The BMW Australian Under 20s beat an Australian Barbarians side at Chatswood Oval 45-20 last night in their first of two warm-up matches.
The touring party for the World Rugby Under 20s in Manchester in June was named after two games against the NZ Under 20s earlier in the month, but the coaches took the opportunity to assess eight shadow players at Chatswood and to reserve some of their stronger players for the second warm-up match next Saturday,
The Barbarians fielded senior players from NSW, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT, and performed admirably given that they met for the first time at 5 pm and had their only training session at the ground.
First half
The Baas had trouble getting out of their quarter early and after the Under 20s spent time there 8 Robert Leota scored from the back of a scrum, eight minutes in.
The Barbarians countered in taking the ball up from halfway and when the Juniors had too many defenders on one side, 13 Jeremy Skelton bolted into score on the other, after receiving a slick inside ball.
The Aussie Under 20s were found wanting again from the restart and when 12 Andrew Robinson of the Baas grubbered the ball to 9 Dewet Roos, he did the same back for him to score in the corner. It was 20 seconds after the kick-off and the Baas led 10-7 after 19 minutes.
It wasn’t so much that the youngsters were missing tackles, but more not having tacklers where they should have been.
But the Juniors settled and near the half-hour mark went over the try-line but were pinged for a “double movement”. They were back immediately though for Leota to score his second try from a dominant 5-metre scrum.
So the Under 20s retook the lead, 12-10, and it was their turn to score a quick double, as big lock Lukhan Tui got the next one stretching out to score after a well-taken lineout maul from 10 metres out.
The Juniors had the Baas struggling with the pace of the game in a good patch of rugby and led 19-10. They threatened in a similar manner just before the break but were held up over the line.
The Barbarians were playing in time-honoured fashion of open rugby but lacked cohesion in promising situations having met just hours before.
Half-time score: Under 20s 19 – Barbarians 10.
Second Half
The Baas changed a lot of their tight five players after the break but had a horrible start when their scrum ball was dropped and 20’s winger Joey Fittock kicked through from halfway and scored, after 90 seconds.
The Barbarians nearly went in but were stopped by a flying tackle by 13 Liam Jurd and it was the Juniors who were next to score. Opensider Ikapote Taouai ripped the ball from a Barbarian carrying it with one hand ten metres from his own line, and scuttled over.
Near the end of the third quarter the Under 20s were 33-10 ahead and appeared to be going away but with 14 minutes remaining the youngsters were too narrow on defence and the Baas converted a two-on-one neatly for winger Jackson Bird to dot down in the corner.
It was their first score in 47 minutes of play and they were in again three minutes later when pin-point passing from one side of the field to the other beat passive defence, and winger Larry Hermens benefited.
But the Barbarians couldn’t buy a conversion on the night and the Juniors led 33 – 20 with eleven minutes left.
The Under 20s ended well with skipper Angus Scott-Young nabbing Baas’ lineout ball and running five metres to score. And in overtime the Juniors took a scrum option 35 metres out and 15 Liam McNamara (playing 10 now) charged and dished out for reserve winger Simon Kennewell to finish off the action.
Final score: BMW Australian Under 20s 45 – Australian Barbarians 20.
Scoring
BMW Australian Under 20s 45 ( R, Leota 2, L. Tui, J. Fittock, I. Tupai, A. Scott-Young, S. Kennewell tries; B. Gray 3, H. Nucifora 2 cons) def. Australian Barbarians 20 (J. Skelton, A. Robinson, J. Bird, L. Hermens tries)
The wrap-up
Both sides lacked cohesion: the Baas hadn’t played together and the Juniors had 13 changes from their starting team that beat the Kiwis at Bond University.
Under 20s
They often re-aligned poorly on defence and were found out by more experienced opponents; they were also caught on their heels which was double jeopardy. But they scrambled well and although they left a few tries on the park they took some good opportunities, especially their forwards.
Shadow players, openside IkapoteTupai, scrumhalf Moses Sorovi and fullback/flyhalf Liam McNamara had influential games and will be handy if they get a call-up.
Big bopper tourists no.8 Rob Leota and lock Lukhan Tui bashed tacklers with storming runs and flanker Angus-Scott Young had a dominant second half in every aspect of backrower play.
Barbarians
As usual in this fixture they attacked to a fault and also lost some ball with flashy play and loose carries. But they were older and stronger in the main and took advantage of their savvy and strength.
Flyhalf Edan Campbell-O’Brien was a standout for them as was lock Phil Potgieter who played a full game. Ex-Sevens player Paul Asquith, was the ideal fullback for a Baas’ type game.
The coaches
Colorful coach Michael Magriplis, who has been running the Barbarians for some time including three years’ in a row against the Under 20s, liked the concept of Baas’ footie – and said exclusively to Green and Gold Rugby:
It’s really showing that amateur rugby is still alive and kicking. It’s hard for the boys though: a lot of the guys have got jobs and they’re giving up their time and they’re from all over, which is part of the Baabaas’ thing – they’re not all from Sydney.
As for the game: he quipped:
Four tries to seven was not too bad but next year I’ll probably have to look at getting a goal-kicker
Under 20’s Head Coach Adrian Thompson was a hard marker and said exclusively to Green and Gold Rugby:
It was really scrappy but the Baas were thrown together on the day and we had a couple of guys that were called in as well […] but we got what we wanted out of it which was a tough hit-out.
He wasn’t impressed with the defensive maul against players who had just met, and expected to be challenged by Scotland in the first Pool game; but he was happier with the improved attacking maul, although they would have to set it up better:
The Baa-Baas play the type of footie that we’re not probably going to see at the World Cup, but I was disappointed that we didn’t get off the line enough on defence and we tackled high. Those things are going to be costly no matter who you play.
Thompson made special mention of lock Harry Hockings, who is still a 17-year-old. Indeed, the teenager seems to be a young John Eales’ type and at 206 cms, just has to fill out a bit as he gets older.
Look out for him in this team in the next two years as well.
Photos by Lee Grant
