Simon Mikaele, Heta Manuel?
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Simon Mikaele, Heta Manuel?
Nice comment random guy. I reckon the Lauries 08' and Villa 10' sides were excellent teams. Both these teams went undefeated and faced tough competition in their years as well. I reckon that they both could beat the likes of eddies and peters this year. The 2010 Villa firsts were dominant in all areas and managed to pile on the points against Iona and St. Peters in that year.
rugbynerd
Peter Burge (5)
I do agree here. You look at the best teams over the last few years.
2012- SPLC, SEC, ASH
2011- PAD, SEC, ASH
2010-VILLa
2009- IONA, ASH
2008-SLC
It's hard to judge how teams would vary because of the difference in years. Villa 2010 was a very good team and had been a very good team from 13s through school and club. The closest anyone got to them in 2010 was Ashgrove and Padua. In saying that I would put Paduas 2011 team as the best defensive team in a little while and think they could've taken the Villa 2010 team. As Ricky Wong said. The Marist team of 06 and even 05 were a tremendous team and over the past couple of years would rate them as the best sides. No one would come close to them this year or even over the set couple of years.
Best teams
Last 5 years - Villa 2010
Last 10 years - Ashgrove 2005 (would have comfortably beaten Villa 2010)
Since AIC began - Ashgrove 1998 (would have beaten both of the above by 20+ .... 5 Australian Schoolboys in one team)
rugbynerd
Peter Burge (5)
Biffking you seem to know a bit about st.pats is Richard Skelton playing this week?
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Viss
Guest
I'll cover that one for you rugbynerd, tear in the ACL at the league state champs I did hear, apparently has been on crutches all week so no chance. Personally, I think that Pats play better without him anyway. The team all put their hand up instead of lining up outside Richard for the offload. He is a bit of a liability in defense as well, doesn't understand rugby union attacking patterns.
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3DD!3$01D80Y
Guest
There is a difference between asking kids to come to your school than import or scholarship kids. Eddies ask a lot of kids to come to their school, but they don't import or offer scholarships.
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Viss
Guest
Why the hell would they go to Eddies then? Not a very enticing school if you ask me.
Yeah in 2010 the Villa side were challenged by Padua and Ashgrove to the last minute. At one stage during the Padua Vs. Villa game it was very close and I thought Padua might of managed to upset them. I Believe that Eddies also did the same that year to Villa. However, Villa in 2010 was a superb team and managed to win every game even when they were under a lot of pressure. And yes I agree with you on the best defensive team being Padua's 2011 firsts. They were under enormous pressure against Eddies in first round of last years competition. The eddies forwards kept charging against Padua's on their try line for the last 10 minutes trying to find a winning try but failed. And in the last game against Ashgrove, Padua had 13 on the field and Ashgrove only managed to score one try when they had been camping on Padua's line for the 10 minutes.
But yeah, Ashgrove 05 and 06 sides were champions for a reason, they were very well drilled and confidently beat every team they versed. The gap between Ashgrove and other schools back then was larger though. Padua and Eddies were still considered as strong league schools and only managed to win 2 or 3 games each season. Now, the gap is alot closer and it makes the AIC a better competition. To be honest, I was sick of seeing Ashgrove dominate for so long and wondered why they aren't in the GPS. But now I think that it is good that they didn't get accepted into the GPS because the AIC wouldn't be the same without them. Ashgrove will always been a school known to produce solid first rugby sides even when they have a weak year. They have a culture at the school that some schools still don't have in the AIC.
What is everyone's opinion on making AIC a 9 school competition? So it can compete more with the GPS. This is just a thought and who knows, it may happen one day. What school would be considered to join? Downlands College? Or a school from the TAS like John Paul College? St. Paul's College? St. Columbans? It would then make the competition 8 weeks and would definitely make it more interesting. I would like to see Downlands College join the AIC one day.
rugbynerd
Peter Burge (5)
Well if your pretty serious about your rugby, you'd go to Eddies over Ipswich Grammar. Now I know Ipswich Grammar is a GPS school but obviously those rep teams will be dominated by Nudgee, Churchie, State High, etc. So why not go to Eddies if you live over that way. Get a chance to be looked at for a rep team and I dare say Eddies would be cheaper than IGS
rugbynerd
Peter Burge (5)
A vote was put to all schools in the AIC about 3 years ago about Downlands joining the Comp. Mutual agreement was needed for Them to join and 7 of the 8 schools said yes. But because one didn't (which I believe was Villa or Marist) they weren't allowed in. Downlands even offered to travel every week for every sport for the first 3 years. Quite a sacrifice. Personally I would love to see Downlands join the AIC.
