Australian Schoolboys & National Championships 2008

[The Chosen]

Yes- actually it was Gordon 14s & 15s- my son was playing in the 15s- which in fact was a very patched up team with numerous forwards playing in back line. THe 14s had close to full team- but yes lost to WA in a boilover(don't think the local ref helped.
The 15s beat WA and speaking to John Mitchell afterwards he considered the `continuation work' (backing up) of the Gordon forwards the best he had ever seen at such an age.

 

[AussieDominance]

Yeah the 15's(from that year) contained quite a few of the Knox forward pack from this year's first so basically quite a few CAS boys Rissman etc.

In the 14's we actually got apology's from a whole host of people after the game. Mitch Hardy and various Rugby WA people over the refereeing.

Score was 7-5. Or something like that. They made a break(Fair enough) we chased them down with one of their players making a blatant knock on which went forward by about 10 metres on the run then his mate who had passed it to him picked it up while everyone else had stopped and ran and put it down and celebrated on his own. He then consulted some 12 year old touchie(Nothing happened here) to look like he was doing something he then ran over and blew the try. Goal missed as well but that's a different matter.

Just one of those things that happens and you can tell is going to happen an ambush was always on the cards when a ref spends 35 mins before a game with the opposition and 30 seconds of the pre game with your side.

Daryl Mitchell was the name on most people's lips in the Gordon camp in regards to being WA's best.

 

[high tower]

NSW 1's defeated Qld 2's in the mid day game today.
Does anyone know how NSW 2's went this afternoon?

 

[whocares]

Novotel ARFSU Championships - Day 1 Results

Game 1 - Non-comp

ACT 25 (A. Apirenu, A. Crowe tries, B Taueki, A. Crowe con, B. Taueki, A. Crowe PG) def Combined States 16 (M. D'adamo try, D. Mitchell con, D. Mitchell 3 PG)

Game 2 - Pool A

NSW 1 25 (M. McDougal, M. Hooper 2, P. Pele tries, C. Nadalo con, A. Pinson PG) defeated QLD 2 10 (T. Tela, E. Ballie Con M Wenck PG)

Game 3 - Pool B

QLD 1 22 (E. Quirk, S. Hunt 2, D. Feao tries, E. Bredenhann con) defeated NSW 2 10 (C. Edwards try, H. Bennett con, H. Bennett PG)

 

[Lee Grant]

ACT 25 Combined States 16

Although this was a non-competition game, you could see that neither team would be competitive against the better teams in the comp.

ACT started strongly but the CS battlers fought back and stayed in the match with some help from the ACT goal kicker. But the home team finished strongly in the last 5 minutes and deserved their win.

My main interest was to look at John Mitchells son, Darryl, at 10. He was good enought with a booming kick and kicking well for goal but he telegraphs his passes a bit and is a tad slow - just like the old man.

The Force could do a lot worse than putting scrummie Justin Turner in their Academy. He had a good pass and ran well - and lock Ben Hales might be there with him - he has Eales like hands in the lineout.

Unfortunately there were two bad leg injuries in this game: it looks like both 8 Tom Moulds ACT and 15 AJ Scheck CS - Vic have finished their tournament.

 

[Lee Grant]

NSW I 25 Qld II 10

The score looks like it was a comfortable win but it wasn't. Qld II played above themselves for a lot of the game and I thought there was a possibility of what happened in the same game 2 years ago at Riverview when NSW I were rolled.

NSW were below par for the players they had. I couldn't work out why Ben James was the starting 10 for NSW and he validated that thought today. Nor was the scrummie Alex Pinson very good either.

They didn't give very good service to the strength of the NSW team i.e. everybody with jersey numbers higher than theirs. The gun NSW midfield of 12 MacDougall and 13 Mitchell was more of a popgun accordingly; not they they were great shakes themselves. McDougall kept running across the park as though he fancied the touch judge and Mitchell couldn't or would straighten things up.

Once he did though to create a nice try for Pele - but for most of the day wingers Pele and "Jelly" (pitiful rhyming I know) were sucking their thumbs or getting white chalk on their jerseys.

Cunningham was supposed to be in the reserves but he started in the 2nd row. Lock Luke Jones didn't play in the first half but come on after oranges and had an absolute blinder. Geez he made a statement to the selectors today. Ale playing 8 had some good runs and hits and 7.Michael Hooper had a blinder like Jones'.

If young Hooper can keep his schools form into senior rugby we are in for a treat. He is as good to watch as a skilful back and is as hard as nails with it.

When the two starting halves went off and the reserve halves came on they didn't improve things too much. Rowntree was at least decent but Dallalana couldn't run his backline any better than James could - but he did have one marvellous run.

Don't ask me who played well for Qld II because I can't tell you. I don't know those boys and their jersey numbers were almost impossible to read. But I saw enough of the speed and evasiveness of wingers Robertson and Nadolo to give them a big tick.

 

[Lee Grant]

QLD I 22 NSW II 10

There was a sensation in this match because the Qld 6 Eddie Quirk was red carded for a spear tackle early in the game. Though it looked nasty it was rough on the youngster because he seemed to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time. He was adjudged guilty as charged when a team mate and he tackled a blue player at different angles and at slightly different times - and the spearing seemed to just happen.

