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2014 IRB Junior World Championship – New Zealand

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T

tranquility

Guest
I mean, kicking out on the full, being offside from the kick, just basic stuff.

I love that they are flooding the breakdown though.
 

Dave Beat

Paul McLean (56)
Argies just couldn't hang on and give away an offside penalty in an easily kickable position which they duly to take the chocolates by 1 point.

17 ENG - 16 ARG.

I watched the England game, and i said gee I wish they could get another crack at them. Score in this game shows why
 

Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
Need to watch the Italy replay again, but the gut feel is that our Selectors got it pretty much right for the games so far.

Not counting chickens, but AUS are looking good to perform well in the 5th to 8th playoffs.
 

Highlander35

Steve Williams (59)
Not sure why anyones surprised as to why we've been so poor.

Beyond the fact that we've brought over a younger side than average, we're also one of only 2 teams at this tournament without a proper junior pathway, the other being Fiji.

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Hugh Jarse

Rocky Elsom (76)
The inevitable has happened. NZ win 54 - 7 with 8 tries, to move through to the Semi finals round.

Aus confirmed in the 5th to 8th playoffs.

Sundays games:

Playoff 9-12
Arg (10) v Fiji (11)
Ita (9) v Sco (12)

Playoff 5-8
Aus (5) v Sam (8)
Wal (6) v Fra (7)

Cup Semis
Eng (2) v Ire (3)
SAf (1) v NZl (4)
 

Redmond

Stan Wickham (3)
I was the one who may have started "it" re Pulver.


@Pstoe claimed at post #668 "After following this level of rugby for a number of years success for Australia is having boys from the right schools representing us, so we can stand in the old school bars and tell each other how well our schools have done. On a positive note, the CEO got his son in from 2XV Colts so can't all be bad. " and @redmond added to this at post #709: "I must agree although there are players out there who could contribute and be successful at that level. Unfortunately they play for the wrong club, have the wrong post code and attended the wrong school."

I challenged them to name a better halfback than Pulver, who was alleged to have got there on the basis of Dad's influence.
In addition, @Brian Westlake offered the following suggestions:​

All of the alternates nominated by @Brian Westlake are already in the squad, less Jack Johnson.

So from all of U20 rugbydom, Natoli and Johnson have suffered from attending the wrong school, living in the wrong post code, or registering with the wrong club.

Didn't realise that Manly, Randwick, St Augustines (ISA) and Waverley (CAS) represented the wrong club, postcode or school.
Last year souths 2nd colts lost a close game to Uni for a spot in the grand final.
This year the majority of those players have progressed to 1st and are comfortably running second and will get better as injured players return.
How many of those players got an opportunity?
They have been proving coaches, selectors and districts wrong for years and will continue to do so this year.
 
T

tranquility

Guest
The inevitable has happened. NZ win 54 - 7 with 8 tries, to move through to the Semi finals round.

Aus confirmed in the 5th to 8th playoffs.

Sundays games:

Playoff 9-12
Arg (10) v Fiji (11)
Ita (9) v Sco (12)

Playoff 5-8
Aus (5) v Sam (8)
Wal (6) v Fra (7)

Cup Semis
Eng (2) v Ire (3)
SAf (1) v NZl (4)

This leaves me with such a hollow feeling. I will still be watching, and supporting with a keen eye however.
 

an observer

Herbert Moran (7)
Let's hope the Aus 20s run rings around Samoa and get points galore on the board. Interesting being an observer and watching the feedback and comments on here, facebook and other media. Arent we the biggest bunch of whingers ever. Blame blame blame... How about everyone stops and has a think about how well the Aus boys have done instead of pointing fingers at individual players, selectors and coaches. It is what it is.. A Junior World Championship. The best get selected on performance not reputation or who their father is. Tournaments are hard work, some games you play well and some you dont. When you are in the thick of a full on rugby game or any sport for that matter, you feel that every decision you make at the time was the right one.. Winning against Argentina was a massive high for our Junior Wallabies. Being defeated by England must have been tough, but overall to go down by 14 points to the current world champions really is quite credible, they certainly did not flog us and I must add that the English benefited from the referee who in all seriousness cost us the game.. As for the development program for the junior wallabies, in a country our size and the cost of transport and accommodation, what is the answer? I for one think the development program for juniors has improved significantly. What is the suggestion apart from all the Sydney based GPS and private schools players being selected in the team.. I wonder what this thread would look like if we had defeated England!
 

