NSW AAGPS Rugby U/16 2012

[kbw]

Some interesting comments here about the U16s. Some utterly ridiculous ones as well.
The comments re Robert Gazal are farcical, he physically has the potential but really is bearly an "A"s player let alone the star some pretent he is.

I know a lot of the Scots boys and would like to see them do well, but with all honesty won't get close to Joeys and Riverview.

The talk about Newington is a bit hit and miss, they are improving, but are far off the pace of the competition.
Apart from the new prop and maybe Serhon, they have no physical strength at all, which is poor from the schools POV, this is why they seem to compete for 3/4 of the game then leak the points at the end. Seems to be the "missing" year at Newington.

I think the comp will be between Joeys and Riverview.

 

[Sydneybra]

• • Michael Zinonos the newington u16s fullback is arguably the best fullback in the competition. He has speed to burn and a 'benji marshall' like step. His support is first class and his ability to execute a cut out is impeccable. The harold matthews star for st george was unlucky to miss out on gps first selection.

 

[kbw]

good kid and not a bad footballer, but that is stretching the truth to extraordinary proportions.

 

[lily]

Pritchard and young Whiteley to opens. View 16a's may resemble a B team if injuries don't stop.

 

[Warwick]

It is true that the current Newington 16As have lacked a physical presence on the field as the school's 13s/14s/15s. But it is now evident by improving results and performance that this past weakness is diminishing. This New side may not be world beaters yet, but are showing a pleasing level of improvement, that could pull off an upset over their more favoured opponents. A further advantage is the overconfidence demonstrated by some supporters, from other schools that can be a feature of young players at this age. For example to dismiss the 5-5 draw against Shore as a fluke, plays into Newington advantage. There is nothing more difficult for a rugby side to a beat a team by 50-0 and then turn up the next year expecting to repeat the score again by just walking onto to field. The reality is that this New side are growing into their positions with increasing skill and confidence. Their physical size is more evident. To belittle this team will only motivate the New boys as Newington is a proud school who take their rugby very seriously.
So the message for Kings, Joeys, Shore, View and Scots is treat this team with respect in the GPS round, or you could find yourselves on the losing side. And if you do have the guts not to blame Tongan Imports, but rather on your own youthful arrogance. Plus the fact you were on the day outplayed by an improving team. For this New side success shall not be measured wholly in games won or lost, but rather in improved results from previous years. At the end of the day that is what Rugby is about.

 

[random2]

The draw against Shore was a great effort by Newington, however once this age group reaches opens and they are forced to play Shore with Woodhill, Emery, Lucas and the Clancys and when Connelly and Dowsett return it will be a much harder task. With about 8 players lost to opens, the Riverview team is resembling the Joeys 16As of last year, who finished 3rd or 4th i believe ? I think Riverview will struggle as they just dont have the depth Joeys id and this weekend we could see Newington get their first win over most dominate team in the age group.

 

[Brian Westlake]

It is true that the current Newington 16As have lacked a physical presence on the field as the school's 13s/14s/15s. But it is now evident by improving results and performance that this past weakness is diminishing. This New side may not be world beaters yet, but are showing a pleasing level of improvement, that could pull off an upset over their more favoured opponents. A further advantage is the overconfidence demonstrated by some supporters, from other schools that can be a feature of young players at this age. For example to dismiss the 5-5 draw against Shore as a fluke, plays into Newington advantage. There is nothing more difficult for a rugby side to a beat a team by 50-0 and then turn up the next year expecting to repeat the score again by just walking onto to field. The reality is that this New side are growing into their positions with increasing skill and confidence. Their physical size is more evident. To belittle this team will only motivate the New boys as Newington is a proud school who take their rugby very seriously.
So the message for Kings, Joeys, Shore, View and Scots is treat this team with respect in the GPS round, or you could find yourselves on the losing side. And if you do have the guts not to blame Tongan Imports, but rather on your own youthful arrogance. Plus the fact you were on the day outplayed by an improving team. For this New side success shall not be measured wholly in games won or lost, but rather in improved results from previous years. At the end of the day that is what Rugby is about.

If it's not measured in games won or lost, why do they keep score?

 

[G-78-XV-V]

What time are the Grammar 16A's playing?

 

[Warwick]

Success in rugby and indeed life is not necessarily measured in a winning result ,but what odds you over came to get to a position or result that reflected your effort and achievement. For instance a boy might start out this year in the 16Ds and finish in the 16Bs. By any measurement that is a successful achievement for that boy. Because he missed on getting into the 16As does mean that he failed. Equally, both the Newington and Grammar 16As do not have to win more games than loses to have a successful year. Rather compare their results as 15As in 2011 and then their results as 16As in 2012. If lost matches are closer and harder to come by the powerhouses of rugby in this age group then that is a success for both these teams.
That is a true understanding of rugby and indeed life.

 

[Sydneybra]

After watching the Newington and Riverview 2nd XV game, I have to so I was not impressed by the big Riverview no 8, J Bowditch, who I'm hearing is in U16's. After about 5 minutes it looked like he had 'hit the wall', and he was walking everywhere, struggling to make it to a breakdown. It was if he was playing in a secondary fullback position. I think that this level of fitness for a backrower is frankly embarrassing. I have seen this boy play in previous seasons, and always been impressed, but yesterday he made a minimal impact on the game, showing that he might not yet be ready to play with the big boys (ironic, I know.) Also, it appeared he had put on a few extra kilos from seasons past (mostly around the mid-section, it wasn't muscle), however I don't think those white/grey did anyone any favours. ​

 

[smokinjoe]

Any scores from under 16s?

