2016 Under-20 Rugby World Championships - Manchester UK

[Delphy]

A few more details to throw into the mix.

Apparently NSW will run 2 U20 teams while QLD, ACT, Victoria and WA will have 1 team each.

I don't have any detail on the fixtures but it looks like WA will play 3 curtain raisers for Super Rugby (2 at NIB and 1 at Suncorp). There will be 2 further games at club venues (1 in Sydney and 1 in Perth).

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^ This is the Force Programme for the first few rounds next year:
27 Feb Force v Rebels @ NIB
5 Mar Reds v Force @ Suncorp
11 Mar Force v Brumbies @ NIB
18 Mar Hurricanes v Force @ NZL
26 Mar Chiefs v Force @ NZL
1 Apr Highlanders v Force @ NZL
8 Apr Force v Crusaders @ NIB
23 Apr Force v Waratahs @ NIB

It looks like the WA U20's (Force U20s) will play curtain raisers on 27 Feb, 5 Mar and 11 Mar.
Presumably this would be WA/Force U20s vs Vic/Rebels U20, QLD/Reds U20 & ACT/Brumbies U20 respectively.

The "club venues" games may be while the Force are away on the NZ tour and would most likely be NSW I/Waratahs U20 Blue and NSW II/Waratahs U20 White on 18 Mar and 26 Mar with one in Sydney and the other in Perth.

The Waratahs Draw for 2016
27 Feb Waratahs v Reds @ SFS
4 Mar Brumbies v Waratahs @ Bruce
11 Mar Waratahs v Bye
18 Mar Highlanders v Waratahs @ NZL
27 Mar Reds v Waratahs @ Suncorp
1 Apr Waratahs v Rebels @ SFS
8 Apr Waratahs v Bye
16 Apr Waratahs v Brumbies @ SFS
23 Apr Force v Waratahs @ NIB

So NSW I/Waratahs Blue U20 could play:
Qld/Reds U20 on 27 Feb
ACT/Brumbies U20 on 4 Mar
NSW II/Waratahs White on 11 Mar
WA/Force U20 on 18 Mar
Vic/Rebels U20 on 1 Apr

Filling in the gaps, and guessing a bit, I reckon the draw may look like this (with most games being Curtain Raisers for a Super 18 fixture):
R1 (27 Feb weekend)
WA v Vic @ NIB (S18 Curtain Raiser)
NSW I v QLD @ SFS (S18 CR)
ACT v NSW II @ Bruce (S18 CR Brumbies v Hurricanes)

R2 (5 Mar weekend)
ACT v NSW I @ Bruce (S18 CR)
QLD v WA @ Suncorp (S18 CR)
NSW II v Vic (Rebels in SAF)

R3 (12 Mar weekend)
WA v ACT @ NIB (S18 CR)
Vic v QLD @ AAMI Park (S18 CR)
NSW I v NSW II

R4 (19 Mar weekend)
NSW II v WA @ Perth (Force in NZL)
NSW I v Vic (Rebels in JAP) (Super Rugby CR - Waratahs v Highlanders @ SFS)
Qld v ACT (Super Rugby CR - Reds v Blues @ Suncorp)(Brumbies in SAF)

R5 (26 Mar weekend)
WA v NSW I @ Sydney
Qld v NSW II @ Suncorp (S18 CR Reds v Waratahs)
ACT v Vic (Super Rugby CR Rebels v Highlanders @ AAMI)

This "tournament" can't really go too far into April, as the Aust U20 team will need some time to get together before heading off to the UK for the World Champs over 7 - 25 June 2016.

The assumption is that there will be Oceania Junior Rugby Championships version 2.0 held sometime in May. It was held over 2 - 9 May in 2015, and will probably be in NZL, or Japan this time around.

 

[Delphy]

Filling in the gaps, and guessing a bit, I reckon the draw may look like this

Note to ARU - Why should we have to fill in the gaps and guess?

You have a section of your website dedicated to U20's. Nothing posted since the JWC. Since that time a new national competition has been created, franchise based squads have been assembled and are training and national coaches have been appointed/reappointed.

Not a single post covering any of this.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

With a stack of players playing NRC (mostly for Qld Country), and others contracted to Reds in some form or other, including EPS and WTG, Academy, Development and whatever is the current in vogue term, the 2016 Qld U20 team will be looking very strong for their first National U20 title, although they may rue the loss of Harley FOX to the Rebels.

 

[Seymour Butz]

Note to ARU - Why should we have to fill in the gaps and guess?

You have a section of your website dedicated to U20's. Nothing posted since the JWC. Since that time a new national competition has been created, franchise based squads have been assembled and are training and national coaches have been appointed/reappointed.

Not a single post covering any of this.

Agree 100% @Delphy. Presumably more will be nown for sure after first NSW U20s training session this arvo.

PS: You might have to email ARU directly with your comment - don't think they look at G&G - might be better of if they did tho!

 

[girtbysea]

I like the concept of basing all of the teams on the Super franchise structure. It gives the non NSW and Qld franchises a much better pathway for their players and a greater carrot for attracting and holding onto talent. All of these franchises also do not need to reinvent their coaching and S&C structures as they already exist. Makes sense.