Bardon

Peter Fenwicke (45)
Great result for Ireland to make the Semi Finals. We took a bit of a thumping from England in the U20 6 Nations so I'm hoping we can at least make a game of it.

Sport is a funny thing. Wales beat France and NZ are saved any finger pointing for not making the Semi Finals. Now they've got a great chance to go on and win it, albeit with a tough semi against SA who beat them in the pool. Still it's much easier to say to someone "win this one and you're in the final" than "win this and you're in the 5th/6th or 9th/10th place play off".

Aus rugby performed much better than in previous years and the new selection process seems to be a step in the right direction. I think if events had conspired to see Aus into the Semi Finals people might have gotten a little carried away with how much progress has truly been made.

A solid pool performance, hopefully backed up in the play-offs, is a good return for all the work that's been put it and not making the Semi Final is a reminder that there's still work to do. At least this year's Aus U20s should leave with their heads held high rather than their tails between their legs.

How the last set of pool games played out is a good reminder to us all the very thin margins between success and failure. Is the French U20s system now a shambles because they failed to make the Semi Finals? It's the same system and team that delivered a grand slam in the U20s 6Ns earlier this year.

Had France not lost to Wales and gone on to win the tournament would their system have been held up as a blueprint for U20s success. Now that they're out will there be endless articles about how the system of the eventual winner made it inevitable they'd be crowned U20 champions and that everyone else should rush out and copy it.

Such fine margins in sport. But once the ink has dried and not too long after the final score has been tweeted all those little things are largely forgotten and the only thing remembered is who won. But we shouldn't forget the hard work and dedication that went into producing the teams that represent us.

I wouldn't say that Ireland's preparation for this years U20s was any better than last year. Nor would I say the playing pool was significantly better, especially with the pre-tournament injuries we had.

Unless there are fundamental flaws, like Aus had in previous years and like Scotland suffer presently, then there's no major overhaul needed to countries systems. A bit of tweaking yes, a good system only remains so (or improves) if we're constantly looking for little ways to make it slightly better. Then those little bits can make the difference when it comes down to the fine margins.

Sometimes they do make the difference, sometimes shit happens and you just have to take it on the chin. But as long as the young men picked have gone out and given their all, there's not much else we can ask of them.

Here's a scary thought. If a few more fine margins go the way of Ireland U20s this year then our new Performance Director (notice the absence of the word High, possibly to manage expectation) could be pictured with the returning heroes along with the cup. Even though he's only only joined for just over a week it won't be long before the official histories show he had a telling hand in the success. Who might our new Performance Director be? Why it's none other than the infamous David Nucifora.

Anyway let's shake off that horrible thought and enjoy the rest of what has been a cracking tournament.
 

Highlander35

Steve Williams (59)
Glad it's over for now anyway.

Need a big game against Italy.

The reestablishment of the regions at Academy level should seriously improve the side, both in the shorter term and 3-5 years down the track, but that doesn't help the embarrassment I feel at the moment.

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Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Does the fifth place team get put in the pool with the fourth place side next time or is there no difference in seeding for 5th - 8th?

Hopefully this team pulls out two good games and comes 5th. They've played well and deserve as high a finish as possible from here.

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rugby roo

Peter Burge (5)
Young wallabies went ok today in first half against a very well organised italian defensive pattern in filthy conditions.The drastically changed team didnt click as well as expected and I genuinely thought the 15 (fullback)was a little lost with so many options on kick receipts.Much prefer him in wing position.
Second half was pretty even as well with Italian scrum gaining ascendancy I thought.
But be proud of these young australians carrying all our expectations and hopes on their back in an absolute cut throat tournament which often provides inexplicable results and turns the form guide inside out on only 2/ 3 games.We can still "achieve" at this tournament with some solid performances against Samoa , who have improved out of sight, and either Wales or France.
Now that will be the basis of pretty fair assessment of our JWC campaign dont you think?
 
T

tranquility

Guest
Saa'aga and Skelton up against our lads up front will be interesting to say the least.
 
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