One of the Brumbies’ most promising recruits of 2015, James Dargaville joined the side following a standout Shute Shield campaign with Sydney University. Recently celebrating his 23rd birthday last week on the 25th April, James originally started his career as a Backrower where he represented the NSW Schoolboys 1st XV side in 2010.
Upon leaving school James began his Club Rugby career with the Warringah Rats 1st XV Colts side, before moving across the bridge to join the Students in 2012 where he claimed his first Colts Premiership. The following year he was promoted to 1st Grade, where he played an integral part in the Students’ eighth Shute Shield victory since the turn of the century.
One of the top try scorers in the 2014 Shute Shield competition, James was rewarded for his consistency with a starting birth on the Wing for the Sydney Stars during last year’s inaugural NRC competition.
Demonstrating his ability to compete with the competitions best, James took up an opportunity to join the Brumbies for the 2015 Super Rugby season. Reminded by many of the “Chuck Norris” of rugby, retired Brumbies and Wallabies hard man Pat McCabe, James joins an impressive roster of outside backs that includes Wallabies Joe Tomane, Henry Speight, Jesse Mogg and Tevita Kuridrani.
Better known to his teammates as ‘Dargs’, he made his Super Rugby debut against the Reds in the opening round of the 2015 season. Wasting no time in announcing himself on the big stage, Dargs came from the bench to score his first Super Rugby in the final minutes of the match.
An Engineer by trade, James has featured heavily in the opening half of the Brumbies season. Although a foot wound hampered his progress in recent weeks, James has added a big plus for the Brums during ‘Waratah Week’, returning from injury earlier than expected to bolster their bench in tonight’s all-important match against the Tahs.
James was recently awarded joint Sydney University Sport & Fitness Sportsmen of the Year, recognising a list of his achievements in 2014. An unforgiving ball carrier who isn’t afraid to put his body on the line, expect Dargaville to flourish in a Brumbies system that has produced many great Wallabies in the past.