U16/U19 Competition 2023

[Steve_Grey]

Agreed, some selections were clearly made to prioritise players within the 'gen blue' academy as well as Sydney uni players. the back row was lackluster to say the least. Both #6 and #7 were unnoticeable around the breakdown, with players like Jack Barrett stepping up and rewarding his team with turnovers. Ben distaso needs to start. He's shown throughout the club season he's dangerous over the ball and fronts up defensively, which was evident in his immediate impact off the bench. The #8 was impressive, but a passive flanker duo will only leave weaknesses in the defensive line, and see the opposition available to generate quick ball frequently. some better performances are needed desperately for this tahs team to have a chance at winning this competition.

Yes - should play Nicolle at #7 [Easts Colts played him at #7 and Di Staso at #6] big tackler, strong runner, pilfer specialist, and play Di Staso at #6. NSW #6 and #7 were absent in that Brumbies game, with #1 and #2 having to do their work at the breakdown.

 

[rugboy]

Congratulations to those boys selected for Team of the Week from week 1 matches

 

[Slim 293]

I'm going to have to watch those highlights later...

To anyone who has watched more of these young'ns, is Lachlan Hooper ready to join his brother in the Brumbies' backrow next year?

 

[Brumby Runner]

Slim, I'd say Lachie would give it a good go (a bit like Tom at Wallaby level), but still behind the likes of Scott, Reimer, Cale and Kennedy for a bench spot.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

He’s a while back in that group. Would need to put on some size that will come in time but he’s a lean build even in the age groups.

 

[Members Section]

So does Cullen Grey not qualify for the aus u/20's next yr? not sure about the rules for eligibility for under 20's

 

[Shuteshieldfan]

Yes - should play Nicolle at #7 [Easts Colts played him at #7 and Di Staso at #6] big tackler, strong runner, pilfer specialist, and play Di Staso at #6. NSW #6 and #7 were absent in that Brumbies game, with #1 and #2 having to do their work at the breakdown.

Nicolle is a good player, but he still played half the season in 2nd grade colts (played the finals in Easts 2nds colts as well).

If the two coaches are fair dinkum, Dan Parkes (Uni colts coach) and Dan England (Easts colts coach) then why didn't they select these players in their respective 1st colts' team (Tancred and Nicolle)?

If they really rate these players as the best in their position, then how come they couldn't find a spot for these players in their first-choice forward packs a lot of the time at club land? This is meant to be a rep side, makes you wonder..

 

[Rudderless]

ROUND 2​

Sat 7 October

Rebels v Waratahs, Box Hill Rugby Club VIC, U16s 11.05am, U19s 12.45pm

Sun 8 October

Reds v Force, Ballymore QLD, U16s 12.05pm, U19s 1.45pm

Brumbies BYE

 

[Steve_Grey]

Nicolle is a good player, but he still played half the season in 2nd grade colts (played the finals in Easts 2nds colts as well).

If the two coaches are fair dinkum, Dan Parkes (Uni colts coach) and Dan England (Easts colts coach) then why didn't they select these players in their respective 1st colts' team (Tancred and Nicolle)?

If they really rate these players as the best in their position, then how come they couldn't find a spot for these players in their first-choice forward packs a lot of the time at club land? This is meant to be a rep side, makes you wonder..

Interesting - the public team lists for both those clubs [Uni and Easts] imply their two coaches did actually rate them as best in their positions (Tancred and Nicolle) in their respective 1st colts' - from round 8:

https://nswpremresults.fusesport.com/drawresult.asp?id=1432396&seasonid=1093

The team lists publish Tancred and Nicolle following a similar path - Colts 1s from around Game 8, then starting Colts 1s for the rest of the season [Tancred in Uni Colts #4/5 or #8 - Nicolle in Easts Colts at #7 - Easts seem lucky with 2nds colts final that Nicolle had played enough 2s games to qualify - 1s Colts were knocked out in finals round 1 [team list has Nicolle starting at #7 with Di Staso #6].

Tancred seems to have been on the bench for the Uni finals rounds - maybe injury or simple selection decisions?

But to your point, the team lists show both were in first-choice forward packs in club land - and started their respective Colts 1s games from round 8/9 onwards - looks like simple meritocracy [the way it should be] in club land, which was then rewarded with rep selection.

The question I ask myself - why were they not 1st choice from the beginning of the season - perhaps they were relatively unknown? That is the beauty of meritocracy is my guess - when employed correctly.

