2015 IRB Junior Rugby World Cup - Italy

[Newbie]

I heard the ARU also invited the Irish U/20's to the national champs; however the IRU had to formally decline!

Though the IRU cited potential 'exhaustion and burnout' (i.e the national champs being so close to the conclusion of U/20 Six Nations), insiders within the IRU firmly believe that the Irish lads would never forgo their St. Paddy's Day (that being the 17th of March when the champs kick off), nor would there be any likelihood of finding any Irish lads for days after - at least any in a state to play!

Sad to be honest!

 

[Lee Grant]

NSW Under 20s

See blog here:

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/nsw-20s/


Adrian Delore has left the programme.

John Walker has had an operation (ankle I think) and his availability is pending; Jack Hayson is now training.

Andrew Vatuvei is added to the squad.

There is a trial match on Sunday at 11 am at the Bus Loop (over the road from the back of the Brewongle stand at the SCG). Both flyhalves (Deegan and Tulloch) are injured and won't play, but they are not far off.

Meantime utility Ben O'Donnell will likely have the 10 jersey on Sunday
.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

It is good to see quite a few of the crop of 2014 graduates in the various state U20 squads, mixing it with the older cohort of 2013 School graduates.

While only the really special ones will make the National Competition and the Aus U20's this year, the experience gained being part of the squads in the 2015 U20 pre-season will stand them in good stead for 2016 U20's teams. This strategy (dare I use the word pathway) will give the 2016 coaches and selectors a good core of players familiar with patterns and structures expected at this level to base their teams around.

We have come a long way in terms of selection and preparation of our U20 team for Jnr RWC in the last 20 months.

Great also to see some young men being recognised for their outstanding performances in 2014 in Colts, and in some cases Premier Grade football, with selection in State U20 squads.

 

[Newbie]

... ... ... ... ... ... Adrian Delore has left the programme. ... ... ... ... ... ...

Was there a reason given LG?

I really liked this lad! I first seen him in 2011 when he gained selection for the U/16 NSWSRU team. Good player.

 

[Lee Grant]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Don't know the reason.

My informant said "he left" soon after he was named in the squad of 36 to go into the real crunch training period in the new year.

I took this to mean it was voluntary.

Yeah I rated him too - he's a Swiss Army Knife of a player - when you see him play 10 he looks like a specialist in the position, and it's the same when he plays 15.
.

 

[Newbie]

There is one player I am really looking forward to see play rugby again (as the same player will be eligible for Australian U/20's selection); Queensland's Duncan Paia'aua - get your laughing gear around that surname!

For those who cannot remember, young Dunc travelled south with the QSRU U/16's for the 2011 National Championship and was a real standout player in the same tournament. Nevertheless the young lad was already on the radar of the 'Bris-Vegas Broncos' and not long after we saw his departure. Another QSRU player who was a standout in the same QSRU team that year was Jack Tuttle. Like Duncan he too ended up at the Broncos (a shame to be honest as he was also a good player; an Australian A Schools rep in 2011 which was no mean feat for an U/16 lad).

As most would be aware Paia'aua has returned to rugby and will likely feature in the Reds Super Rugby campaign sometime this year! I really rate this kid and I hope he finds his way into the Australian U/20's for the JWC.

 

[Bobby Sands]

As most would be aware Paia'aua has returned to rugby and will likely feature in the Reds Super Rugby campaign sometime this year! I really rate this kid and I hope he finds his way into the Australian U/20's for the JWC.

I'm hope he does too..

It is always interesting to see the young lads, with shining junior resumes pitted against each other. I am always sure that the QLD lads are the best, and then kids from other states who I have never even heard of prove just as capable and often more so.

Given how poorly we went last year, I would like to see an improved effort, and I think if Duncan is not needed by the Reds he will very much be apart of that.

 

[Braveheart81]

As most would be aware Paia'aua has returned to rugby and will likely feature in the Reds Super Rugby campaign sometime this year! I really rate this kid and I hope he finds his way into the Australian U/20's for the JWC.

Whilst his first game for the Reds wasn't great, you can watch it on Youtube already.

 

[Forcefield]

Given how poorly we went last year, I would like to see an improved effort, and I think if Duncan is not needed by the Reds he will very much be apart of that.

That is unfair. We lost one game to the team that won the tournament and they had some excellent players. We don't tend to win or lose on the quality of our backs- it is in the forwards where we tend to get beaten by the more organised 6N U20 teams.

 

[Bobby Sands]

I was talking about QLD.

 

[Newbie]

LOL ... Ooops!

 

[Forcefield]

I was talking about QLD.

Sorry- i misunderstood.

 

[Newbie]

NZ U/20’s 2014
As discussed earlier in this thread the management of the ‘Junior Blacks’ are taking a more prepared approached to the 2015 JWC, and for mine they are going to have a squad that will likely contain players with international exposure (i.e. Super Rugby and Sevens) thus putting them in good stead you would assume.

The extended train on squad, which appears below, does not contain players selected for Super Rugby franchises (they also appear below). For obvious reasons they were not considered, however one would assume that such players will likely be released when the time comes.

For mine there are some notable omissions from the extended squad (e.g., Sam McNicol: a NZ Schools 2013 representative who made the Wellington Lions 2014 ITM Cup team). It would be interesting to know what has happened to such players.

I have highlighted those players with NZ representative experience in ‘BOLD’, using numbering which highlights that player’s representative experience. As you will see there are numerous players that have been consistently progressing through NZ Rugby’s representative ranks/pathways.