Not to worry says I to a distraught Qld bloke sitting in front of me - schools players can be replaced from the bench.

Wrong. For the first time in Oz Schools rugby they are playing with U 19 laws as far as cards are concerned anyway. This meant that Qld lost a player for all but 10 minutes of the match. And just before oranges another Qld player (deservedly) got a yellow card for slowing things down on his goal line.

Although a yellow card has currency of only 5 minutes in U 19 rugby, Qld had only 13 players on the park at one stage.

But back to the game.

Obviously Qld I couldn't execute Plan A, whatever that was but they had a doozy of a Plan B. They tackled everything that moved - even the ref looked scared. And when NSW II tried to shift the ball wide as per the standard formula when a man up, the whole Qld backline rushed out of their line to stop the width. So NSW had to go narrow and they negated their one man advantage.

I think I understood most of that so I hope that you did.

The Queensland defence was just manificent but it's hard to single out players when a team has to play like that - but nobody was better than 8 Jarrad Butler who bruised a few ribs out there today.

I like the looks of Qld 10 James Ambrosini and 12 Stephano Hunt. Ambrosini has a sure boot on him and gives it a nudge for a fellow who is not that big. Winger Nicky Price is as fast as the wind and ran through the NSW team once like the proverbial dose of salts. Very reminiscent of the Rabbit was young Nicky on that dig.

NSW II had a lot of chances because they had a lot of ball, but it was so bloody cold by the time this 3rd game started that you can't blame them too much for dropping the ball. They crashed balled a bit too much using big 12 Peter Gilmour, but the Shore boy broke quite a few tackles all the same.

10 Harry Bennett started for the NSW twos. He dropped the first ball he got and threw a couple of crook passes but he was the best NSW flyhalf on show today by a long chalk. He won't be the Oz Schools flyhalf this year but he's the style of 10 that will do well in senior rugby.

Another NSW back to do well was winger Clinton Sills of Scots. The gangly lad went on a couple of long runs that could have lead to tries with better support.

NSW made too many mistakes and the key one was a dropped ball from the top of the lineout near their line. Scrum - try Qld.

Qld I looked the best side of the 6 today by some margin.

 

[whocares]

Who was playing fullback for NSW 1sts LG?

 

[spectator]

Great reports as usual Lee.

Interesting that you saw Qld 1 as the strongest team of the day but it sounds like a mighty effort to win with a man down for most of the game. Pity about Quirk. Does he get suspended or will he be able to play in other matches during the week?

Sounds like a few Qld backs may be in the mix for higher honours. Price is a flyer, apparently a nationally ranked sprinter, and Hunt you have seen before. Who was the better of the two Qld 15's, and how did 9. Breddenham go for the 1's?

The good thing about Qld 2 being competitive is that most of those boys are from non-traditional schools. Must say a bit about the QRU's efforts at a junior level.

Judging by what you have written there is no shortage of good backrowers and wingers. What about other positions? How does the standard compare to previous years?

Look forward to more reports and your selection tips.

Oh...how cold is it?

 

[Lee Grant]

whocares

The NSW I fullback was Alec White.


speckie

Don't know abut the further consequences of the red card. The poor young bloke was devastated when he walked off and I felt sorry for him because I think he was a victim of circmstances.

Will report on those other matters tonight - have to dash.

 

[Lee Grant]

NSW I 17 NSW II 10

The big news before the game was about Cameron Mitchell. I was talking to a bloke watching the lads train and this player comes over limping to talk to the other bloke. It's Cameron Mitchell and he's out of the tournament. He did something nasty to his anterior cruciate ligament and is going to Sydney tomorrow to get a MRI scan done.

Thats bad news for NSW and probably for Kings fans. I saw him go off yesterday but his injury didn't look too bad and I didn't even bother to report it. I saw him doing something, trying to kick the ball IIRR, and he kinda half slipped like you do when you take one step too many down on a stairway.

This was a non competition game and most of the reserves started but even taking that into account NSW wasn't much chop. There was very little in it and just a bit of class at the end got the Ones home.

Ones - 9 Pinson and 10 Dallalana had much better games than yesterday and Olfield who had a pretty good game yesterday on the wing had a cracker of a game at 13 today. 4 Luke Jones, who had a blinder yesterday, made a few handling errors today, including at lineout, but he did some good things around the ruck.

Pele has been wandering around the park for 2 days trying to get some action but not getting a lot and Jelly isn't getting a whole lot of joy either.

Ones - 12 MacDougall wasn't great today. He hogged the ball and passed too late when he did - and with Oldfield playing so well it was a pity.

Twos - 2 Edwards from the Hunter Valley had a cracking game and 9 Helliwell had a better game but ran too much.

Geez Peter Gilmore from Shore is a big bloke. When the lads were near us in the warm up I was quite close to him and I looked up at him and thought: "Geez I wouldn't like to have to feed that big lock," but when he turned around he had 12 on his back - Gilmour.

He got a bad knock and I thought they would be carting him off but next thing I know he's up the other end of the park and twisting out of a tackle. I'm not sure if he scored or the guy he passed it to did.

