CAS Rugby 2016

[Dontreachyoungbloods]

My 2c on the Knox v Joeys game...

Joeys showed the power of a great, well-disciplined, structured, and highly skilled "team". They were simply too good and too sharp. In comparison Knox looked slow, unstructured, sloppy and simply lacked the teamwork to keep them in the game. The only players who stood out were Frost (who has the size, work ethic and skill to be a very good player), Bosch (always busy and in everything), and Armstrong (I've always been a bit critical of the fact he always tries to do everything himself - but in this game he simply had to as no one else looked like being able to crack the Joeys defense). Woodcock, Stocks and Basson tried hard too, but the comments about the lack of hungry forwards (the way Chapman led them last year) was very true. The backs looked downright pedestrian compared to Joeys (love the comparison someone made to their 5/8 throwing Larkham like passes). It will be very interesting to see how they bounce back next week - the individual talent looks to be there but can they gel as a team?

 

[Lee Grant]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Good post. Knox were disappointing because I was looking forward to a tight game.

They had enough opportunities but always stuffed things up - often because of the manic defenders but sometimes because of poor skills.

They were a bigger team upfront but it didn't help them in the scrums. The only area they were superior in was at the lineout because the prop who threw the ball in for Joeys was not a good darts player.

If Knox keep playing like that they will be vulnerable this season.

Reportedly (GPS thread) Joeys and Knox played 30 games across the board on Saturday: Joeys won 28 and Knox 2.
.

 

[Ruggernut]

Holy crap the CAS teams aren't even on the same planet as the GPS teams.

 

[ChipKick]

Anyone able to report on the Waves v View U16s match won by Waves yesterday?

Only caught the first 20. Waverley had crossed twice by two nice backline shifts. Interested to see the end result tho?

 

[BRUMBIEJACK]

Waverley won 15-12 so I'm told. 16s probably more even CAS/GPS comp given relatively greater number of good rugby players who mysteriously appear in GPS teams from Opens onwards. Nearly w/o exception Waverley 15s/16s will be what make up the Opens, but not sure that holds for other, GPS, school rugby teams. It is, however, what it is.

 

[CatchnPass]

@Brumbie, will be same for Knox. Yes, despite a good win by Joeys 16As yesterday I don't think there is a gulf b/w CAS and GPS at this age. Opens appears to be a different story, at least partly attributable to the phenomonon you describe, but also to the more even competition which ensures GPS teams a hard match most weeks. The better CAS teams might only get 1 or 2 hard matches per round.

 

[BRUMBIEJACK]

@Brumbie, will be same for Knox. Yes, despite a good win by Joeys 16As yesterday I don't think there is a gulf b/w CAS and GPS at this age. Opens appears to be a different story, at least partly attributable to the phenomon you describe, but also to the more even competition which ensures GPS teams a hard match most weeks. The better CAS teams might only get 1 or 2 hard matches per round.

Partially that but also large boarder numbers helps to create an easy team dynamic and certainly makes organising training easier. Day boys only school spread all over Sydney poses some unique problems. Certainly weekly harder games is partially correct, but part of that comes from several new players in each school popping up for Opens. How else to explain relative closeness of school and rep 16s teams and blowouts in Opens with what should be (but never are) same player groups ? Gun player from SPX in Year 10 for instance now apparently a Riverview boy in Year 11 is but one example of a larger issue. This is symptomatic of why one can't compare the CAS/GPS Opens - good for trials but not same rugby mentality. Also part of a larger rugby issue that is sending the game backwards - brigading good players in a few schools makes a narrow game even narrower. But that's a separate argument.

 

[sidesteppa]

First half highlights of Joeys v Knox at Knox yesterday. Watch in HD [avail now if you watch on youtube using chrome browser, will take a few more mins of processing before you can watch in HD, if you use safari].

 

[sidelineview]

Holy crap the CAS teams aren't even on the same planet as the GPS teams.

See reply on AAGPS forum.

 

[benadamsforskipper]

I agree with your observations above Armchair. Hard to know what to make of it as reports from the NZ tour match just completed suggested that the Knox 16A team looked very well drilled against a quality Mount Albert Grammar (Auckland) side. I do think that some of the Knox forwards who played 'up' last year and rejoined the age group this year may have an overly inflated opinion of their ability and entitlement. They need to start playing as part of the team and prove that they have talent and can work hard rather than simply believing it.

What forwards from the 16's were playing 'up' last year? And how were they not playing as a team?

 

[Brian Westlake]

What forwards from the 16's were playing 'up' last year? And how were they not playing as a team?

They played only ONE game on a nz tour? Expensive game of footy. Did they play anyone else?

 

[Show and go]

@Brumbie, will be same for Knox. Yes, despite a good win by Joeys 16As yesterday I don't think there is a gulf b/w CAS and GPS at this age. Opens appears to be a different story, at least partly attributable to the phenomon you describe, but also to the more even competition which ensures GPS teams a hard match most weeks. The better CAS teams might only get 1 or 2 hard matches per round.

