2013 IRB Junior World Championship - France

[Hugh Jarse]

Australian Under-20 IRB Junior World Championship squad
Allan Ala'alatoa NSW Southern Districts Prop
Mark Baldwin NSW Randwick Flanker
Curtis Browning QLD University of Queensland (c) Flanker
Luke Burton WA University RC WA Flyhalf/Centre
Jack Dempsey NSW Gordon Flanker
Chris Feauai-Sautia QLD, Souths Centre
Oliver Hoskins NSW Cottesloe Prop
Siotome Kavapalu NSW Manly Prop
Samuel Kerevi QLD GPS Old Boys Centre
Phill Kite QLD GPS Old Boys Prop
Brad Lacey WA Wests Scarborough Wing
Silatolu Latu NSW Sydney University Prop
Jake McIntyre NSW Sunnybank Flyhalf
Ben Meehan QLD Sunnybank scrumhalf
Jock Merriman NSW Sydney University scrumhalf
Maile Ngauamo QLD Sunnybank Hooker
Alex Northam NSW Manly Wing
Harry Parker QLD University of Queensland Wing
Matt Philip NSW Manly Lock
Jonah Placid QLD Easts Fullback
Andrew Ready QLD Easts Hooker
Ulupano Seuteni QLD Easts Fullback
Patrick Sio NSW Northern Suburbs No 8
Thomas Staniforth ACT Royals Lock
Henry Taefu QLD Sunnybank Centre
Senio Toleafoa NSW West Harbour Lock
Micheal Wells NSW Northern Suburbs Flanker
Waldo Wessels, NSW, Southern Districts scrumhalf

Congrats to all the lads.

Three Super Rugby players
19 from ARU National Academy
17 ARU National Gold Squad graduates
Eight from Australian U20s 2012
Six 2012 Australian Schoolboys
Two players with previous U20 experience with another nation
Queensland Reds’ Curtis Browning named Captain
Australian Sevens players were unavailable for selection

The Australian Under-20 squad for the IRB Junior World Championship enters its first preparation camp at Bond University in the first week of May. They will face Papua New Guinea’s national team in a trial on Thursday 2 May at 3:00pm at Bond University.

http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1699/ArticleID/8875/Default.aspx

 

[GaffaCHinO]

3 WA boys you beauty!!!!!!!!!

Congrats to all those selected!

 

[an observer]

6 x 2012 Australian Schoolboys... not bad. side looks good.

 

[TOCC]

who are the 2 players who have experience with another U20 country?

 

[qwerty51]

In addition, two players with previous international Under-20 experience have been selected for Australia, with Samu Kerevi (Fiji) and Senio Toleafoa (Samoa) both set to represent a second country at the age-grade level.

 

[Honest John]

With 8 lads from last year, lets hope that they can take the positives (as few as they were) and lead this team. The Schoolboys should have no fear of the NZ team after beating them last year but it will be interesting to see how many Super Rugby players are picked for the Baby Blacks.

 

[qwerty51]

Odd it's only 28 players going. The tournament has short turnarounds, you'd think we need at least 30.

 

[Rassie]

What is the Fijian second team? Ain't it their U/20 side like with Wales making those player illegible to play any other country?

 

[qwerty51]

Those nations (Fiji & Samoa) have secondary national teams (A sides) that play in the Pacific Nations Cup so the u20s is not 'locked' for them.

The IRB states that there are 3 teams that lock you in:

-Top National Side
-Secondary National Side
-7s National Side

Where nations do not have a regular 'A' side their u20s is the secondary side and locks them in.

 

[Lee Grant]

It's a pity that Sevens players Cusack, McMahon, Fa'alava'au and Holland aren't available because they played last year and their experience in the tournament may have been valuable.

Who missed out? I notice that Sam Reiser, a skillful but skinny lock, is omitted - but is there anybody else that could have got in?

For those people who are going to deplore the bias towards ex-Oz School Schoolboys, Academies or Gold Squads players - who from Colts or Grade deserved to get in but didn't?

