2014 IRB Junior World Championship – New Zealand

[an observer]

I think you need to look past the NSW players for some of the key positions. Anyone at the game on Saturday vs Samoa will attest to how impressive the backline combination of McIntyre Stewart Kellaway and Lacey was/is. Far more impressive than the second half combo. Let's not choose/assume positions until the coach and selection team does.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Yeah burton looks to be preferred 12 after starting the first match and missing the second due to a call up to the force touring squad he is also a top kick at goal

 

[rugby roo]

I saw jake mcintyre play at 10 insaturdays game first half only but first game for nearly 3 months and looked the goods. I think the horwitz guys game would really benefit if he played outside mcintyre.That whole backline is tremendous anchored by some strong wingers as well.position 10 and twelve are distinct positions and roles and sometimes switching players between them blurs that distinction.
Look at kurtley beale in tahs he often plays 10 role with 12 on his back and it does not work well and crowds outside attack guys.

 

[Lee Grant]

rugby roo

Players are always swapped around in the JWC.

The boys were chosen with one eye on the condensed nature of the tournament. The timetable is always tight, and in 2014 the young Aussies will play in three games in eight days in the pool section of the tournament.

Other guides for the selectors would have been the aptitude for playing as well with one squad member as another, and their ability to play in more than one position.

Horwitz is a specialist flyhalf: he plays there for Randwick in First Grade as he did last year, but he was used as inside centre by the NSW Under 20 team in the Canberra tournament recently. He is a better runner than your average number 10, and has played 12 for Oz Schools.

This versatility could have been a factor in his selection.

When the tournament starts we may be bemused about why some fellow is playing in one spot when his best position is somewhere else.

That is the nature of the IRB JWC and it is the same for all the teams.

The lesson for us in all of this is that when we see a team sheet we should take a few factors into account, because things will not always be what they seem to us.
.

 

[Xaviertofilau]

How about Sasa Tofilau, he wasn't included in the initial squad but then he plays in the first match against Samoa and scores two tries and it looks like he's not in the list of the 5 omitted? Can we have clarification please? I'm his uncle

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Welcome to G&GR @Xaviertofilau.

Your nephew has me googling. Is this him in this Manakau Courier article from January?http://www.google.com.au/url?q=http://fairfaxmedia.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx?issue=17512014012800000000001001&page=26&article=188f7d58-098a-4fe5-a01f-680ae06e0244&key=kUzlrRMtUpK8CjBA7Wm6IA==&feed=rss&sa=U&ei=mk1oU_r5FcSWkQXzk4HYAg&ved=0CDkQFjAE&sig2=0WD29ZPekatsAjsEiNOjrg&usg=AFQjCNHBLWs5d3xL2dsiNwnACnZvNwqbmg

At just 15, he took up a three-year scholarship with the Brisbane Broncos.
Last year he was contracted to the Gold Coast Titans under-20s squad for the 2013-2014 season. He’d started pre-season training with the Titans but in March he came back to New Zealand on holiday and never returned

I see he is listed in the Aust U20 trial game as NSW. Is he playing Shute Shield colts/grade here?
I can't recall seeing his name anywhere. Sounds like he is a reasonable sort of footballer that clubs would be after, and one that the NZ teams would also want to hold on to.

 

[thecow]

Would anyone be able to post each player from their state by position:

I'll start with the ones I know

I added some in - LG​

​

Allan Ala'alatoa​

Tighthead prop​

​

Luke Burton​

Inside Centre​

​

Sam Croke​

Backrow - no. 8 then 6 in this squad​

​

Jack Dempsey​

Back Row 7 then 6 in this squad​

​

Lolo Fakaosilea​

Backrow - 8 then 6 in this squad​

​

Lalakai Foketi (vc)​

Outside Centre/Wing​

​

Ross Haylett-Petty​

Lock​

​

David Horwitz​

Fly half/Inside Centre/possible stopgap scrumhalf **​

​

Alifeleti Kaitu'u​

Hooker​

​

Andrew Kellaway​

Wing/Fullback/Outside centre​

​

Brad Lacy ​

Wing​

​

Jake McIntyre​

Fly half/fullback​

​

Sean McMahon (c)​

Blindside Flanker​

​

Rory O’Connor​

Loosehead Prop​

​

Cameron Orr​

Loosehead Prop​

​

Jack Payne​

Loosehead lock​

​

Rowan Perry​

Openside flanker​

​

Matthew Philip​

2nd Row (Loosehead lock)​

​

Jonah Placid ​

Fullback​

​

Joseph Powell ​

Scrumhalf​

​

Angus Pulver​

Halfback​

​

Tom Robertson​

Tighthead Prop​

​

Andrew Robinson​

Outside centre/wing​

​

Harry Scoble​

Hooker​

​

Tom Staniforth (vc) ​

2nd Row Tighthead lock​

​

Jim Stewart​

Centre - either position​

​

Jonny Vaux​

Fly half/fullback​

​

Tevita Vea ​

Hooker/Reserve backrow​

​

** Horwitz played scrumhalf briefly in a Gen Blue match. He could fill in maybe if another scrumhalf has to be flown over to NZ.​

.​

​

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Ross Haylett-Petty Lock
Brad Lacey Wing
Harry Scoble Hooker

 

[Xaviertofilau]

Hey plays Shute shield for southern districts first. Grade can you find out for me please mate

 

[Lee Grant]

Hey plays Shute shield for southern districts first. Grade can you find out for me please mate

The omissions that were talked about were in reference to the original 33 named, not the 35 which included Sasa and Lolo Fakaosilea who were added in later.

As for why Lolo was chosen and Sasa, not, there is probably nobody to find out from apart from the coaches/selectors.

Reading between the tea leaves I think they were a bit concerned about the positions those lads played in.

If anyone got to talk to the selectors on the matter of Sasa missing out they would probably say something like: "We just wanted to have a look at a couple of different lads before we finalised the squad."

I don't think you could get any other info from them than that—or from anybody else.
.

 

[Brian Westlake]

Robertson is more than adept at both sides of the scrum too.

 

[Lee Grant]

Your nephew has me googling. Is this him in this Manakau Courier article from January?

I’ve started uploading photos from the match to the following album

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

In the first game, Sasa Tofilau can be seen scoring his first try, in HJN's photos (DSC_0260 to 0265)


PS - Incidentally Sasa is playing for Southerns in the TV game on Saturday.
.

 

[Lee Grant]

Robertson is more than adept at both sides of the scrum too.

Yes he is - played LHP at school, but he's playing THP in Grade for Sydney Uni this year and he played THP the other day for the Oz U20s.
.

 

[HJ Nelson]

Sasa Tofilau can be seen scoring his first try in HJN's photos (DSC_0260 to 0265)
.

And his second in DSC_0366 - 0379

 

[Doofus]

NSW Rugby has a few words
http://www.nswrugby.com.au/NSWRugby/News/NewsArticle/tabid/374/ArticleID/11470/NSW-provides-12-players-for-Australias-Junior-World-Cup-squad.aspx

 

[GaffaCHinO]

 

[BigSteve]

What happened to Michael Gunn? i thought he was a Shoe-in, is he injuired or was he just not up too standard?

 

[Forcefield]

You know you are onto a winner with a ranga. Does someone want to do up a World Ginger XV?

I reckon Peter Kimlin, Paul Tito, Nic Stirzaker and Steven Kitsoff could feature strongly.

 

[FTS]

What happened to Michael Gunn? i thought he was a Shoe-in, is he injuired or was he just not up too standard?

Played the 2nd game against Samoa and is apparently fit, so going to assume not up to standard. Big wraps on the Openside Flanker selected, Rowan Perry from the ACT.

 

[tranquility]

Played the 2nd game against Samoa and is apparently fit, so going to assume not up to standard. Big wraps on the Openside Flanker selected, Rowan Perry from the ACT.

I tell ya, they must be good the blokes in front of him. The notion of him not being up to standard is nonsense, and he is a good chance for super rugby this week.