11 Sills looks like a fast spider of the daddy long legs variety. He had a top game and a couple of good runs yesterday too.

Things didn't get any better for Kings during the match because 6 Ellis-Flint looks like he has a very nasty injury to his left leg and could be out of the tournament - or worse.

 

[whocares]

Yeh heard about Cameron and JEF. Not good for Kings

 

[AussieDominance]

***** Fuck Fuck Fuck****

FUck

Hopefully they can recover in the next few weeks .

 

[whocares]

***** Fuck Fuck Fuck****

FUck

Hopefully they can recover in the next few weeks .

sounds like Cam will
JEF..... well Sheaths might get the call up

 

[Lee Grant]

Qld II 13 Combined States 11

Qld were harder workers in the first half and harder on the ball than the ACT who had some small forwards in some positions. If their backline combinations had been better they could have run up a bigger score by half time but they were more like Brown's cows.

Then, bugger me if the CS lads didn't claw their way back into the game in the second half and on the bell scored a well deserved try in the corner. The kick had to go over to tie the game up but it just missed.

It was not a great game from Qld who had better players and they were nearly beaten by a better team - if you know what I mean.

Qld - 10 Tei is a big lad for a flyhalf and he's had two good days with a well balanced game. He had to go off when he banged his leg but should be good for Friday's game. 15 Baille had some good runs but was untidy at the back a couple of times and threw a couple of bad passes spoiling the effect of his running. Backrower Smith played like a drovers dog despite getting a bad knock.

Combined States
9 Justin Turner is their best player and has the best pass in the tournament but he should run a bit more. I said yesterday that the Force should get hold of him, but they already have. His mum told me that he's going on tour to Europe with them and - get this - he's already been given a S14 rookie contract for next year.

One reason why Rabbit O'Connor didn't go back to Brisbane despite a good offer from the Reds is that he is good mates with Turner and Haylett-Petty and they share a house together and have a great time.

The CS LHP with the great name of Melbourne Lesa (from Melbourne ) had a ferocious game and the CS scrum was pretty good too. Don't know whether he is going to be big enough as a senior, but I hope he is because he's a bit like TPN around the park.

 

[AussieDominance]

***** Fuck Fuck Fuck****

FUck

Hopefully they can recover in the next few weeks .

sounds like Cam will
JEF..... well Sheaths might get the call up

Yeah Sheaths isn't a bad player might help the situation out next year as well.

 

[Lee Grant]

Qld I 33 ACT 19

I know what you're thinking: an easy win - and Qld were dominant and the ACT were ordinary. Right??

Wrong.

At oranges the ACT were ahead 13-5 and the locals in the stands were baying for Queensland blood. Then it was 19-19 with 8 minutes to go. Then ... Qld put the hammer down and scored a couple of converted tries to make the score look like ... an easy win.

To be honest Qld looked like crap taking into account the higher level of players they had compared to the home team. They made too many mistakes in the first half. The ACT played for much of the game to the best of their ability - no coach could ask for anything more. The improvement from yesterday was noticeable.

The average (or worse) performance by Qld players must have given some of the selectors pause; nevertheless there were a few good performances from their team.

Winger Nicky Price from SJC Nudgee looks like the best winger in the comp on the strength of two games - and there's been a lot of good wingers seen at Viking Park in the last two days. It has been great to see some speed in Oz schools rugby and Price is a good example.

On the other wing his Nudgee team mate Shipperly looked just as fast and dangerous - and ended up with two meat pies.

The scrummie Bredenhann from Churchie had a very good game, beyond his years without being spectaular. At the minute I have Turner from WA and him as the two most likely no. 9s for Oz Schools.

For the ACT their star was 15 Tyler Stevens who churned through Qld defenders a few times as though time was going slower for him. Like most stars, he waned, and sometimes spoiled a golden brilliancy of elusiveness with a pass of tin.

Winger Crowe had a good game also and put on a brilliant goal kicking display. His only blemishes were a couple of grabs that should have been tackles. I also liked the other winger Taueki, a big Joe Roff type.

Incidentally:

- the player red-carded yesterday - the Qld 6 Quirk, was allowed to play today - but about the first thing he did today was a head high tackle.

- the Qld 7 Tuapou broke his hand yesterday and is out of the tournament.

 

[spectator]

Stevens (ACT) and Turner (CS/WA) looked good at last years tournament Lee. I didn't realise they had a year to go then. From memory I was impressed by Turners pass then. So, who are th other likely lads?

 

[spectator]

So was today a rest day Lee? If so, what are the likely last day final match ups? I'm thinking:

NSW1 v. Qld 1
NSW2 v. Qld2
ACT v. CS

Which would be to script....I wonder if Qld can do a threepeat? Be a mighty effort if they can.

 

[whocares]

So was today a rest day Lee? If so, what are the likely last day final match ups? I'm thinking:

NSW1 v. Qld 1
NSW2 v. Qld2
ACT v. CS

Which would be to script....I wonder if Qld can do a threepeat? Be a mighty effort if they can.

With the way NSW sounds to have been playing it wouldnt surprise me