Oz Schools 40 – Fiji Schools 0
Oz Schools scored some very nice tries but a few aspects of their game were disappointing given the lower standard of the opposition.
The coaches will have the lads working on the backline passing and making sure that two of their best players, wingers Crook and CFS, get the ball more – which were part of the same problem. Also, none of the halves (scrum or fly) had the same authority as against Samoa, and the goal kicking from both 10s, Wylie and Taumata, was reprehensible.
The good part was the interplay amongst the players in unstructured play: backs with backs, forwards with forwards and forwards with backs. Some of the skill was amongst the best I have seen from schoolboys.
8. Luani had another top game and Fiji had as little luck in stopping him as Samoa did. 2. Roach did his brutish TPN impersonation for the umpteenth time; he's got the game for all levels of rugby: hard, skilful and loves a tackle. 4. Browning had another blinder and no less so when Reiser got a run in the 2nd row and he moved to no. 8 where he belongs. He had some cracking runs.
3. Millar played the best game I have seen from him though no doubt Kings supporters will say “I've seen it all before.” [Incidentally, I said once that I doubted Millar will be big enough to play pro rugby as a THP. Either he's been tucking into his rations more or my original opinion was bunk – he's a strapping lad.
The midfield combined better than against Samoa. 12. Apo L. came into his own and 13. Hingano was hard to stop, which is almost a tautology for those who know him.
Not a lot can be said for the visitors except they had a very good patch just after oranges. Then they forced the Aussies to infringe time and time again to defend their line. They can use the ball but lacked the team sense of the Aussies.
Can the Oz team win the Kiwi test? Hard to say. I didn't rate the the 2008 mob as much as I rate the 2010 team and they won in NZ, though by all accounts the lads in black were ahead everywhere but on the scoreboard.
They've got a good chance. One thing for sure: we can't rate this team for the Kiwi test based on what we have seen against Samoa and Fiji because they will be playing a different brand of rugby union. But all Kiwi teams play the same game and our lads will be able to get used to it in the lead up matches.
They had better.