 

[rugbyAU]

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Good to see Di Staso get the start at 6. Came on and looked good last week.

Besides the Front Row this side doens't really excite me. Still would have moved Cailol to 12 and Saunders to 13 to get more ball in his hands.

 

[Slim 293]

View attachment 17659

The graphic design intern may want to include some more information in future, such as the team's name...

 

[D-Box]

 

[KOB1987]

Ollie Cummins is going to be busy

 

[D-Box]

Didn't notice that . Wonder if it will count as two caps

 

[Shuteshieldfan]

Interesting - the public team lists for both those clubs [Uni and Easts] imply their two coaches did actually rate them as best in their positions (Tancred and Nicolle) in their respective 1st colts' - from round 8:

https://nswpremresults.fusesport.com/drawresult.asp?id=1432396&seasonid=1093

The team lists publish Tancred and Nicolle following a similar path - Colts 1s from around Game 8, then starting Colts 1s for the rest of the season [Tancred in Uni Colts #4/5 or #8 - Nicolle in Easts Colts at #7 - Easts seem lucky with 2nds colts final that Nicolle had played enough 2s games to qualify - 1s Colts were knocked out in finals round 1 [team list has Nicolle starting at #7 with Di Staso #6].

Tancred seems to have been on the bench for the Uni finals rounds - maybe injury or simple selection decisions?

But to your point, the team lists show both were in first-choice forward packs in club land - and started their respective Colts 1s games from round 8/9 onwards - looks like simple meritocracy [the way it should be] in club land, which was then rewarded with rep selection.

The question I ask myself - why were they not 1st choice from the beginning of the season - perhaps they were relatively unknown? That is the beauty of meritocracy is my guess - when employed correctly.

Tancred was on the bench for Uni's two most important games of the year, the semifinal against Eastwood, he got 5 token minutes.
In the Grand Final against Warringah he (along with every other sub on Uni's bench) did not get on.

I don't know how you can go around saying he 'was in the first-choice forward pack', it's total rubbish.
Not getting on off the bench in first colts isn't first choice in my book or most peoples...

Nicolle obviously played a lot of second colts (again hence how he qualified for 2nd colts finals). Him and Gavin seemed to swap a lot between 1st and 2nd colts (again I rate them both I just feel there are better quality options available who didn't play 2nd grade at all).

 

[Shuteshieldfan]

Uni 2nd grade colts have 4 people starting in the NSW U19s team, 4! You can't make this stuff up.

It's not like they were an amazing 2nd grade colts' team either. They scraped into the finals into 6th position and got bounced first week in the finals by a fairly average Warringah 2's side on paper.

The coach of UNI is also the NSW coach, why are more people not talking about this and calling a spade a spade?

The fact Davis kept his jersey after being Mr Anonymous also says a lot.

The makeup of the starting side this week;

Uni (2nd colts): 4 (Stiel, Tancred, Staniforth, Schmude)
Easts: 4 (McRea, Di Staso, Dickens, Bassingthwaighte)
Uni (1st colts): 3 (Davis, Caillol, Batidravu)
Warringah: 2 (Langfield, Saunders)
Randwick: 1 (Barrett)
Eastwood: 1 (Finau)

Based on this the 3 best teams in NSW colts this year must have been

1. Uni 2nd Grade Colts (Finished 6th in second grade)
2. Easts 1st Colts (Finished 5th and knocked out first week of the finals)
3. Uni 1st Colts (3rd regular season and runners up of the competition)

If you were a player from Gordon, Warringah, Randwick and Eastwood 1st colts then you would naturally feel a bit dudded with what is going on.
This side will likely flog a very weak Melbourne team, keep their jersey as a 'winning side' and other more deserving boys will continue to not get a look in from the Uni head coach and the Easts coach of NSW favouring 'their boys', a lot who played 2nd grade colts!
I personally think it is very wrong and surprised more hasn't been said.

Justified rant over.

 

[Rugbyparent]

Uni 2nd grade colts have 4 people starting in the NSW U19s team, 4! You can't make this stuff up.

It's not like they were an amazing 2nd grade colts' team either. They scraped into the finals into 6th position and got bounced first week in the finals by a fairly average Warringah 2's side on paper.

The coach of UNI is also the NSW coach, why are more people not talking about this and calling a spade a spade?

The fact Davis kept his jersey after being Mr Anonymous also says a lot.

