2014 IRB Junior World Championship – New Zealand

[trevor cork]

Yeah—Rappy is coaching both but everything will be over for both the NSW Colts and the Gen Blue team by the end of March, or near enough; so it won't interfere too much with his Newington stuff.



I don't want to convince you of anything tc, but it's probably the wrong question.

I was more concerned about the Argentine trial game being a missed opportunity, surely the selectors have a pretty good idea of what the final team will be, even allowing for several extra reserves, it's not as if these players don't have some solid form. There is only 3 weeks before the national comp, and they are not playing this Sat.
So I see it as a missed opportunity not to play the best 15, or as close as possible, for a full 80, get the combos going etc, you did say yourself, in your opinion (which I agree with) that the majority of the 2nd 1/2 team probably won't advance. Things have moved on considerably since, and the blog answered several questions, looking forward to the next game.

 

[guru13]

Does anyone have a team list for the Under 20 combined states team recently chosen ?

 

[Forcefield]

WA players selected in Southern States U20s:

Oscar Backhouse University (Lock I think)
Luke Burton University (Inside Back)
Ross Haylett-Petty Cottesloe (Lock I think)
Tim Koiatu Wanneroo (Outside back I think)
Kane Koteka Wests Scarborough (Backrow)
Bradley Lacey Wests Scarborough (Wing)
Harry Scoble University (Hooker)
Angus Taylor Wanneroo (Scrumhalf)
Corey Thomas University (Lock or 6)

Shadow
Richard Hardwick University (Backrow)

That was from TWF. I don't know about who is in from other teams.

 

[FTS]

Does anyone have a team list for the Under 20 combined states team recently chosen ?

Here is a write up from Brumbies about their boys selected , but the article also lists the entire Combined States squad.

http://www.brumbies.com.au/News/Art...-players-picked-for-Combined-States-team.aspx

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Combined States Under 20 Squad is:


Conal McINERNEY ACT
Joel PENDERS ACT
Tom STANIFORTH ACT
Joseph POWELL ACT
Andrew ROBINSON ACT
Rowan PERRY ACT
Jason TOMANE ACT
Allan ALALAATOA ACT
Fereti SA’AGA Vic
Ta HOSEA Vic
Patolo TOETA Vic
Lalakai FOKETI Vic
Angus ARUNDEL Vic
Sean McMAHON Vic
Adam GAUDER Qld Country
Jack FINIGAN Qld Country
Harry SCOBLE WA
Corey THOMAS WA
Kane KOTEKA WA
Ross HAYLETT-PETTY WA
Angus TAYLOR WA
Luke BURTON WA
Brad LACY WA
Tim KOIATU WA
Oscar BACKHOUSE WA

 

[Lee Grant]

The NSW Colts Under 20s are playing Aus Barbarians at 4.30 pm at the David Phillips field in Daceyville on Friday 7th March.

This is a trial game to choose 28 players for NSW Colts who will play in the National Under 20 Championships at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra starting on March 21st.

There is an earlier Pacific Rugby Cup game as a curtain raiser (or is the U20 game the curtain closer?).

The Gen Blue team (really Waratahs A) is playing the Argentina Pampas XV which has eight Puma test players in it.

Be there.
.

 

[Lee Grant]

Combined States Under 20 Squad is:

["Includes" LG]

Tom STANIFORTH ACT
Andrew ROBINSON ACT
Allan ALALA'ATOA ACT
Lalakai FOKETI Vic
Sean McMAHON Vic
Luke BURTON WA
Brad LACEY WA

Fereti SA’AGA Vic

Thanks for posting that HJ.

The names at the top are well-known: McMahon for his play for Oz Sevens and for starting for the Melbourne Rebels last Friday, and the others for appearing in the IRB Junior World Cup last year.

But Victorian LHP Sa'aga is one to watch for the future.

This lad, from Thornbury High School last year, played in six Oz Schools "test matches" in 2013, starting in three of them.

And Adrian Thompson, the Oz Under 20s coach, recently gave the Player of the Southern States Championship award to Sa'aga, who was the Victoria captain.

Being in Year 11 last year, 2014 may be a little early for Sa'aga to shine in Under 20s nationally, or internationally, but put his name down as somebody to watch - he is a goer and plays a hard game.

And he has the right blood lines - he is a cousin of Scott Sio of the Brumbies.
.

 

[en_force_er]

The names at the top are well-known: McMahon for his play for Oz Sevens and for starting for the Melbourne Rebels last Friday, and the others for appearing in the IRB Junior World Cup last year.

But Victorian LHP Sa'aga is one to watch for the future.

This lad, from Thornbury High School last year, played in six Oz Schools "test matches" in 2013, starting in three of them.

And Adrian Thompson, the Oz Under 20s coach, recently gave the Player of the Southern States Championship award to Sa'aga, who was the Victoria captain.

Being in Year 11 last year 2014 may be a little early for Sa'aga to shine in Under 20s nationally, or internationally, but put his name down as somebody to watch - he is a goer and plays a hard game.

And he has the right blood lines - he is a cousin of Scott Sio of the Brumbies.
.

If he was in Year 11 he was repeating.

He did Year 11 in 2012 at Melbourne Grammar.

 

[Lee Grant]

He must have because there was an article in RUPA News last year that mentioned he was in year 11 at Thornbury High School.

And he didn't look like an Under 17 player in 2013.

enforcer - what has happened to hooker Moli S - do you know?

Don't ask me to spell his last name.
.

