Australian Schoolboys and National Championships 2011

[Casnovian]

Heard on the grape vine NSW 1 XV - captain Waldo Wessells - vice CAPTAIN - Michael Wells
Anybody know NSW 2nd XV?

 

[OppO]

Heard on the grape vine NSW 1 XV - captain Waldo Wessells - vice CAPTAIN - Michael Wells
Anybody know NSW 2nd XV?

Yeh, I think thats right.

Jack Walters captian for 2XV not sure about vice.

 

[grievous]

My point was referring to the fact that none of the players from Tasmania or Sth Australia get a chance against the best opposition if the Combined States team is picked before the Division2 completion. I think it was better when the Combined States included players solely from those championships but that of course changes when the NSW1's lost 2 years in a row to them. I wonder how someone like Kyle Godwin or Talalelei Grey would have gone had they been playing for WA and Victoria and been on the end of a 70 point hiding. Again the self interests of some are put in front of the greater majority.

I agree, when I played in them in the last century games were played between div and div 2 states and all played at the same venue which allowed the minor states to see the best schoolboys in the country, that doesnt happen now. The ARUs policy seems to streamline schoolboy rugby till we have nothing left, what a shame.

 

[Knockers]

Now that F'Sautia is injured, what shadow player will be called up? Is Tuttle in contention for a QLD 1/2 jersey now that this has happened?

 

[KeenEye]

News from Ballymore: Vic 30 d NSW II 26. It was 13 all at half time. Apparently, you could have driven a truck thru the NSW midfield.

 

[Casnovian]

News from Ballymore: Vic 30 d NSW II 26. It was 13 all at half time. Apparently, you could have driven a truck thru the NSW midfield.

Also heard - NSW bombed an almost certain try (and the game) with not using two unmarked backs.

 

[baldingwingforward]

Also heard - NSW bombed an almost certain try (and the game) with not using two unmarked backs.

Who didn't pass the ball?

Also heard that the NSW scrum or front row in particular weren't up to it? Too late now but i already expressed my opinion that the Scots front rowers weren't up to this level, and also that Horwitz isn't a fan of tackling... Will be interesting to see how the week unfolds from here.

 

[light]

Now that F'Sautia is injured, what shadow player will be called up? Is Tuttle in contention for a QLD 1/2 jersey now that this has happened?

He's QLD 2 bench and plays #12 so you wouldn't think so.

 

[random2]

anyone know the stand out NSW II players?

 

[Casnovian]

For those who are interested. This draw was out early last week - got posted today!!

AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011

DIVISION I - NOVOTEL AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011
BALLYMORE - BRISBANE - 4 July - 10 July

Pool A – NSW I, QLD II, COMBINED STATES, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Pool B – NSW II, QLD I, ACT, VICTORIA

DAY 1 4 July
A
NSW I v WA
QLD II v CS

B
NSW II v VIC
QLD I v ACT

DAY 2 6 July
A
NSW I v CS
QLD II v WA

B
NSW II v ACT
QLD I v VIC

DAY 3 - 8 July
A
NSW I v QLD II
CS v WA

B
NSW II v QLD I
ACT v VIC

SUN 10 JUL - FINALS DAY

 

[Steve-O]

I heard QLD 2 had a loss to combined states, anyone confirm this?

 

[baldingwingforward]

Apparently, you could have driven a truck thru the NSW midfield.

9 Jock Merriman Shore School
10 David Horwitz The Scots College
11 Sam Carroll Shore School
12 Lalakai Foketi The King’s School
13 Sam Barclay St Joseph’s College
14 Andrew Kellaway The Scots College
15 Angus Le Lievre St Joseph’s College


I hadn't considered it before but now when you look at it none of these boys are strong defenders! Good with the ball in hand definitely - but defense is certainly not what any of them are reknowned for. Lalakai really struggles with who to take in defense and Barclay got found out in the CAS match vs a good hard running opponent in Scarano. Horwitz can tackle but he's not keen on it. The back 3 - great natural attackers but none of them are what you would call damaging in defense.

Could be a long week for the boys especially when they play QLD 1! I hope not as there are some really good players in there, but also perhaps a couple who are maybe not good enough for this level. Time will tell.

 

[an observer]

I heard QLD 2 had a loss to combined states, anyone confirm this?

CS won against Qld 2, 31 - 17. Score was 14 all at half time.

 

[Galloper]

Qld 1 54, ACT 13.

 

[Casnovian]

Novotel Australian Schools Rugby Union Championships Day 1 Results at Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane

Pool A:

NSW I 28 (Rhys Domkins, Jack Percell, Clint Gutherson, Michael Wells tries, Clint Gutherson 4 con) defeated WA 11 (Ross Haylett-Petty try, Luke Burton 2 pen)

Combined States 31 (Monty Ione, Taupala Tasi, Paul Asquith tries, Chris Smith 1 try 1 con, Jake McIntyre 3 con, Tom Banks pen) defeated QLD II 17 (Joe Clay, Monty Ione, Tautala Tasi tries, Billy Britian 2 con pen)

Pool B:

Victoria 30 (Edwin Maka, Blain Brown, Nigel Tunavasa tries, Niua Puaka 2 con 3 pen) defeated NSW II 26 (Jack Walter, Sam Carroll tries, Angus Le Lievre try, 1 con, 3 Pen)

QLD I 54 (Caleb Timu 2, Curtis Browning, Soape Palau, Sean McMahon, Craig Hunt, Ben Meehan, Sam Greene tries, Grant Davies 1 con, Scott Malolua 3 con 2 pen) defeated ACT 13 (Tom Holland, Andrew Robertson tries, Willoughby Axelsen pen)

Pool standings after Day 1 –

Pool A: NSW I (5), CS (5), QLD II (0), WA (0)

Pool B:QLD I (5), Victoria (4), NSW II (1), ACT (0)

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

Who where the best players for NSW I and QLD I??