I don't know the WA lad who is listed as a 10/12 but it could be that Jake McIntyre is the starting flyhalf. It will be a big ask for a 2012 schoolboy - but he has an old head on those young shoulders. There's not much of him but if he plays well in the tournament at his age, he will interest a few scouts because he is a considerable fullback also.

He will certainly have a couple of good scrumhalves giving him service, though come to think of it: Merriman could play flyhalf sometimes.

Merriman looked like a seasoned player for Sydney Uni on Saturday playing in the 9 jersey. 1st grade Uni gigs are not given to young players lightly.

It's pleasing to see that Jonah Placid is confirmed (to me) as still playing in the rugby union code. For those who don't know him but know rugby league: he was a bit like a Billy Slater at the schools level.

By the way - is Jack Tuttle playing rugby union now, anybody know?
.

 

[Lee Grant]

Looking through the units of the team: the front row should be decent with those guys returning as some of the individuals showed promise last year, in parts.

The second row is going to be a problem again though, with two 2012 Schools players in their team. Staniforth is a tough young player who has a good future I reckon, but he's going to be heaps better next year.

I'm a bit surprised that Dempsey got in because he hasn't put on a lot of weight since he was at school last year. He was a 6 then as he was for the Sydney Academy in a game last month but I imagine that he will back up Baldwin on the openside.

Browning will be huge plus for the team both as a player and skipper but he is only one man. Hopefully some of his desire for contact will rub off on the others.

The scrumhalves will be a strength of the team but the only specialist flyhalf nominated is from the 2012 schools side.

It's no use talking about anybody else because if the forwards aren't good enough (as they weren't last year) it won't matter who is playing further out.

Hopefully they will do the job so that CFS can show us something in the midfield this year - provided everybody runs forward in 2013 and not towards touch.
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[Thinker]

Who missed out? I notice that Sam Reiser, a skillful but skinny lock, is omitted - but is there anybody else that could have got in?

I believe Reiser had knee surgery in the last few weeks and his recovery timeframe excluded him from selection.

 

[Jets]

By the way - is Jack Tuttle playing rugby union now, anybody know?
.

I think he's back at school this year Lee.

 

[Lee Grant]

Maybe you are thinking about another J. Tuttle - brother James.

 

[Jets]

It all makes sense now.

 

[Lee Grant]

Always a pleasure to see your avatar Jets.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Luke Burton Highlights Kid can pLay

 

[Lee Grant]

Thanks for posting that Gaffa. Videos of players are deceiving but even watching him with that in mind he still looks very good.

I looked him up and he has just turned 19 so like Jake McIntyre he will still be eligible next year.

The time he has spent in the Academy will stand him in good stead but the other lad has been with the National Academy; so we will have to read the tea leaves to see who will be preferred to start in the big U/20 games.

I look forward to watching him play.

PS - 10. Burton and 12. Godwin down the track is appealing, but what has happened to 9. Turner - had one operation too many?
.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Thanks for posting that Gaffa. Videos of players are deceiving but even watching him with that in mind he still looks very good.

I looked him up and he has just turned 19 so like Jake McIntyre he will still be eligible next year.

The time he has spent in the Academy will stand him in good stead but the other lad has been with the National Academy; so we will have to read the tea leaves to see who will be preferred to start in the big U/20 games.

I look forward to watching him play.

PS - 10. Burton and 12. Godwin down the track is appealing, but what has happened to 9. Turner - had one operation too many?
.

There was hope that turner would be ready to go next year. He is working for the force as a development officer and i saw him running drills with juniors before the rebels game and he has a heavy limp so i doubt we will see him next year and i fear he might never get back to the top level.

Yes burton godwin sounds good maybe have holmes at 15 and you have a very good wa flavour tk the team with longbottom and hoskins up front.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2

 

[Lee Grant]

Dunno about Hoskins - he's a bit tall to be a THP - or more exactly, for him to be a THP - but let's see how he goes in 2013 now he's a bit older and knows his tall body better.

Not to the point of U/20s or WA bred players, but will Salesi Manu get a contract next year?