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 well.
But we don't have enough of those players.
Second row
Almost as soon as the 2014 IRB U20 tournament finished, those of us who had been tracking schools rugby thought this was going to be an area of potential weakness in 2015 compared to 2014, which was decent once Staniforth got out of his moon boot, and Jack Payne revealed himself.
Ned Hanigan (correct spelling) is really a blindside flanker who can play in the second row and is a Rocky Elsom type of player for NSW U20. He is the lineout organiser and a boss in the pack.
Hanigan was the only NSW U20 forward chosen to play for the Tahs 2nd XV (Gen Blue) against the Pampas XV—and he held his own against a side that had about 15 Puma test players in their matchday squad.
We'd all like to have 2 metre-tall locks who weight 120 kgs in our U20 team but we don't have them; so our left lock will be some tall skinny lineout guy or someone like Hanigan.
If anyone else gets precedence for the left lock position he will be very good.
Right lock is another situation. Callum Smith (ACT) is definitely a goer but looks short. Izack Rhodda has the right size but he's not in the Qld U20 starting XV.
I don't know a lot about the other locks, which is a concern in itself, if you know what I mean.
A complete smokey is U/19-age player Lukhan Lealaiauloto-Tui who I have mentioned so many times in blogs and posts that I don't have to look up how to spell his name. He was lumbering around at training in November and December, but hit his straps playing against the Norths and Southern Districts first grade side recently.
At 198 cms and 120 kgs he is the ideal size and I think his training should be continued with the Aussie Under 20s after the nationals as a project, before the final cut is made.
LLT about to score against Norths senior 1st XV: