Aussie Schools Champs Finals Day

Other finals day matches — by “Lee Grant”

There were three earlier matches in Division I as teams battled for the minor placings.

ACT 8 – Western Australia 6

It was a bitterly cold morning and the rugby wasn’t much different. It may have been just a contest for seventh place but if was hugely important to the two teams who had not had a win during the week.

Both teams were slow coming off their defensive line yet neither could keep the ball long enough to take advantage of it. There was no score until 27 minutes in when the ACT got close enough, for long enough, to earn a penalty near the sticks and 11. Thomas Evans slotted the goal.

Then just before oranges WA was in the ACT 22 for a while and earned a penalty. Reserve scrummie Herschelle Classen kicked the goal and evened up the score 3-3 at half-time.

Early in the second half a bit of real rugby broke out when 20. Jason Tomane (playing inside centre) sliced through the WA defence, went off on a long run (with a bit of toe for a chunky lad) and scored. Evans could not convert but ACT lead 8-3.

There was not a lot of action in the third quarter, as play was mostly in the middle of the field, but at the start of the fourth quarter WA got a penalty for hands in the ruck and flyhalf Tim Koitau kicked the goal. ACT’s lead was reduced to 8-6.

Points were hard to come by and six minutes later the ACT tried to get back their six-point lead by attempting a 45 metre penalty goal with the wind, but it missed.

WA had two good chances after that. The first was when they had the ball near the posts: close, but it was no cigar as they turned the ball over. The second was in the last play of the game: reserve back 23. Chris Miller got the ball in his 22, avoided three tackles but was stopped by a fourth when 11. Thomas Evans got him after diving at his legs [see photos below].

Game over: ACT win 8-6.

Best players for the week:

WA: 1. Blake Phillips (lock and no.8); 2. Hayden Anderson (no. 8); 3. Jayden Ngamanu (fullback – U/16)

ACT: 1. Beau Donavan (fullback/outside centre); 2. Connal McInerney (hooker, no.8), 3. Jordan Jackson-Hope (fullback)

Combined States 31 – Victoria 14

In the contest for fifth place CS played their best game of the week and opened the scoring when reserve scrummie, Angus Fowler, knowing there was a penalty advantage, backed himself to snipe through and he scored. The conversion missed.

Later 15. Adrian Delore (but playing flyhalf again) got the ball from a lineout, threw an outrageous dummy and stepped the Victoria fullback to score near the sticks. This time Delore converted the try and CS led 12-0.

But at the restart Combined nodded off and Victoria got the ball back and went on a raid. With his opponents not yet re-aligned 13. George Stewart sliced through the defence and opened the Victoria account with a try that was converted. Combined was still ahead, 12-7, but it was game on.

Then there was some Combined razzle-dazzle and the passes stuck. 6. Ollie Kamp found himself with the ball and he scored wide out [see photo]. The conversion missed and at half-time Combined led 17-7.

Victoria infringed frequently after the break and ten minutes into the second  half Combined got yet another penalty. It was tap-kicked and LHP Alitasi Tuituioho trundled over for another CS try which Delore converted from in front. Combined was winning 24-7.

At 18 minutes it was Victoria’s turn for a tap-kick play. They had a scrum near the CS line and when they were awarded a penalty, scrummie Mat Euese tapped the ball and hared off with it, but it was hooker Nick Gilles who got the pie. When the try was converted Combined still led, 24-14, but the Vics had a sniff.

There was no more scoring until just toward the end when Combined moved the ball left and right and added a miracle off-load for 14. Sione Mapitoa to score. Replacement flyhalf Christian Kagiassis converted and the final score was 31-14.

Combined States performed as close to their ability during the week as any other team did and played some attractive footie. Fullback/flyhalf Adrian Delore was not the best player at the tournament, but he gets my vote for being the Most Valuable Player for any team in the competition.

Best players during the week:

Victoria: 1. Feriti Sa’aga (LHP), 2. Matt Euese (scrumhalf) 3. Suaesi Iosua (flyhalf)

Combined States: 1. Adrian Delore (flyhalf/fullback), 2. Nick Kellaway (lock), 3. Ollie Kamp (flanker)

Queensland I  17 — Queensland II  7

In the third place playoff there was some poor play in the first half including Qld I scrums and Qld II lineouts being lost, kicks not being kicked out, and balls dropped. Once Qld I were awarded a penalty and they took the scrum option but got penalised themselves from it.