 

[Happy to Chat]

HJ we may need to create a few more threads if this is the case for the u20's comp. The reds u20's training squad assembled this past weekend to gear up and discuss when all the training begins. Not too many details about the games but they did mention the final team would be playing a couple of S18 curtain raisers and few stand alone games against the other states. Come on ARU spit out the details!

 

[Seymour Butz]

Apparently NSW will run 2 U20 teams while QLD, ACT, Victoria and WA will have 1 team each.

Not much detail given out last night at the NSW U20 player group meeting. However, seems there will be only 1 NSW team with 50+ players now training, to be cut down to 30-something players before Christmas. With further cuts due after January, sounds like only enough for one team / squad.

Maybe there will be another 'franchise' in NSW putting a team up - like the combined NRC training squads or NSW Country... If that's the case, why wouldn't QLD do the same, or is it just to even up the numbers for a balanced comp table?

 

[Highlander35]

Maybe there'd be some sort of Barbarians side, or a combined country outfit.

If NSW is running a combined side, the final table should be more or less a foregone conclusion, but progression, development, bolters, that'll be fun to watch.

Certainly the three full timers (Leota, Sione and Fox) will help the Vics compete a bit more I reckon.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

The Barbarians concept would be useful, because I don't think that there is sufficient depth in NSW or QLD to field a second team that would be competitive with their respective "A" Teams.

A combined NSW/QLD team along with the QLD and NSW Country players and any other likely lad not wanted by the ACT, Vic, or WA teams could be competitive, but logistically it would be hard and expensive to bring them to a competitive level, given the tyranny of distance.

 

[2bluesfan]

The Kiwis have selected their initial squad of 50 players to go into camp soon.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11544073

 

[RugbyReg]

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Courtesy of Rugby News

Waratahs Gen Blue coach Tim Rapp has released his 2016 training squad ahead of next year's U20's National Championship.

The 63-man squad, made up predominantly of 18,19 and 20-year olds, met for the first time on Tuesday and will train through to the 22nd of December before breaking for Christmas.

The squad will return to Moore Park on the 12th of January and is expected to play trials against NSW Country, Randwick and Sydney Uni sides in the lead up to the national championships.

Rugby News has been told a proposal has been put forward to play the tournament over six weeks in 2016, with each Australian Super Rugby franchise fielding an U20's side to play matches as curtain raisers ahead of Super Rugby fixtures.

The top two sides would then play off in a final in early April.

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NSW Waratahs 2016 Gen Blue Training Squad​

Sione Afu
Lachy Anderson
Jack Bowditch
Francis Brown
Lachlan Burland
Franklin Calugay
Harry Chapman
Jack Clancy
Tim Clements
Jack Conen
Ed Craig
Andrew Davies
Nick C.De Crespeny
Sean Dillon
Dan England
Liam Faoagali
Vunipola Fifita
Will Findley
Max Girdler
Nathaniel Gittoes
Harrison Goddard
Siaosi Halaifonua
Jack Hayson
Harry Johnson - Holmes
Tom Horton
Henry Hutchison
Simon Kennywell
Simon Kirby
Latu Latinpulu
Will Latu
Jerry Lemalu
Jordan Lotoaniu
James Lough
Jack Maddocks
Sama Malolo
Jack Margin
Ryan Mc Cauley
Will McDonnell
Jack McGregor
Will McRae
Tom Molloy
Declan Moore
Sam Musgrave
Josh Nohra
Kyle O'Hara
Connor O'shea
James Pelowski
Beau Petterson
Tom Piroddi
Guy Porter
Ted Pye
Charlie Smith
Theo Strang
Hugh Summerhayes
Lachlan Swinton
Sam Tabuatamata
Sepesa Tarogi
Andrew Vatuvei
Gus Vernoevan
Cody Walker
James Wilkinson
Scott Williams
Jum Woodhill
Ned Yeomans

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^^
The 64 persons named in the 63 man NSW Gen Blue Wider Training Group - By numbers
Eastern Suburbs - 4
Eastwood - 3
Gordon - 8
Manly - 2
Nothern Suburbs - 3
Parramatta - 3
Penrith - 0
Randwick - 7 *
Southern Districts - 2*
Sydney Uni - 8
Warringah - 2
West Harbour - 0
2015 Schools Grads - 22 (incl 1 already at Randwick and 1 already at Southern Districts)-

* Not Including 1 CHS player “moonlighting” in Colts in 2015

Prop - 11
Hooker - 4
Lock - 10
Loose Forward - 12
Half Back - 4
Flyhalf - 5
Centre - 10
Back 3 - 8

Backs - 27
Forwards - 37

2016 U19 - 24
2016 U20 - 40


NZL have announced their 2016 National U20 WTG and we are still fiddling around with our WTG for NSW, and probably similar in QLD.
ACT have announced a 32 player 2016 U20 Squad, and WA and Vic must be close to finalising their squad if they haven't already done so.

