The BMW Australia Under 20s squad is gearing up for the 2016 World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Manchester starting on 7th June.
The squad is now in camp at Narrabeen in Sydney, and preparing for two warm-up games against senior players from an Australian Barbarians side tomorrow, and against a NSW Country team next Saturday. Both matches will be played at Chatswood Oval.
The Under 20’s, chock-full of Queenslanders after their dominance in the national Under 20s tournament, had lost their first game against the NZ Under 20s at Bond University earlier in the month, but won the second.
As Head Coach Adrian Thompson said exclusively to Green & Gold Rugby today:
It was a confidence boost for the boys; they worked hard between games one and two and it paid off.
Thompson confided that the squad of 28 chosen after the Bond University matches was intact except that Izaia Perese was out and would be replaced by winger Ah-Mu Tuimalealiifano of the Rebels.
That is unfortunate for the young man but at least he will have another shot next year.
When asked, Thompson said that he was confident about the scrums being good in Manchester, as they were at Bond, but the problem that they had against the Kiwis was the mauls—there weren’t enough of them:
At Bond we had about two mauls in the entire week from New Zealand; we’re going to get about forty of them in a game against Scotland. It will be a big change, obviously.
When asked he said he was happy with his tall timber second row; he added that Izack Rodda was being managed carefully and the U20s were working closely with the Reds on his training loads. He would play on Saturday, as would McCauley who had a niggle.
When asked about a midfield that seemed to be over-stocked Thompson said:
There are four specialist centres: the four contracted guys. Magnay is an option to play on the wing and Jooste is an option to play 10 – so Jooste is effectively our backup 10. He was selected there, first and foremost, but he obviously went very well at 12 for us at Bond; so that’s an option for us too.
But he would also be backup at fullback so they would have to have somebody else on the bench to cover.
Asked who would be the game breakers in the team:
In the forwards if you look at the backrow you have Liam Wright, Maclean Jones and Angus Scott-Young – the Queensland backrow – they’re very impressive around the field and have a high work rate, and get a lot of turnover footie which is important.
In the backs he nominated flyhalf Mack Mason, Nick Jooste (“potentially at 12”) and Jack Maddocks, who had “been impressive at fullback”.
He also mentioned that the the Under 20s would look at all their whole squad for the first game, against the Barbarians, including the shadow players, but hinted that he may use his strongest side on Saturday against NSW Country.
Warm-up games
BMW Australia Under 20s v. Australian Barbarians – Chatswood Oval – Tues. 23rd May 7:30 pm.
BMW Australia Under 20s v. NSW Country – Chatswood Oval – Sat. 27th May 5:30 pm.
All photos by HJ Nelson – thank you.
