NSW under 15s 2012

Well the regionals have been played, city side selected, county side in training! Now the real question who will get that all so important blue and white jersey?

What politics? The MNZ team is made up of Gordon and Warringah, the two strongest teams in the age group (Lindfield and Newport), MNZ is made up of half players from both teams. And they won the contest. The split is 5 Gordon and the balance Warringah players (6 or 7). The key players from other zones were selected. When you choose 23 from 69 players, 46 boys miss out. Of those, probably a few are unlucky. So who shouldn't be in the team that was selected?

any chance you could put the team up i am unable to find it

I wholeheartedly agree, Rugby Mum 2, & respectfully suggest that Sydneybra reflects more carefully on the facts before posting such comments re: politics (the stuff for another thread?)

Let's see if we can concentrate on the rugby & wish both the city & country boys all the best for their clash in Bathurst on 5 August.

If you can play flyhalf; you can probably play centre competently, always good having a back up (as witnessed when the talented 10 from Western was injured - it was probably the difference in the end). Don't know who was selected half back. Not MNZ. Best half back in Sydney is Banjo Travers - Norths/Joeys. But hard to get noticed when team isn't winning and forwards aren't going forward. Maybe that was Tom Wong's problem? Second rower for Joeys, Tom Leaver, is a very competent player who is lifted in the line out. Perhaps in an even better team, better play all round? Agree with comments on Elia, quite unlucky, I would always have a big hard running forward on my team but suspect fitness is an issue as he was No. 18 (and in Gold Squad). Gotta put in the hard yards when you are a big unit. The MNZ side doesn't have big forwards but they are reasonably mobile. Disagree with Southern second rower, very tall but unfortunately didn't have much impact on weekend? Hard not to notice. Don't know other boy; Orpen. If he is 15, hard to compete against MNZ 15, Hutchinson - strong and fast.

Newington player, Tom Piroddi? Tall and rangy and will no doubt "grow" into his substantial frame for a 15yr old. Maybe the 16s is where it will level out for a number of players who have benefitted from an early growth surge. I think it is about mobile forwards as there were certainly some hefty fellas out there in the 15s but on a hot day couldn't go the distance and it is no cake walk out there. Banjo may be small but has good ball service and box kick. Prefer him with me than agin me. Don't know about Orpen - will watch out for him at club level. In 16s have a couple of pathways. Good luck to him then!

The selections are now available at www.juniors.rugbynet.com.au

Lachlan Anderson WZ
Delane Cherrington SZ
Daniel England NZ
Max Girdler NZ
Louis Heaton WZ
Tom Horton NZ
Conor Hurley NZ
Henry Hutchison NZ
Tom Leaver NZ
Sepesa Loga-Torogi SZ
Ryan McAuley SZ
Will McRae NZ
Jack McGregor NZ
Harry McClenan SZ
Jack Nettleton NZ
Guy Porter NZ
Jacob Richards WZ
Denzel Singleton WZ
Jacob Storey SZ
Will Stubbs NZ
Kirk Steven-Tuivali WZ
Cyprus Tutonoa NZ
Carl Winterstein WZ
ACHANYPRUS TUT

The only other solid halfback I have seen in this age group who maybe the half back selected for the Sydney side is from Dural/Eastwood, saw him play this year for Dural and was talented, he had a great pass and is a good goalkicker and If memory serves me correct he is only 14 ??

This is the first opportunity for boys to be selected in higher reperesentative sides, not all players can make it and of course there will be dissapointment and calls of politics etc .The coaches at this level are experienced and know what they are doing and who to select to suit there game plan and to defeat the country lads.

In my opinion (however I wasn't at the regional champs.) I think the MNZ selections are justified Gordon and Warringah have dominated this age group over the years and deserve selection in the Sydney side

Not sure that Friendship with a SJRU executive is a selection prerequisite. Be very surprised if the official named exerted any influence on the selections.

Where does Tom Wong go to school, GPS school or other? We can test the battle of the second rowers in Joeys v Newington. Then maybe the half backs? Who cares, its all about the forwards. The Joeys 15As should be at full strength post holidays with 4 key forwards returning to the battlefield and Ron Streater-Mason in backs. Need to redeem that loss to Kings.

He is currently at Marcellin college, a non-union playing school although he is moving to a CAS or GPS school to further his career in it, most likely Waverley. Should be a great game between the two very strong teams

I think it's an absolute joke Elia wasn't picked. My opinion is he is one of the best players in the state. He trains hard and is always asking his various coaches what he can do to improve. Over the weekend of the regional trials he was at the breakdown cleaning out, stealing ball off the opposition, making crucial tackles, setting up tries that the backs scored off, just to name a few things he did. I believe a few other kids should be disappointed with not being selected and that politics in sport is very ugly.

If you believe the bias is bad wait until next year when the boys hit 16 and NSW u16 Schoolboys; if you don't belong the favoured association (GPS) you have no hope (CCC).

I have seen Elia play at the State Champs for Warringah and he is one of the best players in the team. Very strong runner of the ball and does all the hard work in the rucks, lineouts etc but unfortunately this is the thing with politics. Tell him to keep his chin up and keep playing hard there is a long way to go yet in rep Rugby.

With 3 teams selected for National Under 16's from NSW, there is every chance that the "overlooked" at under 15 level will get a gig in Under 16's.

Plenty of previously "unknowns" in NSW Schools and SJRU 16's. Not all of these kick on for the opens. Hang in there as Wannabe Selector says.

the problem with the u/15s selections was ,wz smashed wa, wz smashed sz, and particularly in the forwards gave it to nz plus everyone in the ground new the kick went over although that doesnt matter. the fact that wz only got 3 forwards in the team is bad enough but one player out of the tight 5. they even took both hookers from nz . i know you cant keep everyone happy but that was a disgrace

WZ beat WA 18-12 which hardly qualifies as a smashing. Although WZ beat SZ 30-10, WA beat SZ by the same margin, 27-7.

If WZ "gave it to NZ" in the forwards it didn't translate into dominance on the scoreboard. Waratahs' fans know that winning in the forwards isn't enough to be saved from narrow defeat.

WZ has 6 players in the team. A number of posters have suggested that an NZ forward, Elia Faafui, was unlucky not to be selected. As you say "you cant keep everyone happy".

Picking an old scab now
complaining about referees decisions goes both ways and if you count dissalowed tries they may or may not have been, the kick touch judges were in the best place to see, would have been irrelivent.

players missing out this tear will have three chances next for higher rep honour.

those sellected can enjoy some of the best parts of rugby, incfluding, for some that miss out at the next level, being able to complain about the unfairness of the NSW selections after playing a touring Japenese side and country NSW.

Players are sellected for individuals skill and ability to perform in a manner that suits a game plan, as the levels get higher and more intense differences are smaller. the flow of any one game may or may not demonstrate a players best wares as much as their team or personal performance may be taken ito account

enjoy the rugby