2014 Aust Schoolboys from NSW not in 2016 Gen Blue WTG:
Phil BRADFORD - Prop Wanderers Newcastle
Nicholas DUFFY - Halfback Sydney University
Evan PRITCHARD - Hooker Northern Suburbs

 

[Highlander35]

That's the thing though isn't it? ITM will be the final vehicle for selection in the Kiwis, and that's been and done, they should have proper handle on it by now, whereas you/us blokes will select on Super basis given the NRC isn't at the stage that it can support an U19s level.

Vics selected theirs a while ago, Fox dropping into the side will likely be the only unforced change with Rob and Sione already been named.

 

[Delphy]

Initial WA squad was inducted on Monday and started training Tuesday.


Kale Bissett PALMYRA
Shai Bonnick SOUTHERN LIONS
James Brown UNIVERSITY
Isaac Cavu JOONDALUP
Hershelle Classen NEDLANDS
Alastair Cockman UNIVERSITY
Kauri Cudd NEDLANDS
Tevin Ferris NEDLANDS
Michael Fotu PALMYRA
Luke Fouwler KALAMUNDA
Eli Greaves WESTS SCARBOROUGH
Ford Hemi WESTS SCARBOROUGH
Anthony Hondros UNIVERSITY
Tom Howard JOONDALUP
Aden KambourisUNIVERSITY
Jordan Kempton JOONDALUP
Jacob Kohinga KALAMUNDA
Tasmania Laalaai PALMYRA
Sosifa Likio ROCKINGHAM
Kenneth Macpherson NEDLANDS
Lorenzo Mario JOONDALUP
Christopher Miller PALMYRA
Trey Moloney PALMYRA
Michael Ninkov ASSOCIATES
Taine Oakley PALMYRA
Sam Offer NEDLANDS
Rory O'Sullivan ASSOCIATES
Kade Pearce WESTS SCARBOROUGH
Ruawharo Rarere PERTH BAYSWATER
Torongare Reedy JOONDALUP
Tristan Schneider JOONDALUP
Tom Sheminant NEDLANDS
Leighton Short PALMYRA
Terrell Shortland-Berryman NEDLANDS
Evan Stafford PALMYRA
AngusTaylor WESTS SCARBOROUGH
Te Orangi Thompson JOONDALUP
Clay Uyen UNIVERSITY
Hendricus Van Der Heyden ROCKINGHAM
Tim Wallace UNIVERSITY
Ivan Wright COTTESLOE

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^ No Onehunga HAVILI in the WA Squad? IIRC there was a question over whether he was eligible on residency grounds.

I see his NRC profile lists the place of birth as Tonga. http://www.rugbywa.com.au/community-club-team-member/onehunga-havili

I hope he gets a gig for the Tongan squad at the U20 Rugby World Trophy competition. He looked fairly competent in the Perth Spirit NRC squad.

What are the residency requirements? Is it the same as for Wallaby Selection, which is governed by IRB Regulation 8
http://www.rugbyeurope.eu/upload/file/1287399004_gfirbregulation8_883.PDF

This states:
a Player may only play for the senior fifteen-aside National Representative Team, the next senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team and the senior National Representative Sevens Team of the Union of the country in which:
(a) he was born; or
(b) one parent or grandparent was born; or
(c) he has completed thirty six consecutive months of Residence immediately preceding the time of playing.


The ARU have not nominated the U20's as being "the next senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team" after the Wallabies, so I wonder what is the residency criteria for selection into our National U20's.

Has the status of Taniela TUPOU been sorted out? Is he eligible for Qld U20 (and Aust U20 if selected)?

 

[Delphy]

What are the residency requirements? Is it the same as for Wallaby Selection, which is governed by IRB Regulation 8

Interesting question.

I note that the 2015 National U20 Championship Manual included the following:

A Player is eligible to participate in the Championship if he fulfils the following requirements:​

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i. Age window; and​

ii. World Rugby Regulation 8​

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It is the responsibility of each participating Union to ensure its players satisfy such eligibility criteria.​

IIRC the 36 months residence requirement prevented Auega Seumantafa playing for the Barbarians at nationals last year.

Doesn't definitively answer the question about National U20 selection but it would be strange if you couldn't play national champs but remained eligible for Australia.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Pretty sure that in order to be "captured" for International eligibility a player has to not only play for a designated national second team but also against someone else's second team (based on the Shingler fiasco a coupla years back that I don't recall being resolved).

 

[Forcefield]

Couple of guys from WA would could be in contention. Gus Taylor for ine. Reckon he was unlucky last year. Toro Reedy played a game at 3 (off bench) for the Spirit. Tristan Schneider and Terrell Shortland-Berryman cap out a fairly strong front row. Tasmania Laalaai is a second/backrower with an awesome name. Bit weaker in the backs Kauri Cudd and Jacob Kohinga likely to be able to mix it.

 

[Seymour Butz]

Courtesy of Rugby News
Waratahs Gen Blue coach Tim Rapp has released his 2016 training squad ahead of next year's U20's National Championship.

http://www.waratahs.com.au/Waratahs...eID/16625/RAPP-TO-JOIN-U20-COACHING-TEAM.aspx

Did we already know that Chris Hickey s doing most of the actual coaching, while Tim Rapp takes a bit of a back seat, given his new Australian Under 20s assistant coach role?