Australian Schoolboys & National Championships 2014

[SonnyDillWilliams]

St Augustine's nil, knox nil, scots 1, riverview 1, cranbrook 1

Is Connor Watson a non selection due to league connections?

It does seem a year with a lot of competition ... Be interesting see how they fare in Wellington

 

[I like to watch]

League connections are not a negative in any way,in regards to selections.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

<snip>

Also at some stage we need to go thru the team lists and work out who's back for next year for NSW. I'm Really starting to like this NSW v NSW Final thing!

Who's back next year for the NSW I v NSW II three-peat is for the NSW Schools 2015 thread, but there will be a few.

In terms of the 23 Aust Schoolboys, I am not across all the detail of the interstaters, but I'm pretty sure that the only ones that will be backing up next year from NSW are:

H Goddard - NSW I (only Under 16 - could do 3 years in Schoolboys. May not challenge record of Chris FS and H Roach because he will not get to do a UK tour)


Sepesa Loga-Tarogi – NSW I (believed doing pathways)

 

[bringbackthebiff]

Who's back next year for the NSW I v NSW II three-peat is for the NSW Schools 2015 thread, but there will be a few.

In terms of the 23 Aust Schoolboys, I am not across all the detail of the interstaters, but I'm pretty sure that the only ones that will be backing up next year from NSW are:

H Goddard - NSW I (only Under 16 - could do 3 years in Schoolboys. May not challenge record of Chris FS and H Roach because he will not get to do a UK tour)


Sepesa Loga-Tarogi – NSW I (believed doing pathways)

Harrison Goddard is I believe a year 11 student but u/16 so he will only back up next year. Correct me if I'm wrong

 

[aka_the_think]

Interesting that from a sydney/nsw perspectivehis year knox, cranbrook, scots,riverview and st augustines have fielded strong teams yet no real flow through into Aussie schoolboys.

It beggars belief.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

It beggars belief.

Not necessarily..
A champion team etc.
It's only when you see individuals at higher levels that their true quality cane be seen and for me that showed today.
On that note Goddard looks special to me.

 

[aka_the_think]

Who's back next year for the NSW I v NSW II three-peat is for the NSW Schools 2015 thread, but there will be a few.

I've heard that Simon Kennewell is doing pathways.

Luke Lough has another 2 years I believe.

Tom Wright and Jack McGregor in NSW II are back next year.

I'm still holding out that Hutchinson will do pathways as well..... (a man can dream can't he?).

There's certainly others.

 

[aka_the_think]

Not necessarily..
A champion team etc.
It's only when you see individuals at higher levels that their true quality cane be seen and for me that showed today.

Interesting take on things. In my opinion there's a fair few NSW I backs who benefited from a strong forward pack over the week who got in over players that were stronger in the same position.

 

[pilot]

Getting back to todays games was the half time score NSW 1 v 2 really 38-0? What happened in the second half?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I've heard that Simon Kennewell is doing pathways.

Luke Lough has another 2 years I believe.

Tom Wright and Jack McGregor in NSW II are back next year.

I'm still holding out that Hutchinson will do pathways as well... (a man can dream can't he?).

There's certainly others.

Lough is year 11

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Getting back to todays games was the half time score NSW 1 v 2 really 38-0? What happened in the second half?

Yes.
Hard to say. It wasn't the wind.

 

[SonnyDillWilliams]

Guy porter scored 7 tries over 4 games ... Can someone confirm or otherwise if he was injured?

Some surprises to me also on some of Queensland omissions ... At least based on what I saw ... Again would ask if Queensland big 12 Pritchard is injured?

Oh well 3 to be added ... My picks would be guy porter, Connor Watson and c Pritchard ... Or jack mcgregor, if any of previous 3 are injured

 

[SonnyDillWilliams]

Joeys nick Duffy would be happy, given at the start of season thought it was banjo travers who was fav for number 9 spot, at joeys

Still based on what I saw, of his play, not disputing his selection ...

 

[rugboy]

Guy porter scored 7 tries over 4 games . Can someone confirm or otherwise if he was injured?

Some surprises to me also on some of Queensland omissions . At least based on what I saw . Again would ask if Queensland big 12 Pritchard is injured?

Oh well 3 to be added . My picks would be guy porter, Connor Watson and c Pritchard . Or jack mcgregor, if any of previous 3 are injured

Can't see 3 outside backs being the extra players added when there has only been one 2nd Row selected. Possibly one at the most you would think.

Porter played until the final siren with no sign of injury.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

@SonnyDillWilliams,
Look at the squad listed so far. They are rather shy in forwards, only 1 lock specialist named, and only 1 Fullback.

I reckon that the second Fullback will be an injured fellow or Porter, leaving 2 more second rowers to be announced.

They have already named 10 backs and only 13 forwards. I reckon that the final breakdown will be 11 backs and 15 forwards.

I would be very surprised if they were to announce an additional 3 backs, although I reckon C Pritchard was a good shot to be at Centre. He was injured on Thursday, and had a heavily strapped thigh today and took very little part in the game (in comparison to how he had played earlier in the week) when he came on in the second half.

 

[I like to watch]

Interesting take on things. In my opinion there's a fair few NSW I backs who benefited from a strong forward pack over the week who got in over players that were stronger in the same position.

That's the way of the world!
I also think NSW 2's were disadvantaged to play in the Final and not 2 v2 today.
They would have been more impressive against the 3rd best team as opposed to playing against the best team.
It beggars the question,is it a National tournament for bragging rights for the states,or is it primarily a selection trial?
They are actually two quite separate endeavours,done properly.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Getting back to todays games was the half time score NSW 1 v 2 really 38-0? What happened in the second half?

Reminds me of the final in the Under 16's in 2012 where NSW gave QLD a 30 point head start, and then they decided to play in the second half. Unfortunately the good guys left their run too late in 2012, and the same today with NSW II. Brad Gill was head coach then. Perhaps his specialty is half time talks.

NSW II looked shell shocked in the first half with the backs letting their opponents simply run around and through them as the ball was spun wide and fast. McGregor seemed to be carrying an injury from Thursday which wouldn't have helped the NSW II backline. O'Shea directed traffic well for the I's.

 

[pilot]

Reminds me of the final in the Under 16's in 2012 where NSW gave QLD a 30 point head start, and then they decided to play in the second half. Unfortunately the good guys left their run too late in 2012, and the same today with NSW II. Brad Gill was head coach then. Perhaps his specialty is half time talks.

NSW II looked shell shocked in the first half with the backs letting their opponents simply run around and through them as the ball was spun wide and fast. McGregor seemed to be carrying an injury from Thursday which wouldn't have helped the NSW II backline. O'Shea directed traffic well for the I's.

Appears selectors must have called it at half time based on selections.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

NSW II may have won all their pool games but look at their results:
v ACT won 18-17
v WA won 33-7 (5-7 at half time)
v QLD I won 23 - 21

They were not a consistently good team. They were generally poor starters, and tended to lose concentration at key times in matches when they would let their opponents back into the game.

The Aust Selectors want reliable players, not ones that play well only after a good kick up the backside at half time.
That said, at times I felt that the NSW II coaches made some interesting player selections, and replacements off the bench, which would not have helped advance the selection prospects of some of their lads.

Remember the Aust Selectors are selecting a team to take on the Darkness Schools, not the All Canada Schools Team.

 

[moneyball]

The Selectors want reliable players, not ones that play well after a good kick up the backside at half time.

We are selecting a team to take on the Darkness Schools, not the All Canada Schools Team.

Quite agree. The fact was when the it really mattered the NSW 2s were down 38-0 . Game was over by half time. Can't read much into the second half in my opinion.