Essentially the NZ'landers will carry over several key and experienced players from last year's JWC. All of whom are in key positions and who were apart of the 2014 leadership group. Around this group they should be able to construct a reasonable and formidably strong team! IMO they will likely use the Australian game(s) to finalise the same.

Super Rugby Players
Tevita Li (Scrum Half - North Harbour - Blues)1,3
Blake Gibson (Loosie - Auckland - Blues)2
Damien McKenzie (Full Back - Waikato - Chiefs)2,3,5
Anton Lienert-Brown (Fly Half – Waikato – Chiefs)3
Geoff Cridge (Lock - Hawkes Bay - Hurricanes)3
Hugh Renton (Loosie - Hurricanes)6

NZ U/20 Extended Squad
Props
Isileli Tu'ungafasi (Auckland)
Morgan Poi (Wellington)10
Tom Hill (Canterbury)2
Aidan Ross (Bay of Plenty)
Atunaisa Moli (Waikato)2,3
Blair Prinsep (Canterbury)
Tau Koloamatangi (Waikato)3,5
Michael Tamoaieta (Auckland)2

Hookers
Liam Polwart (Auckland)
Ricky Riccitelli (Otago)
Travis Taylor (Manawatu)
Steven Misa (Waikato)

Locks
Mitchell Dunshea (Canterbury)
Hamish Dalziel (Canterbury)
Joshua Goodhue (Northland)2
Liam Hallam-Eames (Wellington)
Jamie Lane (Auckland)2
James Blackwell (Wellington)6

Loose Forwards
Ethan Blackadder (Tasman)
Sam Wasley (Wellington)
Sam Godwin (Canterbury)
Mitchell Karpik (Auckland)2,5
Henry Stowers (Wellington)11
Dillon Hunt (Otago)
Teariki Ben-Nicholas (Wellington)
Alex Fitzgerald (Otago)
Akira Ioane (Auckland)2,8
Dylan Wihongi (North Harbour)2,5

Scrum Halves
Harrison Levien (Waikato)2
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Taranaki)
Lisati Milo-Harris (Auckland)6,7
Sam Malcom (Manawatu)
Luke Campbell (Wellington)

Fly Halves
Daniel Hollinshead (Bay Of Plenty)6
Mitchell Hunt (Auckland)
Fletcher Smith (Otago)9

Centres
TJ Faiane (Auckland)2,3,5
Jonathan Fa'auli (Canterbury)2
Wes Goosen (Wellington)2
Jack Goodhue (Canterbury)9
Sean Wainui (Taranaki)
Rieko Ioane (Auckland)4,9

Wings
Pryor Collier (Auckland)
Faraimo Nofoaigo (Wellington)
Tu Puoho Stephens (Canterbury)
Fletcher Matthews (Tasman)6
Gavin Stark (Otago)2
Shaun Stevenson (Auckland)4

Fullbacks
George Bridge (Canterbury)
Luteru Laulala (Canterbury)5
Jaye Thompson Southland

1.NZ Schools 2012
2.NZ Schools 2013
3.NZ U/20’s 2014
4.NZ Schools 2014
5.NZ Schools Barbarians 2012
6.NZ Schools Barbarians 2013
7.NZ Schools Barbarians 2014
8.NZ Sevens 2013/14
9.NZ Sevens 2014/15
10.NZ Universities
11.Samoan U/20’s 2014

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^^^
Tevita Li (Scrum Half Wing - North Harbour - Blues)1,3

Fixed.



Good summary @Newbie.

 

[Wilson]

Pools/Draw is out: http://www.worldrugby.org/tournament/1566/fixtures

 

[Newbie]

@Hugh Jarse: mate in another part of G&GR I believe it may have been you that informed of the venue for tomorrow's U/20 NSWRU hit out against NSW Country; the place being 'The Loop' (across the road from the SCG and SFS).

If so are you aware (or anybody else for that matter) if there is seating, covering etc. I am vaugely familiar with the location but all I can recall is vast and open grassy expanses!

 

[GTPIH]

Newbie, you are correct. It's the Swans training field and there is no seating/covering, just open grassy expanses although there are trees on the far side. I know this as I misread LG's post above, and as I was at the SFS gym this morning, thought I'd drop over to said grassy expanse and that's all I saw.

 

[Newbie]

Newbie, you are correct. It's the Swans training field and there is no seating/covering, just open grassy expanses although there are trees on the far side. I know this as I misread LG's post above, and as I was at the SFS gym this morning, thought I'd drop over to said grassy expanse and that's all I saw.

@GTPIH thank your brutally honest truth!

The temp is going to peak at 32 degrees tomorrow so it will probably be 28 degrees by 11:00 (when the game is scheduled to start). Not what one could call ideal conditions for rugby!

Oh those poor, poor, piggies! I hope Reppy brings plenty of troths filled with Gatorade ... ... ... LOL!

 

[Newbie]

U/20's Six Nations Update:

The Good 'ole Paddy's handed the 'Pizza Eaters' their backsides 47-15.

In all honesty I wouldn't take to much out of this result as it only proves (which is contrary to popular perception) that the Lord is a good Irish Catholic and not Italian!

Nevertheless I am not expecting the Vatican to be moving to Dublin anytime soon, however I am expecting the Irish lads to give a few top sides a run for their money at the 2015 JWC!

 

[Newbie]

I will be heading out to the U/20's game tomorrow at the Moore Park; anyone else planning on being there?