 

[Warwick]

View beat New 31-0 in a strong backline display. I thought the View African/Australian winger was a the difference in the first half benefiting from a intercept pass together with his size and pace, where he was largely responsible for a 21-0 nil lead. However Newington were not totally outclassed, rather there forwards had the better of the riverview pack for most of the game pushing and twisting their opposing scrum with confidence and skill this team has not demonstrated in the past. Equally, show of the New backs showed some pace in attack. However credit should be given to the view backs who were the difference between the two sides. From what I saw all I believe all 5 tries where by scored by their backs. I would even venture to say that this backline is the best I have seen in this 16As competition.
Equally, Newington will be aware now that to compete against riverview in the last game of the GPS round that their cover defence must contain this backline. Hence improved cover defence both individually and collectively will need to be tighter in order to close up the gaps/spaces Riverview exploited. Hence any improved result by Newington will most likely be dependent on their defence out wide and use this experience and focus of improvement. My solution would be to try the 16Bs fullback on the wing as he is both big and fast.
Finally View should proud of their backline performance particularly that winger I mentioned earlier.

 

[Vanuatu Chiefs]

Was the New 16As side missing a number of players through unavailabilty due to opens promotion or injury? The reason I ask is that I heard that a number of players from New's strong 15As side (mainly forwards) had been promoted to the 16s. Yet View had solid wins in both the 15As & 16As (reportedly dominant in the backs in both grades).

Or perhaps it was just one of those days?

 

[Sydneybra]

Was the New 16As side missing a number of players through unavailabilty due to opens promotion or injury? The reason I ask is that I heard that a number of players from New's strong 15As side (mainly forwards) had been promoted to the 16s. Yet View had solid wins in both the 15As & 16As (reportedly dominant in the backs in both grades).

Or perhaps it was just one of those days?

Newington 16A's had 2 key players our, Liam Bennet and Michael Kambas who both played in the U16 GPS 2's side
No 15s play in the 16s side but 5 were injured prior the game and their 2nd rower came off within the first minute with a large gash on his head which ended up with 6 stitches

 

[Vanuatu Chiefs]

Newington 16A's had 2 key players our, Liam Bennet and Michael Kambas who both played in the U16 GPS 2's side
No 15s play in the 16s side but 5 were injured prior the game and their 2nd rower came off within the first minute with a large gash on his head which ended up with 6 stitches

Thanks, will be interesting to see the return clash with sides hopefully at full strength.

 

[Warwick]

Thank you Gentleman for those details, New generally punches well above it weight in the A grades particularly when you considered the school has only 4 teams in the 15s & 16s. The other major rugby schools generally have 7 almost double the numbers of New. So injuries and other absences are always going to be harder to cover for New and Grammar ( who I believe have 3 teams?). Hence the heavy losses to View must taken in this context.
Joseph Stalin once said of the USSR's victory over a better trained and led German Army after WW2, that their is a quality about quantity, that sheer numbers count. View are great rugby school . One of the reasons for this success is the number of boys playing rugby. New in the 13s are now fielding 6 teams View I have been told can field 10 teams

 

[smokinjoe]

Any score/reports on the other games - Scots v Kings, Shore v Joeys?

 

[random2]

Joeys 28-0 over Shore. Didnt get to see it but apparently Joeys dominated the first half and were up 21-0 at the break before Shore held them out a bit in the second. Joeys half Matt Rodgers was sin binned for the second time this year for repeated hands in the ruck, although Josh Canturi may have to take the blame for that. Shore were missing both Clancys, Emery, Woodhill and Lucas to opens while Joeys had just O'Shea missing.

 

[Random3]

With a new outfit going on at riverview the 16 A's team is yet to beat a premiership hopeful winning team, they found some form eventually against newington with knew back line and forward pack there since last year, they got over scots by a few points but haven't looked impressive since last weekend, they looked like a confident and winning side on the weekend i think there out to make a menze and to bring back the winning side this team used to be. They have a strong outfit that is starting play for one another with folks like pat weston and dan killpartick being the standout forwards so far, with evan pritchard playing amazing he has been moved up to the opens squad having a brilliant game on debut in the first hese set to stay. The 5/8 and centres are starting to link up a lot know and working for one another in defence. having a great fullback alex vaughn willing to put himself on the line and with 2 quicks on the wings, suprised we didnt see will dutalis in any gps side. but watch i say this teams looking good.

 

[Random3]

After watching the Newington and Riverview 2nd XV game, I have to so I was not impressed by the big Riverview no 8, J Bowditch, who I'm hearing is in U16's. After about 5 minutes it looked like he had 'hit the wall', and he was walking everywhere, struggling to make it to a breakdown. It was if he was playing in a secondary fullback position. I think that this level of fitness for a backrower is frankly embarrassing. I have seen this boy play in previous seasons, and always been impressed, but yesterday he made a minimal impact on the game, showing that he might not yet be ready to play with the big boys (ironic, I know.) Also, it appeared he had put on a few extra kilos from seasons past (mostly around the mid-section, it wasn't muscle), however I don't think those white/grey did anyone any favours. ​

are you serious? hese been working like a trojan horse in the gym working day in day out, he had a cracker of a game in 2nds then had to play 3/4 game in 1's he was dominating at the ruck with many turnovers and putting many forwards on there arse, give him this weekend champ you'll see him hit some form, someone spoke to him about this and hese using this as his motivation this weekend come watch him