 

[FTS]

The national championships will hopefully show some exciting rugby down in Canberra. NSW have a very strong squad and with their results against the Pampas XV they will be well prepared. QLD have had numerous boys playing for Reds A and plenty of boys who went to the world cup last year. The Combined States team should be very competitive also, outlined by LG they have plenty of boys who went away last year, and almost all the WA boys picked were apart of the Force A team that defeated Reds A a few weeks back. Brumbies 20s and Force 20s were both quite strong sides that make a lot of the Combined States team. I think there is no doubt this is certainly a much better selection process to pick the Aus 20s from, less politics, and instead of picking players on their reputation or schoolboy form they are now getting picked on current form shown playing tough footy.

 

[Forcefield]

So where do these guys play?

Conal McINERNEY ACT
Joel PENDERS ACT
Joseph POWELL ACT
Andrew ROBINSON ACT
Rowan PERRY ACT
Jason TOMANE ACT
Ta HOSEA Vic
Patolo TOETA Vic
Angus ARUNDEL Vic
Adam GAUDER Qld Country
Jack FINIGAN Qld Country

 

[FTS]

So where do these guys play?

Conal McINERNEY ACT
Joel PENDERS ACT
Joseph POWELL ACT
Andrew ROBINSON ACT
Rowan PERRY ACT
Jason TOMANE ACT
Ta HOSEA Vic
Patolo TOETA Vic
Angus ARUNDEL Vic
Adam GAUDER Qld Country
Jack FINIGAN Qld Country

Conal McINERNEY ACT (Hooker)
Joel PENDERS ACT (Prop)
Joseph POWELL ACT (Halfback)
Andrew ROBINSON ACT (Outside centre/ wing)
Rowan PERRY ACT (Openside flanker)
Jason TOMANE ACT (Inside Centre/ Wing)
Ta HOSEA Vic (2nd Row)
Patolo TOETA Vic (Flyhalf)
Angus ARUNDEL Vic (Prop)
Adam GAUDER Qld Country (Unsure)
Jack FINIGAN Qld Country (Outside Centre)

 

[Forcefield]

That makes a pretty tidy team likely to look something like:

1. Sa'aga
2. Scoble
3. Alalaatoa
4. Backhouse
5. Staniforth
6. Thomas
7. Koteka
8. McMahon

9. Powell
10. Burton
11. Robinson
12. Tomane
13. Foteki
14. Lacey
15. Koiatu

 

[Brumby Runner]

Conal McINERNEY ACT (Hooker)
Joel PENDERS ACT (Prop)
Joseph POWELL ACT (Halfback)
Andrew ROBINSON ACT (Outside centre/ wing)
Rowan PERRY ACT (Openside flanker)
Jason TOMANE ACT (Inside Centre/ Wing)
Ta HOSEA Vic (2nd Row)
Patolo TOETA Vic (Flyhalf)
Angus ARUNDEL Vic (Prop)
Adam GAUDER Qld Country (Unsure)
Jack FINIGAN Qld Country (Outside Centre)

Did Andrew Robinson play on the wing for Aus schoolboys a couple of years ago when they beat NZ schoolboys in NZ? If so, he has a ton of speed and can step. Very promising.

 

[Eyes and Ears]

enforcer - what has happened to hooker Moli S - do you know?

.

Out for season IIRC

 

[Lee Grant]

Thanks EE

That's a pity given the Rebels shortage of hookers in their stable. He would be one to think of in a year or two, but missing a whole season at his age is not a great start to a career.

Did Andrew Robinson play on the wing for Aus schoolboys a couple of years ago when they beat NZ schoolboys in NZ? If so, he has a ton of speed and can step. Very promising.

Yes, that was Robinson.

I think that he's a better centre than a winger, because he's a good facilitator, but he certainly played well on the right wing in that game.
.

 

[FTS]

Did Andrew Robinson play on the wing for Aus schoolboys a couple of years ago when they beat NZ schoolboys in NZ? If so, he has a ton of speed and can step. Very promising.

Yep thats the one, played two years of Aus schools (2011, 2012). Coming of shoulder surgery last year but from all reports played well with ACT in Adelaide.

 

[en_force_er]

He must have because there was an article in RUPA News last year that mentioned he was in year 11 at Thornbury High School.

And he didn't look like an Under 17 player in 2013.

enforcer - what has happened to hooker Moli S - do you know?

Don't ask me to spell his last name.
.

Hurt himself and is out for the rest of 2013. Massive shame, people are really impressed with him.

He was a good juniour but not one that you'd have earmarked for greatness from the outset like Sa'aga. Hopefully we find sports for both in the EPS next year.

 

[Highlander35]

If Leafa keeps playing like this, going into next year with front row stocks of:

Cruze Ah-Nau
Paul Alo-Emile
Max Lahiff
Pat Leafa
Tom Sexton
Toby Smith
Laurie Weeks

Moli S (EPS)
Fereti Sa'aga (EPS)

Sounds like a pretty good mix to me.

Sent from my LG-P713 using Tapatalk

 

[en_force_er]

If Leafa keeps playing like this, going into next year with front row stocks of:

Cruze Ah-Nau
Paul Alo-Emile
Max Lahiff
Pat Leafa
Tom Sexton
Toby Smith
Laurie Weeks

Moli S (EPS)
Fereti Sa'aga (EPS)

Sounds like a pretty good mix to me.

Sent from my LG-P713 using Tapatalk

I doubt we'd go into a season with all of those guys. I think you could expect one of the main squad props to go at least and only 1 EPS spot to go to one of the young locals (probably Moli because he's a hooker).

I doubt both of those guys would get EPS spots in the one year due to the fact that the Rebels have been so tentative with giving EPS spots to locals in the past. Don't expect the recruitment managers to go gangbusters in just one year.

I'd like to see the Rebels create a 5 year plan to get 5 locals (minimum) into the Rebels, including 3 EPS contracts. I'd love to see a commitment made to the local community.