Australian Schools & Junior Rugby Championships - Sunshine Coast, 2025

[The Cleaner]

#8 definitely a weapon! He puts Fonua and Lemoto on their backside!! #7 I think he needs to time the clean out at the ruck a bit better because he gives away too many penalties, but definitely a pest at the ruck and defensively.

 

[The Cleaner]

Dene failed to find the sideline on 4x penalty kicks in one game. Definitely not the stand out no. 10.
Thought the NSW 1 no 9 was great today. Best supporting player on the field.

I think he will be better than the NSW2 10?

 

[TBelly]

@The Cleaner i would normally always agree with you otherwise, but definitely not on this occasion based on form this last couple of weeks.
However I will say that while NSW 2 no 10 performed very well at Sydney schools last week, is doing his job this week, nothing standout but getting the job done…NSW 1 no 10 can’t be giving that many penalty kicks away. Needs to perform under pressure and while conversions are good, the penalty giveaways are crucial

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Day 2 Results:

ASRU:
QLD2 67 d Vic 12
WA 13 d ACT 10
NSW2 51 d NSWJRU 29
NSW1 38 d QLD1 5

NJRC:
NSW Barbarians 36 d Vic U17 17
SA 62 d Tas 5
QLD Associated 29 d NT 21


ASRU Finals - Thursday 10th July, Sunshine Coast Stadium Field 3
7th place: ACT v Vic - 8:30am
5th place: QLD2 v WA - 9:50am
3rd place: NSWJRU v QLD1 - 11:10am
1st place: NSW1 v NSW2 - 1:30pm

 

[The Cleaner]

I Watched the replay and yes you are right. Penalty kicks not finding touch. I didn’t realise it was more than 1.

 

[Backintheolddays]

Shame this event not the pinnacle it once used to be. NSW fast tracking half their team, best from Qld not participating, and no idea what has happened to a once strong ACT.
Pathways are atrocious.

 

[Maul of Duty]

so can blokes from this make aus u18 september tour ?

Absolutely. Some players have already been earmarked as potential players based on the NSW vs QLD games earlier this year. based on that performance and continued school performance they have been placed in the squad. This does not mean that those players already selected will make the final team though. Players in this tournament now have the ability to be seen by selectors and added to the squad from there. Both this tournament and earlier nsw/qld games in march are not the only way in and does not guarantee ultimate selection through. Players needs to continue to perform well at school and then at the camp later in the year. There will be lads in the PONI squad (selected from March games and this tournament) that do not make the final team.

 

[Maul of Duty]

Looking forward to NSW1 & NSW2 match up, especially between the tight 5 and the 9’s. I think Dene is the better 10. The Barker 9 and St Augustine 9 should be a good battle. NSW2 definitely have bigger front rowers than NSW1 but 1’s are more mobile IMO. Go NSW!!

Hopefully NSW 2 tight head concentrates on the scrum, he is a big lad but seems to be pulling the scrums down a lot. I have noticed this at the school games this year for Barker and then again against ISA 1, GPS 1 and the CHS game in particular

 

[Mule]

heard an interesting perspective on the "leapfrog" / "PONI" system currently being (un)seen..... and kinda makes me think.....

Selectors could put make "best" play in each step of the pathway which would be good for viewing/match play

OR

By putting through/resting a few, it actually gives MORE FRINGE PLAYERS an opportunity that would have otherwise missed out, and another shot at impressing said selectors than if they'd been left at home...

 

[Fantastic Sir Toad]

How does Dene compare to other NSW 10s in recent memory?

 

[InsiderScoop]

How does Dene compare to other NSW 10s in recent memory?

He's fairly similar to Jonty Fowler. Jonty probably has the upper hand though.

 

[OldBack]

My mate in QLD who is up there watching (he knows the QLD II coach) said only BSHS allows the kids to play in this. All the other GPS teams tend to keep their players in cotton wool as their season starts next weekend. And we thought it was bad in NSW! He also said nepotism and what school you go to is in large supply up there. Knows of several kids firsthand from his club who have been told they needn't bother trying for age group teams up there because they aren't in the "right" school program. Some of these kids have now given up rugby and focusing on league as they see it fairer. Now it's only a small sample but if that's representative of a broader issue, then that's a large problem. Rugby always finds a way to shoot itself in the foot.

The GPS schools (except BSHS) don't participate in the schools pathway beyond U12 anymore as the comps interfere with the short GPS window. They support the Reds pathway which now starts from U14, similar to the schools pathway. That said, the Reds pathway culminates in a 4 team mini tournament made up of composite trial teams selected from the schools championships, country championships, the GPS and the other schools comp in Brisbane. So, every pathway feeds up to the Reds in the end. The fact that the Reds teams seem to feature significantly more GPS based players always draws a lot of cynicism, but these schools all recruit actively from U14/15 so generally end up with the best young rugby players (with some exceptions) and many good young leagies who go back to league once they finish school