Aussie School Champs – Finalists set

NSW I seemed to be on a high after the NSW II win, but would they stumble also?

NSW I   41 — QLD II   10

  by “umbrella_defence”

NSW I put in a dominant performance to assert their claim for the title, but they were by no means perfect and struggled to get their rhythm at times.

Despite great conditions for playing rugby, the game tended to be a bit stop-start, and it failed to match the intensity and quality of the previous game.

Although QLD II seemed unable to neutralise the NSW’s outside backs, with the likes of Henry Hutchinson (#13), Connor Watson (#14) and Guy Porter (#15) all making bold claims for higher honours, the boys in blue sometimes lost continuity with indifferent option taking, imperfect ball handing and the occasional blot of selfish play.

But when the were good, they were very, very good.

First half

QLD began the scoring with a three-pointer to their #9 Eli Pilz, from about 35 metres out, resulting from poor NSW discipline.

It was clear from the outset that both teams were up for it as the physicality around the breakdown and in the collisions was a sight to behold.

NSW I had a strength advantage as they forced Queensland around the field. Despite this, Queensland managed to stay in the game with some extended periods of possession and some decent territorial opportunities.

The game was somewhat uneventful at this point, though Sepesa Loga-Tarogi (#11) managed to make some strong metres for the NSW side out wide with his dangerous left foot step.

Eventually Guy Porter (#15) from NSW managed to take the game by the scruff with an excellent kick down into Queensland territory. With the field position NSW were able to create pressure, and after Henry Hutchinson (#13) sucked in a few defenders to create space the electric Connor Watson (#14) scored out wide. #9 Harrison Goddard converted to make the score 7 – 3 to NSW at ten minutes.

They were never headed after that

QLD continued to put up a good fight, but they were bossed around the park by NSW. What ultimately let NSW down, and this was consistent throughout both halves, was their inability to execute properly. They didn’t gel together well as a team, and seemed to rely on individual brilliance.

In spite of this, or perhaps because of it, the outside backs for NSW managed (or were forced) to impose themselves, and Porter’s consistent brilliance and dynamic play was rewarded with a try mid-way through the first half. This was again converted by Goddard, and the score went to 14 – 3 at 15 minutes.

Poor discipline and execution errors continued to plague NSW, and eventually QLD managed to take advantage of their limited opportunities with a try to #5 Angus Scott-Young, who was being a menace around the field and caused some of the execution errors that have been described. The conversion by Pilz was successful and the score went to 14 – 10 for NSW.

With the game in the balance, NSW hit back, as a sign of their character. Two quick tries to Australian schoolboy incumbents Vunipola Fifita (#3) and Henry Hutchinson (#13), both of which were converted, took NSW to 28 -10 at oranges.

Second half

Neither of the teams emerged with the same enthusiasm they begun with, and the stop-start element that I complained about earlier became more pronounced as disciplinary and handling errors slowed the game down.

NSW maintained their advantage with a penalty goal from in front to Goddard, taking the game to 31 – 10. With a lead of this magnitude, it was difficult to see how QLD would stay in the game, but to an extent they managed.

In spite of execution errors, NSW managed to dominate possession, and eventually the points started to come in, with Porter and Hutchinson, after some nice interplay, each bagging meat pies though Goddard failed with the conversion sauce.

Final score:  NSW I   41 — Queensland II   10

The players

Man of the match: It’s quite difficult to say, so I think it’s a shared award between Henry Hutchinson and Guy  Porter. Both were electrifying out wide and cemented their place for higher honours.

Other good performances: No one from Queensland was particularly brilliant, though the kicking of half-back Pilz was great, as was his general play. As has been mentioned, Angus Scott-Young was solid around the field, and earned his pie for the day with a solid try.

Connor Watson (#14) from NSW was agile and slippery out wide, and it’s easy to see why there’s a lot of hype around him though he could use supporting players better. I would love to see him have a go in the centres, which is his natural position(s).

Vunipola Fifita (#3) and Angus Crichton (#8) were quiet by their usual standards, but still impressed with their physicality and dominant forward play. They also had some great moments of defence and ball carrying. Fifita went off injured and it looked unlikely that he would be fit for the final.

Wrap-up

The stop-start nature of the game prevented people from being overly-interested in a lot of the activity of the game (especially me). It was clear that NSW I were the better team, but they failed to take advantage of most of the opportunities they had. Their execution was at times average, and, were it not for the brilliance of certain individuals, the game could have been closer.

NSW I will be looking to improve for Saturday’s game. They have a better team on paper, and so they should given the nature of selections, but NSW II gelled a lot better in their game and seemed to have a better understanding of one another.

QLD will be disappointed with the result, not because they didn’t deserve to be beaten, but because they had opportunities to narrow the margin that they didn’t utilise.

In general, north of Tweed visitors at the ground would have been  disappointed with the showing from the sunshine state – this is the second consecutive year that no red jerseys will feature in the final.

Still, Queensland have a lot to offer, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they got a lot of players into the various Australian teams.

The scoring

NSW I   41 (H. Hutchison (2), G. Porter (2), C. Watson, V. Fifita tries; H. Goddard 4 cons, pen) bt Queensland I   1o  (A Scott-Young try, E Pilz con, pen)

See next page for a brief report on the first game of the day