The makeup of the starting side this week;

Uni (2nd colts): 4 (Stiel, Tancred, Staniforth, Schmude)
Easts: 4 (McRea, Di Staso, Dickens, Bassingthwaighte)
Uni (1st colts): 3 (Davis, Caillol, Batidravu)
Warringah: 2 (Langfield, Saunders)
Randwick: 1 (Barrett)
Eastwood: 1 (Finau)

Based on this the 3 best teams in NSW colts this year must have been

1. Uni 2nd Grade Colts (Finished 6th in second grade)
2. Easts 1st Colts (Finished 5th and knocked out first week of the finals)
3. Uni 1st Colts (3rd regular season and runners up of the competition)

If you were a player from Gordon, Warringah, Randwick and Eastwood 1st colts then you would naturally feel a bit dudded with what is going on.
This side will likely flog a very weak Melbourne team, keep their jersey as a 'winning side' and other more deserving boys will continue to not get a look in from the Uni head coach and the Easts coach of NSW favouring 'their boys', a lot who played 2nd grade colts!
I personally think it is very wrong and surprised more hasn't been said.

Justified rant over.

Keep in mind that the Colts comp was an U20s..and this team is U19s... So many 1st colts teams had the bulk of their players too old for this NSW 19s team - its tough to make a direct comparison. All but 3 of the Warringah winning team are too old for the 19s comp. Not sure its a valid comparison.

 

[warriorsdiehard444]

Tancred was on the bench for Uni's two most important games of the year, the semifinal against Eastwood, he got 5 token minutes.
In the Grand Final against Warringah he (along with every other sub on Uni's bench) did not get on.

I don't know how you can go around saying he 'was in the first-choice forward pack', it's total rubbish.
Not getting on off the bench in first colts isn't first choice in my book or most peoples...

Nicolle obviously played a lot of second colts (again hence how he qualified for 2nd colts finals). Him and Gavin seemed to swap a lot between 1st and 2nd colts (again I rate them both I just feel there are better quality options available who didn't play 2nd grade at all).

First thing is first, I think it's childish to target teenagers who you've never met, nor watched much of them play either, and to make Ill-informed comments regarding their abilities and questioning their selection. Every player in the waratahs u19s is there for a reason.

The colts competition is made up of 19 and 20 year olds, meaning players who are eligible for the u19s tournament are competing against people a year older within the club competition, I can see that's a key factor that's been overlooked.

Secondly, Tancred was a first choice forward in the uni firsts colts side (a side that went on to do extremely well in the competition), up until the knockout games, when uni justifiably brought down two second rowers who were playing in the Grade competition, both a year older than Tancred, and both in his position. He's a great player who's earned his starting position in the waratahs side, but missed out on playing finals footy because of the competition he was faced within his position, from players a year older.

Nicolle did not 'swap alot' between 1sts and 2nds colts, after his first game in 1sts colts he kept his spot up until the team got knocked out by Eastwood, when he then went on to win a premiership with 2nds colts, as any player would if they could.

I'd be hesitant in calling your rant 'justified' when you've overlooked key details, either in ignorance or disingenuity.

 

[Shuteshieldfan]

Secondly, Tancred was a first choice forward in the uni firsts colts side (a side that went on to do extremely well in the competition), up until the knockout games, when uni justifiably brought down two second rowers who were playing in the Grade competition, both a year older than Tancred, and both in his position. He's a great player who's earned his starting position in the waratahs side, but missed out on playing finals footy because of the competition he was faced within his position, from players a year older.

Nicolle did not 'swap alot' between 1sts and 2nds colts, after his first game in 1sts colts he kept his spot up until the team got knocked out by Eastwood, when he then went on to win a premiership with 2nds colts, as any player would if they could.

This just is not factually correct, so don't bring your fables here please.
Easts vs Souths end of the season back row was #6 Gavin, #7 Di Staso and #8 MacPherson.
second colts = Nicole #6
Dalyrumple was injured for most of the season as well from memory (as was MacPherson).
I rate Nicolle he is a solid player. Di Staso is the best out and out 7 in this squad for mine and I don't think anyone would disagree personally.

Again, Tancred was not first choice, he didn't start the games that mattered so how can you call him first choice!

He has played in the second row, 6 and 8 so four different available starting spots available. He did not start in any 4 of those spots, ie 4 players were deemed better than him and not the 2 people who came down from grade as suggested.