2014 IRB Junior World Championship – New Zealand

[HJ Nelson]

Grey skies, but dry weather at Bond University for the first of two trial matches between the Australian and Samoan Under 20 World Championship squads

Australia started well, with most of the possession and penalty count in their favour, but were unable to capitalise, due to poor handling.

Luke Burton (#12) missed with an early penalty attempt, but was successful with his second, to put Australia in front 3-0 after 10 minutes.
The Samoan kicker then missed a penalty kick, before lost ball from the Australians led to a long distance try to the Samoan #14.
Conversion from the corner missed, 5-3 to Samoa.

The Australian scrum was dominant, and pushed the large Samoan pack back on several occasions. Not having a Samoan team list, I assumed the huge #5 must have been Cameron Skelton, however when he was replaced by an even larger #20 mid-way through the first half, I knew I had assumed incorrectly.

A good run from Lalakai Foketi (#13), put pressure on the Samoans, but after a missed penalty kick, the Australians still remained try-less.
Following a strong run from Jonah Placid (#15) and then a penalty for a dangerous tackle from the Samoan #14, the Australians spent a long time camped deep in Samoan territory, however a dropped ball over the try-line by Brad Lacey (#14) kept the half-time score at 5-3 to Samoa.

Best in the first half for the Australians, Placid and Tom Staniforth (#4), but overall, lots of mistakes, including ’schoolboy’ handling errors, and one one occasion, a failure to play the ref’s whistle led to both teams standing looking at each other awkwardly, until the referee finally blew the whistle for an obstruction.

After not being able to convert their opportunities into points in the 1st half, the Australians improved their execution in the first 20 minutes of the 2nd half.
Another strong run from Foketi saw him beat 3 or 4 defenders to crash over under the posts. Conversion successful, 10-5 after 5 minutes.

The Australians were back on the attack from the kick-off, and strong-running from Lolo Fakaosilea (#8) had the Australians over the line again through Rory O’Connor (#1), but the was try not awarded due to a lost forward call from the Assistant Referee.

Undaunted, the Australians followed up with another elusive run from Placid, who was brought down 5 metres out, and quick ball had Sasa Tofilau (#24) over for a try out wide. Conversion successful, 17-5 after 13 minutes of the second half.

A few minutes later, Lacey (#11) made up for his earlier fumble, with a strong run to score, after a taking the ball from the scrum-half from an attacking scrum. Conversion successful, 24-5.

After 20 minutes gone in the second half, several substitutions were made, and David Horwitz (#22) lined up at centre outside Andrew Deegan (#10). Replacements Vea (#16) and Kaitu’u (#18) ran strongly, and after the Samoan #16 was yellow-carded for repeated infringements, the Australians capitalised with a try to Kaitu’u (#18) which was quickly followed by a second try to Sasa Tofilau (#24) who strolled over untouched in the corner.
Conversion from Horwitz was unsuccessful, and the full-time score was 34-5 to Australia.

I’ve started uploading photos from the match to the following album, but due to teenagers, the upload won’t finish until tomorrow morning. Please check back tomorrow

https://www.flickr.com/photos/100900132@N02/sets/72157644030967930/

 

[Cat_A]

HJ - THAT IS HOW YOU WRITE A MATCH REPORT!

Nice one! Thanks!

 

[an observer]

Australia Under 20's defeated Samoa 60 to 5 at Somerset College Robina today.

 

[an observer]

does anyone have a match report on this game?

 

[Doofus]

ARU website has a few paragraphs

 

[Lee Grant]

I understand Cameron Skeleton from SU is in the Samoan team.

As was brother Will back in the day.

A lot of ethnic Islanders residing in Oz and NZ take that opportunity and it's a great experience.

It will be interesting to see how Cam gets around the field.
.

 

[I like to watch]

He is not as mobile as his brother is today.
But more mobile than his brother was at the same age.
I can imagine a day when one brother comes off the bench to replace the other.
A scary thought for the opposition!

 

[Lee Grant]

I’m a little confused (and hope someone can help).

Yet the IRB has the 28-man Australian under-20 squad already listed

Perhaps there is a requirement to provide a squad list, but the ARU is able to amend it before the tournament.

So, perhaps with a grain of salt, here is the current Australian squad as listed

If it is the real list it would be unseemly if the players weren't told.

On the other hand: if it is a bogus list it is untoward practice.

On the face of it, the omissions don't look exceptionable apart from that of Gunn, though he may be injured.

The omissions are.

