The Australian Under 20 team beat The GrainCorp NSW Country Cockatoos at Chatswood Oval 53-5 last night in the first of two warm-up games in Sydney.
They had beaten Samoa in two warm-up games during their camp at Bond University earlier in the month, but they had more players available to try out against the Country boys. They have one more warm-up game before leaving to compete in the Junior World Championship in New Zealand, next Thursday.
The Cockatoos had opened their season well when they retained the Maher Ross Cup against a NSW Suburban side 20-0 at Terrigal last Saturday and were looking for another scalp before their competition season started.
In the photos the Australian Under 20 team is in the green jerseys.
First half
Country gave as good as they got in the opening stages and the Australian Under 20s [the Juniors] were pinged a few times for slowing down their ball or for off-side.
But eventually the Junior 12. Jim Stewart steamed through and passed to a looming 13. Lalakei Foketi, who scored. When 10. Jake McIntyre converted, and later slotted a penalty goal, the Juniors led 10-0.
The next try for the leaders was from closer in when they drove from the lineout and 8. Ross Haylett-Petty shouldered over for a try which was converted by McIntyre. The Juniors led 17-0.
The Cockatoos were having their fair share of breakouts but they couldn’t string too many phases together with the Juniors being outstanding over the ball at the breakdown.
Country were infringing to stop the youngsters and one incident gave McIntyre a chance to sail a 43 metre penalty goal over the bar. Finally referee Will Houston lost patience and the Country reserve hooker Steve Lamont got 10 minutes rest.
The Juniors took advantage of this and Stewart barged over to score under the posts. Yet another McIntyre conversion made the score at half-time 27-0.
Juniors were playing at a higher tempo every chance they got, and every lineout was thrown in without delay. The Cockatoos were not used to this fast pace of rugby nor the aggression and line speed of the defenders, but they scrapped for everything.
Second half
Country made one of their many breaks when vibrant 6. Paul Tuala burst upfield. But the Juniors countered once more and with their opponents back-pedalling 14. Johnny Vaux broke and dished the ball out to 11. Andrew Kellaway, who computed the path around the defenders in a flash to score near the corner post. 32-0.
Shock, horror: McIntyre didn’t convert this one, but the ball hit a post.
Then came the best period for Country as play went back and forth, and you would not have guessed that one side was 32 points ahead and the other, the same amount behind.
In fact the Cockatoos looked superior for one stretch, and it must having enthused the Juniors’ coaching staff the way their lads repelled Country boarders repeatedly. In this segment Foketi was injured and had to be replaced by Brad Lacey; also 6. Lolo Fakaosilea got carded for one too many infringements by the Juniors.
Eventually Country reserve scrummie, Auvasa Faleali’i, who trained with the Waratahs pre-season, dummied near the line and went over to make the score 32-5.
At that point the superior conditioning of the Juniors began to show. The part-time Country players could not keep up with the pace of the youngsters who had been in training since October and had undergone rugged selection trials.
First 15. Jonah Placid scored under the posts after smoking opponents with a lightning run near touch. Next the Juniors were raiding down the other touchline after a switch and it was 9. Angus Pulver who was running around under the sticks.
Country went on another dash up the park after that but, as was usual on the night: the Juniors countered—and Stewart scored his second try.
All were converted by, guess who, and the Juniors won 53-5.
Unfortunately Placid was injured after scoring his try and looked very dusty limping off.
The wrap-up
It was a shame for the NSW Country Cockatoos that the scoreline blew out at the end. The Australian Under 20s Head Coach, Adrian Thompson said:
The Cockatoos deserve credit for the way they played as they really tested us.
They battled right until the end and their best players: their irrepressible flanker Paul Tuala and reserve scrummie Avasa Faleali’i, were impressive.
Thompson was satisfied because they had a few days together in camp and he wanted to try some different players, and they tested well.
The other pleasing thing was defensively: when they got to our goal line we stopped them nearly all the time.
But what needed more work? He said that decision-making when the players got down into the opponents’ 22 had to improve, including what to do when their maul fell down. He also added.
Our attacking breakdown could be better We made a lot of half-line-breaks but then Country were able to slow the ball down which meant we couldn’t get the ball in our 10’s hands as often as we wanted too. So we have to be a bit more accurate at the breakdown.
And who did Thompson think were his best players?
I thought Jake McIntyre at 10 was outstanding tonight. He ran the show; he goal-kicked well—and Haylett-Petty at no. 8 and probably Andrew Kellaway—were our three best.
I was impressed by my first sightings of WA’s Haylett-Petty, who is big and agile, and ACT’s openside flanker Rowan Perry, who has a whiff of Heinrich Brüssouw about him. Jim Stewart was at his rampaging best at inside centre and the halves Pulver and McIntyre looked sharper than I had hoped for as individuals, and as a pairing.
The scrums worked well and even the lineouts, which were scrappy in training. The best thing about the forwards was not the excellence of individuals but the pack-like attributes in their play.
They will have a sterner test on Tuesday night against the Australian Barbarians, a team of hard-nosed senior club players.
We will have a better assessment of their chances in the Junior World Competition after that game at the same venue. (6.30 pm, Tuesday 27 May)
Scoring
Australian Under 20’s — 53
Tries: Jim Stewart (2), Lalakai Foketi, Ross Haylett-Petty, Andrew Kellaway, Jonah Placid, Angus Pulver.
Conversions: Jake McIntyre (6)
Penalty Goals: McIntyre (2)
NSW Country Cockatoos – 5
Try: Auvasa Faleali’i
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