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Hans - Adrian Thompson told me that Wilkin is available for the Aus 20s. His availablity for the Qld 20s wasn't mentioned. Your thoughts about the NSW U20s are spot on, I think. When I thought I had the NSW team nailed with 26 players it was because the Aus Barbarians had named 26 four days...

Well, there is one surprise: The Aus Barbarians named 26 players on 3 March: http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1699/ArticleID/14766/Australian-Barbarians-poised-for-2015-National-Under-20s-Championship.aspx Which made me think 26 was the number, and that reconciled with the...

Thanks RR, Anybody - given the players not available, are there any surprise omissions or inclusions? ,

I used to go down there for the schoolboy nationals but it's a bit too far for me to drive these days. It's pretty hard to predict the winner but NSW won it last year and their programme has been even tougher than in 2014. The Combined side nearly beat NSW last time and this year (now called...

I don't think we should be second-guessing the national selectors. They will trust that NSW and Qld have selfishly selected their teams with the best players after testing them for months so their team can win in Canberra. They would assume that if the state selectors thought a fellow in his...

Before a ball is kicked in the nationals you have to think of Fainga'a and McInerney as the two principal hookers for the Aussie team. The others I know: Mafi, Craig and Bradford were all at school last year which means they are at a disadvantage in rugby maturity. The ones I don't know...

Correct - Kaitu'u (I think) was injured and went home and that brought Matt Sandell over to NZ. He was a prop but used to throw to the lineout sometimes for Joeys. Kaitu'u was from Qld. Vea couldn't hit the side of a barn with his throws. .

Thanks HJ - I couldn't find that anywhere. So that's how they are organising it? I couldn't work out how they would format it. The visitors are playing two games each; the Baas play four and NSW and Qld play three each. That's seven matches. I'm guessing that the Championship will be...

I'm getting a blog together to publish a few days before the national U20s start. Does anybody know the draw and have a fixtures list - or have a link, better still? .

Newsome is an outside centre or winger. I wish we had more comments about the WA and Vic backs. The ACT lads were not so good in the one match I saw from them. .

Yeah we all know that unfortunately rugby roo - and we should remember that if we don't do well and are dominated physically by the usual two suspects (should we meet the second). We should not get on the keyboard and condemn the selectors or coaches some of whom are both, if physicality is...

Back 3 This will be the strength of the team though we would probably be better off with having strong units closer to the action. Fullback Jonah Placid would be the favourite of many and he will be in the squad, but whilst he is brilliant, he is also brittle. And just quietly: his gaffe...

Centres There is so much talent in the back three group that Andrew Kellaway could be considered as an outside centre, which is his preferred position anyway. It may seem crazy to change his position when he scored a record number of tries for the U20s on the wing in 2014, but at this point...

My bad - thought I saw him play. Good to see folks are reading though and to get some feedback on the Queenslanders. Yeah my posts are NSW-centric but I did give disclaimers about why that was. And the remarks for the remaining positions will be too; so please keep contributing; so we can...

Yeah - it was Toeta that Thompson mentioned. .

Thanks redhead. I actually had Korczyk mentioned but I took him out: I don't think he compares with Hanigan as a loosehead lock; should have mentioned him as an alternate though. After posting the news that Thompson said that Wilkin would be available, I forgot to put him in. That's...

The halves Scrumhalf - Mitch Short - I know the NSW players best because I have seen them train and play so often in the last three months. Short is a good benchmark who has a no-delay pass but could probably snipe a bit more. Rory Davis, on the other hand backs himself a tad too much but he...

Backrow Everybody will be crowing about the backrowers in the three Aussie teams but it is always the case for Under 20s playing against domestic players of the same age. All our competitors in Italy will be crowing also but the advantage that the 6N 20 teams have is that they would have had...

Ideally we should pick a squad of forwards, each of whom are of the type to counter the brute strength of the South Africans. If we could do that they would serve against the likes of England also, should we meet them. And if they are of that type they will prosper against any other side as...

I haven't seen anybody but the ACT, NSW Country and NSW Under 20s this year, and got a glimpse of some Qlders and others in the NRC. Front Row LHP - Cameron Orr. He and Fereti Sa'aga will be contending for the position. I watched Sa'aga closely for Samoa last year and he is not the...