2. Feliti Kaitu'u
7. Michael Gunn
8. Sam Croke
9. Scott Gale
10. Andrew Deegan

Perhaps the list of names on the IRB website is the real deal, though some of the weights attributed to some players look dodgy.

But this kind of thing is common in IRB listings.
.

 

[FTS]

I heard that they were required to submit a team list by a certain date otherwise they faced a fine from the IRB.

Apparently the team is being officially released today? From the whispers I have heard, expect some pretty shocking omissions, and not due to injury.

 

[Lee Grant]

That rings true FTS.

I always thought the 28 man squad would be chosen after the first camp, with the other five players still being in camp for the second.

The second camp needs to work on more precise combinations and the extra five will detract from that.

Yet they need to be around until the team leaves for NZ so they can soak up all the content that they will need if they are cherry-picked to replace an injured player during the tournament.
.

 

[swingpass]

Cat my girlfriend is a writer, loves your work in resurrecting the English language

 

[rugby roo]

It should only matter WHO is selected to represent Australia, not who has missed out.
Lets reinstall the pride in that honour. Lets not forget a star team often beats a team of stars.These "kids" have skills and enthusiasm and to date mostly untainted by politics and egos.Back them to give 100% for the jersey .

 

[RugbyReg]

agreed, as long as they take it one game at a time, play every game as if its their last and focus on the little things, the big things will come.

 

[RugbyReg]

team is name:

Name
Allan Ala'alatoa
Luke Burton
Sam Croke
Jack Dempsey
Lolo Fakaosilea
Lalakai Foketi (vc)
Ross Haylett-Petty
David Horwitz
Alifeleti Kaitu'u
Andrew Kellaway
Brad Lacey
Jake McIntyre
Sean McMahon (c)
Rory O'Connor
Cameron Orr
Jack Payne
Rowan Perry
Matthew Philip
Jonah Placid
Joseph Powell
Angus Pulver
Tom Robertson
Andrew Robinson
Harry Scoble
Tom Staniforth (vc)
Jim Stewart
Jonny Vaux
Tevita Vea

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Burton has been called into the Force squad for there SA trip and will rejoin the squad when he gets back.

 

[FTS]

So omissions then from the original squad would be:

Joel Penders
Michael Gunn
Pat Sio
Scott Gale
Andrew Deegan
Tom Banks
If I missed anyone feel free to add

Agree now that the focus should be placed on the boys that ARE selected. Hopefully this can be a successful world cup after the last few years disappointments. The selection process this year has seemed much fairer and selections have been made on current form, via the games in the Southern States championships and then the National u20s Championship, which preceded the camp. This has also allowed boys the chance to be picked via a pathway instead of the previous years where it was just reputation that got players a chance to impress at a camp. I'm very excited too watch

 

[qwerty51]

Find it strange how Pat Sio can miss the tournament when he played last year and did very well I thought. Maybe injured?

 

[Dave Beat]

Great seeing 3 Marlins there, well done Manly. First time in a while I'm feeling good about the team. Does any one know if it's showing on the box.

 

[Lee Grant]

Find it strange how Pat Sio can miss the tournament when he played last year and did very well I thought. Maybe injured?

As I have written a couple of times: he struggled with the pace of the game in some of the "NSW Colts" trial games I saw.

I also mentioned that I was glad he was picked for the tournament in Canberra and for the Oz camp, because that would have proven that either my opinion was bunk, or he had "got up to speed" literally.

Apparently not, because he was exactly the kind of player that the Oz U20s needed: a line bending no.8 and a dominant tackler and counter-rucker.

Stirring the tea leaves: perhaps he was chosen in the extended squad to give him a chance but he could not take it.

Instead Lolo Fakaosilea, who was not in the original squad of 33, is included, but he is not the kind of player that Sio is.

Fakaosilea are Andrew Kellaway were the only players from the Oz Schools team of 2013 chosen. The squad is more seasoned than it has been in the last couple of years and perhaps selections were skewed in that direction. If so, it is a procedure I agree with.

Perhaps Deegan was a tad unlucky because reports from the NSW camp since the NSW U20 team was picked had mentioned his being influential in making their backline sing, as results in Canberra proved.

Thus I expected that he could have been another 2013 Schools player to go to NZ.

It's likely now that David Horwitz will play flyhalf, his Randwick position, and not inside centre, his NSW Colts position.

As Deegan would have: Horwitz will take the ball to the line; but I hope that he starts flatter, and is kicking goals better these days.
.

 

[RugbyReg]

is that only 5 QLDers (in the QLD 'set up')? Not good.