 

[k14]

Novotel Australian Schools Rugby Union Championships Day 1 Results at Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane

Pool A:

NSW I 28 (Rhys Domkins, Jack Percell, Clint Gutherson, Michael Wells tries, Clint Gutherson 4 con) defeated WA 11 (Ross Haylett-Petty try, Luke Burton 2 pen)

was at the game and I remember NSW #1. lawley scored .

 

[stonecutter]

9 Jock Merriman Shore School
10 David Horwitz The Scots College
11 Sam Carroll Shore School
12 Lalakai Foketi The King’s School
13 Sam Barclay St Joseph’s College
14 Andrew Kellaway The Scots College
15 Angus Le Lievre St Joseph’s College


I hadn't considered it before but now when you look at it none of these boys are strong defenders! Good with the ball in hand definitely - but defense is certainly not what any of them are reknowned for. Lalakai really struggles with who to take in defense and Barclay got found out in the CAS match vs a good hard running opponent in Scarano. Horwitz can tackle but he's not keen on it. The back 3 - great natural attackers but none of them are what you would call damaging in defense.

Could be a long week for the boys especially when they play QLD 1! I hope not as there are some really good players in there, but also perhaps a couple who are maybe not good enough for this level. Time will tell.

A couple of points come out of this type of result. Firstly what is the fascination with playing kids in teams way beyond their age group. Mentally hardened 18yr olds going up against 16yr olds (no matter how good) proves what? Kellaway for instance is potentially a tremendous player, who if given the time to develop against his own age group could have a long and fruitfull professional career. Playing at this level now is more likely to hinder his progress than expediate it. Yes, O'connor and Beale have become modern day stars but you don't have to look back too far to when they were wallowing in self doubt and trying hard to achieve what they hadn't been given time to do. If Deanes' hadn't taken the punt to give Beale the time and space he required to learn from at 15 then his talent may never have been realised. It's also a major reason why O'Connor is a winger at test level when he is capable any where in the backs at S15, this is as much about mental capability as physical. Beale has recently alluded to the fact that a few senior NSW forwards were responsible for suggesting to him that he pulled his head out of his arse and grew up (Cooper too), an attitudinal problem he linked to being treated like a god as a schoolboy. 16 to 18yr olds don't need these extra pressures and it can turn some away from the game especially when they no longer are the big fish in a small pond. You only have to read any of the 16yr old posts in the other thread to see what an unrealistic view they have of there abilities. Fact is, a good big one is always better than a good small one, especially with 2 extra years mental maturity behind them. There will always be special players coming through and within their school teams they can be exposed to older players but at rep level (particularly State level) the smart move would be to pick hardened older players to match it with QLD. Unfortunately NSW has a habit of shooting itself with politics before a ball is kicked. Last year GPS moaned because an ISA backline was picked in the I's and this year we have a full GPS backline, albeit in the II's that gets rolled by Victoria. All this indicates is that many selections are not based on technical merit but on reputation of the player, school or association. As stated in earlier posts, Dave Horwitz had a very unsettled game against a willing ISA II's backrow after playing OK against a dreadfull CAS II's. What possessed the selectors to think his technical deficiencies would disappear playing at State level. Foketi has wonderful feet I was told by some I trust. What I saw was another bunny hopping centre who continually went back to the inside and crowded the attack when space was available on the perimeters, and who's tackling technique was questionable to compete at 12. But never blame a player for being picked as it isn't his fault, blame the idiot selector who couldn't identify the technical deficiencies that would be fully exposed at a higher level and that then produce results like todays. There would be more than a few dissapointed young men at home today wondering why they weren't given an opportunity to compete at this level having put in the years and hard yards instead of a couple of players still getting used to first XV rugby.

 

[light]

QLD seems to be shuffling their teams around a fair bit. Meehan from QLD II played for QLD I along with Sam Greene who was selected on the bench for QLD II getting a run in QLD I. Monty Ioane (relative of Digby) scoring for two different teams (CSS and QLD II), along with Sydney Roosters bound Tuatala Tasi.

Not sure what to make of the results but Caleb Timu's (QLD I) 2 tries would surely have gained selectors notice, I'd have him as favourite for the Oz Schools 8 jersey, Soape Palau (QLD I) looks to be a suitable replacement for Sautia, scored a try but not sure about the level of competition for the #13. Clint Gutherson (NSW I) seems to be the form #15, Browning (QLD I) useful as always and Grant Davies (QLD I) racked up a few points off the boot.

Victoria upsetting the trend by defeating an attack based NSW II, may get a few selections but both teams will struggle against QLD I.

 

[sdg]

How did greene and davies go individually?