But near the break Qld II got a yellow card.  Soon afterwards they dropped the ball in their own 22, got outflanked, a man short, and Qld I 8. Maclean Jones (playing 6) scored for Qld I [see photo]. Flyhalf Mitch Third converted and Qld I was ahead 7-0 at the break.

Qld II had more territory and possession but they could not take advantage of it.

Qld I played better after oranges: they had the wind behind them and skipper Brad Wilkin came off the bench, which made a difference.

They applied pressure early and at seven minutes LHP Evander Guttenbeil scored after several Qld I charges at the try-line. The conversion missed: Qld I led 12-0

At 14 minutes 11. Adrian Henley went on a weaving run and 13. Landon Hayes went over and scored for Qld I – no he didn’t – he dropped the ball cold, unforced [see photo].

That was embarrassing for the young man but at 19 minutes Qld I flanker Brad Wilkin scored through traffic near the corner post for his team to lead 17-0. There was no conversion.

Before full-time Qld II got a consolation try to hooker Jake Lyon after an infrequent second half raid in Qld I territory. 15. Josh Bowen-Bowyer converted off the post, which meant that Qld I won 17-7.

This was not a high quality game

Best players during the week:

Queensland I: 1. Brad Wilkin (flanker), 2. Mitch Third (flyhalf), 3. Adrian Henley (winger)

Queensland II: 1. Doug MacMillan (flanker), 2. Moses Sorovi (scrumhalf), 3 Joshua Bowen-Bowyer (fullback).

 Photos by Lee Grant

Australia Schools’ Teams

– selected after completion of 39th Novotel ASRU Championships (in alphabetical order)

[one_half last=”no”]ASRU TEAM TO PLAY FIJI & NEW ZEALAND

Joshua Anderson – Oakhill College NSW 1

Lachlan Cannell – Newington College NSW 1

Andrew Deegan – St Joseph’s College NSW 1

Junior Fakaosilea –St Patrick’s College QLD 1

Vunipola Fifita – Newington College NSW 2

Ned Hannigan – St Joseph’s College NSW 2

Adrian Henley – St Peter’s Lutheran Coll. QLD 1

Henry Hutchison – St Ignatius College NSW 2

Harry Jones – Barker College NSW 1

Andrew Kellaway – The Scots College NSW 1

Alex Mafi – St Joseph’s Nudgee College QLD 1

Jack McCalman – The Kings School NSW 1

Connal McInerney – Erindale College ACT

Taane Milne – Newington College NSW 1

Tepai Moeroa – Newington College NSW 1

Fereti Sa’aga – Thornbury High VIC

Matthew Sandell – St Joseph’s College NSW 1

Faaope Satiu – Trinity Grammar NSW 1

Mitchell Short – The Scots College NSW 1

Moses Sorovi – St Peter’s Lutheran College QLD 1

Mitch Third – The Southport School QLD 1

Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco – ESHS NSW 1

Brad Wilkin – Iona College QLD 1[/one_half]

[one_half last=”yes”]ASRU A TEAM TO PLAY FIJI & NEW ZEALAND

Carlin Anderson – Ipswich Grammar Sch QLD 2

Joel Brown – The Southport School QLD 2

Sam Clifton – The Southport School QLD 1

Angus Crichton – The Scots College NSW 1

Tyson Davis – Barker College NSW 2

Adrian Delore – Whitebridge SHS, NSW CS

Hosea Fotukava – St Ignatius College NSW 1

Matt Gibbon – St Joseph’s Nudgee College QLD 2

Evander Guttenbeil – The Southport Sch QLD 1

Landon Hayes –Ipswich Grammar School QLD 1

Maclean Jones – St Joseph’s Nudgee Coll QLD 1

Liam Jurd – Toowoomba Grammar School QLD 2

Ollie Kamp – The Scots College, NSW CS

Nick Koutsoukis – Waverley College NSW 2

Joey Lussick – Newington College NSW 2

Doug MacMillan – Anglican Church Gram QLD 2

Keith Morgan – St Edmunds College ACT

David Morris – Newington College NSW 2

Blake Phillips – Clarkson SHS WA

James Todd – Ipswich Grammar School QLD 1

Jason Tomane – St Edmunds College ACT

Mesui Tufui – Newington College NSW 2

James Tuttle – St Joseph’s Nudgee College QLD 1

[/one_half]