I think that Downlands would be a great addition to the AIC. They are traditionally a rugby union based school in Toowoomba and they offer boarding. They should really consider voting again as I believe that Downlands would be competitive in the AIC. Don't know about the other sports but in rugby they would bring in some good teams.
C
crusty
Guest
Well a great victory to the paduan boys. Forward pack dominating the lauries team. Number 12 from lauries is highly overated and i wouldnt pick im in AIC if i was paid. Number 9 for padua wasnt up to scratch. But the number 3 sholud be picked for AIC.
I am led to believe by someone who was involved in the beginnings of AIC that Downlands were offered a place but that the then Headmaster decided against it for whatever reason. I am not sure what approaches (if any) have been made to them since however I am pretty sure that the AIC heads would not be going to Downlands to ask, it would be up to Downlands to come and ask them. I don't know about the vote a few years ago mentioned above.
No doubt Downlands would be great for the rugby however I doubt they could field teams in some sports and the travel factor would have been a big one for some schools. It is quite a journey from Iona or St Patricks to Toowoomba for a 45 minute game of volleyball?
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Viss
Guest
I believe that the reason Villa/Marist or whoever it was that turned Downlands down, decided that as Downlands did not play all the sports that AIC has to offer, they were extremely hesitant in agreeance. I have this on word from an AIC principal. Dissapointing though as Downlands could match it with the big boys in AIC.
Say no more, if there is contact between both parties unless your the player, you don't know the details. I think its pretty clear to everyone. But in saying that Eddies have taken there Rugby a lot more seriously and brought in some top quality coaches
The GPS manages so can't see why the AIC can't. The GPS has TGS from Toowoomba, IGS from Ipswich and TSS from the Gold Coast. Schools such as Nudgee have a long travelling distance but they manage to do it somehow. So I reckon it is possible to do it. All schools would just take the bus loads out there just like what Eddies usually do when they travel to away games.
Actually I think Ashgrove 06 team was not all that talented I think however they were unbeaten because they were very disciplined and just strangled other teams. The Ashgrove 05 team were very good - they had a big and very well drilled set of forwards and slick backs. They supplied the entire AIC I backline. Between about 2002 and 2006 when Ashgrove was unbeaten they probably only had 2 really good teams (2002 & 2005?) however they were very hard to beat as they played a very structured pattern and gave opposing teams few very opportunities. They were fantastic at holding onto the ball and just wearing other teams out. They also defended very well. In 2003 for example they narrowly beat a St Laurences team that had Liam Bibo (Australian Schools player) in the centres, even though they were pretty ordinary in terms of talent.
As well as this the points made by the post above are correct in terms that the "league schools" found this highly structured rugby very hard to break. They would often go very well for 20 or 30 minutes and then Ashgrove would just break them.
I think now several schools (St Patricks, St Edmunds & Padua in particular) have improved greatly as "rugby schools" and this togther with a drop in talent (& coaching?) at Ashgrove has improved the competition. I guess another interesting side to this is where the more traditional rugby schools (St Laurences, St Peters, Villanova & Iona) fit in the brave new AIC world.
Padua 1st Xv of 2011 would be a fair choice for best defensive team in the last 5 years. Kept villa iona pats and peters all under 10 points and only Lauries managed to break 20 in a very tightly contested game at suncorp.
However, In my opinion the Villanova team of 2010 would be the all round best. Depth from 1-15, tough forwards and opportunistic backs who punished any lapses from their counterparts.
up until the weekend the Eddies 2012 team did look like the most dominant in recent time, from all reports man handling their opposition but losing to Ashgrove at home by 10 or so somewhat diminishes their case in comparison to the villa 2010 team.
However, In my opinion the Villanova team of 2010 would be the all round best. Depth from 1-15, tough forwards and opportunistic backs who punished any lapses from their counterparts.
up until the weekend the Eddies 2012 team did look like the most dominant in recent time, from all reports man handling their opposition but losing to Ashgrove at home by 10 or so somewhat diminishes their case in comparison to the villa 2010 team.
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