I disagree there is a huge difference between cas v GPS u16's this year, you only have to look at waves just beat view , scots beat view last week comfortably and are poor this year due to injuries and Kings beat scots by about 40 pts yesterday .View were strong last year but all there good players are in 1sts or 2 nds this year.
Newington will win the u16s this year and would put 30+ on waves or Knox, with a backline of McCabe , Lewis , Dellow , simmy and endermann and throw in one of the best schoolboy forwards in titmuss and all playing u16s this year looks nearly unbeatable. Of the above boys ,5 of them were starters for there respected Harold matts clubs along with one of the boys in the nsw state of origin squad. Not many u16's school teams could match that or even get close ,st augs yes and would be a cracker of a game to watch . I'm sure these boys will do great battle at reps this year with an unbelievable strong team getting selected this year .

 

[Tah123]

1st XV - Trinity 7 defeated by St Pats Strathfield.
#12 and #6 from both teams were impressive. I'd go as far as to say the #12 from St Pats was outstanding - great defence and damaging in attack. #6 from St Pats is quite young I believe and is not the biggest forward going around, but his ability to pilfer and clean out is impressive. #6 from Trinity looks like a born rugby player and is a tremendous leader (as captain) on the field. #12 Trinity very classy. #14 Trinity lightning quick. Trinity scrum dominant yet the smaller St Pats forwards held their own around the paddock.

 

[BRUMBIEJACK]

I disagree there is a huge difference between cas v GPS u16's this year, you only have to look at waves just beat view , scots beat view last week comfortably and are poor this year due to injuries and Kings beat scots by about 40 pts yesterday .View were strong last year but all there good players are in 1sts or 2 nds this year.
Newington will win the u16s this year and would put 30+ on waves or Knox, with a backline of McCabe , Lewis , Dellow , simmy and endermann and throw in one of the best schoolboy forwards in titmuss and all playing u16s this year looks nearly unbeatable. Of the above boys ,5 of them were starters for there respected Harold matts clubs along with one of the boys in the nsw state of origin squad. Not many u16's school teams could match that or even get close ,st augs yes and would be a cracker of a game to watch . I'm sure these boys will do great battle at reps this year with an unbelievable strong team getting selected this year .

Don't have to speculate given New & Waves have already played - can you tell us the Newington v Waverley 16As score when they played just before the holidays ? That way we can test your 30+ assertion & other prognostications. btw I think you meant their, not there, respective, not respected, unbelievably not unbelievable etc - not sure what year you are at school but more English study may be warranted.

 

[Crash Ball SS]

I do think that some of the Knox forwards who played 'up' last year and rejoined the age group this year may have an overly inflated opinion of their ability and entitlement. They need to start playing as part of the team and prove that they have talent and can work hard rather than simply believing it.

Good evening sir. May I ask which knox forwards you believe to not be playing as part of the team? And why do you say this? As a joeys father myself I personally thought the knox forwards were solid but outmatched. Interested to hear your opinion

 

[jeff thomson]

Don't have to speculate given New & Waves have already played - can you tell us the Newington v Waverley 16As score when they played just before the holidays ? That way we can test your 30+ assertion & other prognostications. btw I think you meant their, not there, respective, not respected, unbelievably not unbelievable etc - not sure what year you are at school but more English study may be warranted.

New did give Waverley a bit of a touch up just before the holidays

 

[Show and go]

Don't have to speculate given New & Waves have already played - can you tell us the Newington v Waverley 16As score when they played just before the holidays ? That way we can test your 30+ assertion & other prognostications. btw I think you meant their, not there, respective, not respected, unbelievably not unbelievable etc - not sure what year you are at school but more English study may be warranted.

Spelling is not my FORTE but speculating is and u will be a sore loser following your heart instead of your head ,any punter knows that. Murphy out for season for wavs so there's a huge loss for cas ,great player, plus most likely Harold matts boys didn't play due to league commitments against wav's, Any we can only wait and see but seriously if u think CAS can beat GPS u16s and ur right all credit to u ,throw in Dom Easy as another great addition for GPS , 20+ will be the result. Good luck.

 

[William88]

New did give Waverley a bit of a touch up just before the holidays

Indeed they did, but Waverley were missing 7 of their starting 15 that played against Riverview as they were involved in Harold Matts. It's a different team when the whole squad is there as we saw with their victory over Riverview.

 

[Donald Drumph]

1st XV - Trinity 7 defeated by St Pats Strathfield.
#12 and #6 from both teams were impressive. I'd go as far as to say the #12 from St Pats was outstanding - great defence and damaging in attack. #6 from St Pats is quite young I believe and is not the biggest forward going around, but his ability to pilfer and clean out is impressive. #6 from Trinity looks like a born rugby player and is a tremendous leader (as captain) on the field. #12 Trinity very classy. #14 Trinity lightning quick. Trinity scrum dominant yet the smaller St Pats forwards held their own around the paddock.

Pretty accurate assessment of the game.
Trinity had plenty of chances to put points on but seems to lack that finishing touch.

 

[jeff thomson]

Indeed they did, but Waverley were missing 7 of their starting 15 that played against Riverview as they were involved in Harold Matts. It's a different team when the whole squad is there as we saw with their victory over Riverview.

Still don't know how Waverley beat Riverview? Don't think Riverview were full strength but still a good result anyway