This is not strictly Oz Schools but I'll post it here as it involves their future opponents.
Samoa Schools 69 – CCC 5
The visitors had too much class in the backs and the fullback was outstanding. Sometimes there seemed to be brown clones of JOC (James O'Connor) playing together and with a great joy in their play.
One time the scrummie got the ball near touch but lost his balance a bit and bumped into the Samoan no. 7, running beside him. Nobody in front and the scrummie could have scored but the 7 had already nabbed the ball out of his hands to get the try himself. They both laughed and so did the crowd.
The CCC lads were forced to run around in circles chasing the ball and didn't have much of the play but the 15 was very good with the few chances he had.
I think the Samoa forwards will be in trouble against our lads but their backs have to be watched.
Fiji Schools 53 – CHS 10
CHS had a scratch team and were missing players such as Wessels, Muller, Satini, McCallum, Northam and Seage - and a prop was playing in the 2nd row. Schuster had to play 10, and Ahofono was at 13, but nevertheless it was a poor effort from CHS. There were 8 Hills lads in the starting XV, most playing their 3rd game in 6 days and it showed.
It wasn't just them: the whole team began grabbing at ball runners in the 2nd half instead of tackling low or getting shoulders on bodies. CHS's cause was not helped by 3 yellow cards, all for shoulder changes (I think) to Nuito, Lolohea and Havea.
Big Willy had a good game though, and scored a nice try knocking a few visitors over. Another good point was the scrum in the 2nd half when they had Fiji running backwards a couple of times. A pity about the scoreboard at the time.
The Fijians had bigger players than Samoa and had a better structured game than them. They had some typical physical specimens running with the ball in one hand and playing like the Borg in a game of touch. 2nd rowers Waqanilotuvou and Tuilomaloma plus 8.Tokoqio looked like Radike Samo's little brothers; not that they were small.
The star was 9. Colala. For their first try he got the ball from a scrum free kick; the CHS lads were starting to go back 10 but he grubbered past them anyway and picked up the ball behind them to score. For their 2nd try he just picked up the ball from the base of the scrum and ran diagonally to his winger ostensibly to link with him but he just straightened up and kept going. He's bloody quick.
Some nice tries were scored and there were a few big hits in the day. If that wasn't good enough you could remember the Samoan parents singing at half time of their game and the Fijian connections chuckling at the pronunciations of the ground announcer. Lovely.
PS: I was talking to the ground announcer before the game and I said something like: ”I hope for your sake that no.12 and no.23 score most of the points for Fiji today.” He looked at the list and laughed, but unfortunately I can't recall that Brown and Swan scored a lot of points.
Samoa Schools 69 – CCC 5
The visitors had too much class in the backs and the fullback was outstanding. Sometimes there seemed to be brown clones of JOC (James O'Connor) playing together and with a great joy in their play.
One time the scrummie got the ball near touch but lost his balance a bit and bumped into the Samoan no. 7, running beside him. Nobody in front and the scrummie could have scored but the 7 had already nabbed the ball out of his hands to get the try himself. They both laughed and so did the crowd.
The CCC lads were forced to run around in circles chasing the ball and didn't have much of the play but the 15 was very good with the few chances he had.
I think the Samoa forwards will be in trouble against our lads but their backs have to be watched.
Fiji Schools 53 – CHS 10
CHS had a scratch team and were missing players such as Wessels, Muller, Satini, McCallum, Northam and Seage - and a prop was playing in the 2nd row. Schuster had to play 10, and Ahofono was at 13, but nevertheless it was a poor effort from CHS. There were 8 Hills lads in the starting XV, most playing their 3rd game in 6 days and it showed.
It wasn't just them: the whole team began grabbing at ball runners in the 2nd half instead of tackling low or getting shoulders on bodies. CHS's cause was not helped by 3 yellow cards, all for shoulder changes (I think) to Nuito, Lolohea and Havea.
Big Willy had a good game though, and scored a nice try knocking a few visitors over. Another good point was the scrum in the 2nd half when they had Fiji running backwards a couple of times. A pity about the scoreboard at the time.
The Fijians had bigger players than Samoa and had a better structured game than them. They had some typical physical specimens running with the ball in one hand and playing like the Borg in a game of touch. 2nd rowers Waqanilotuvou and Tuilomaloma plus 8.Tokoqio looked like Radike Samo's little brothers; not that they were small.
The star was 9. Colala. For their first try he got the ball from a scrum free kick; the CHS lads were starting to go back 10 but he grubbered past them anyway and picked up the ball behind them to score. For their 2nd try he just picked up the ball from the base of the scrum and ran diagonally to his winger ostensibly to link with him but he just straightened up and kept going. He's bloody quick.
Some nice tries were scored and there were a few big hits in the day. If that wasn't good enough you could remember the Samoan parents singing at half time of their game and the Fijian connections chuckling at the pronunciations of the ground announcer. Lovely.
PS: I was talking to the ground announcer before the game and I said something like: ”I hope for your sake that no.12 and no.23 score most of the points for Fiji today.” He looked at the list and laughed, but unfortunately I can't recall that Brown and Swan scored a lot of points.
) could be a little harder than normal. In general it is better to get off the State Rail Bus at Wahroonga and walk towards the school (towards Warrawee) than getting off at the stop at "Warrawee", which is really nowhere near Warrawee, but a dumping point on the pacific highway where you can admire the architectural wonders getting put up courtesy of Sartor, Kenneally and Meriton et al. (Slums of the future....) Else there is a fair bit of parking, though coming off Woodville one should be aware that that part of the school is a building site and there may not be direct access into the grounds from Woodville Ave. And if there are too many happy campers parking around the area, the local constabulary try to balance the state budget with some rather officious parking infringement bookings.
