty of new faces on the field to look out for.
“Across the 10 divisions, there’s 60 debutantes. I think on my side alone, we’ve got six, including myself as a player for the first time,” he said.
“There’s a good, solid core of the experienced who have played, but then you’ve also got the keenness of the fresh debutante players.”
Team Australia will be gunning for victory once again after dominating the Federation of International Touch World Cup in 2024. Photo: Supplied.
