2025 Burnside Pairs team announced
The four Australian teams that will head across the Tasman to compete in the prestigious Burnside Pairs in January 2025 has been selected following the release of the 2025 National Squads.
As per usual, the Australian contingent will consist of two Right at Home Jackaroo teams and two Emerging Jackaroo duos for the coveted competition.
The open women’s pair will consist of St Johns Park teammates in Brianna Smith and Dawn Hayman, who will look to join an illustrious list of bowlers to hoist the division one title.
Smith will make her debut at the competition, with Hayman already boasting experience in Christchurch after making a run to the division one semifinals with Kylie Lavis in 2023.
Both are in solid form, performing with distinction at the recent Nationals to finish second in the Sides Championships with Hayman going on to take home gold on the women’s pairs at the Australian Championships.
In the open men’s team are Cody Packer to lead for his New South Wales Alley Shield winning teammate in Ben Twist.
Packer has enjoyed success at the event before, winning the division two title with Aaron Teys in 2023, while Twist will make his playing debut after previously making the tour in a coaching capacity.
New South Wales’ Erin Swatridge and South Australia’s Kate Argent-Bowden will make up the Emerging women’s team following sensational form in recent months.
Argent-Bowden was the skip of one of the top rinks in the recent Sides Championships, finishing in eighth position out of 40 with just two defeats across the four days.
The Emerging men’s team will see Victoria’s Tyson Cromie and New South Wales’ Jack Lewis team up as they look to emulate Cohen Litfin and Nathan Black in 2023 as they hoisted the division one title as Emerging Jackaroos.
The other two top division titles won by Australians have come in 2017 as Corey Wedlock and Scott Thulborn clinched victory before Wedlock took a second crown in 2020 with Aaron Wilson.
The 2025 Burnside Pairs will run from January 17-19, 2024, at the Burnside Bowling Club in Christchurch, New Zealand.
