2015 IRB Junior Rugby World Cup - Italy

[Omar Comin']

So are Japan U-20's a genuinely decent side or did we just play terribly?

I think it'd be quite beneficial to Australian rugby if Japan one day becomes truly competitive.

 

[Lee Grant]

Hans did Kellaway come on at 13?

I'm not Hans, but yes, he did.
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[Steve Pierce]

NEWS- Lolo Fakaosilea named on bench for the reds against crusaders. Korzych dropped from the reds team and will join the Australian 20s ahead of their match against NZ this Saturday.

I personally think this is an important move. Although Korzych is an impressive player with size and aggression, he was a primary reason why the Hurricanes scored this 2 tries on the weekend? When FAKAOSILEA came on for the 14 minutes he was on, I kept my eye on him and did abit of a review on him. He had 3 runs, 1 of which he bumped off the winger. 2 tackles. One of which was a text book tackle on Nonu and the other, which he got a turnover on. Then I went back and reviewed the 65 minutes Korzych was on and he attempted 5 tackles, in which he missed 3. 2 of those missed tackles resulted in tries. 3 runs. 0 turn overs. Just not upto to super rugby standards on the day. FAKAOSILEA deserves the praise and call up. To be honest Curtis Browning is a sound player, but just doesn't have the qualities that these boys have. I believe that next year, these boys might have a chance of starting at either 6 or 8.

Both are great players and I have enjoyed watching them grow from schoolboy level to Prem grade and now Super Rugby. They are the next generation of wallabies. What do you all think ? I believe these boys have what it takes to take it up a notch and wear a green and gold jersey.

 

[Peej]

So are Japan U-20's a genuinely decent side or did we just play terribly?

I think it'd be quite beneficial to Australian rugby if Japan one day becomes truly competitive.

Solid team which looks to make minimal errors but be vary aggressive around breakdown. NZ did a job on them so don't know how good they are but they certainly don't give up. Could of beaten Aus if not for individual skill of a couple of Aus replacements.

Hopefully the more they play against Aus and NZ especially at this level will help the future super rugby franchise in Japan and over time build strength and depth of senior team.

 

[qwerty51]

That is the worst result in u20s history surely.

 

[Mr Hector]

It's a pity we can't just bring up the entire Randwick Colts players Hans, that would solve the U20s woes

 

[Bobby Sands]

Doesn't sound like a great day for Bobby Dalgliesh, but he is rated highly at the Red Heavies. Deegan sounds very promising.

Most of the blokes playing today are highly rated, so I would give the Japanese the credit they deserve.

 

[swingpass]

can ask why Fereti Saaga was playing tight head ?

are the selectors looking for versatile players

 

[Bobby Sands]

can ask why Fereti Saaga was playing tight head ?

are the selectors looking for versatile players

Limited squad numbers.. All the players are moving around.

Edit: Watching the replay, Dalgliesh has broken the line twice in the first half? Hasn't made an error yet to my eye.

 

[BigSteve]

Limited squad numbers.. All the players are moving around.

Edit: Watching the replay, Dalgliesh has broken the line twice in the first half? Hasn't made an error yet to my eye.

i think he is playing alright nothing like what was described. Forwards letting the team down. shocking handling from most, centres in particular. lukhan has made some decent runs.

 

[Bobby Sands]

The poor handling was almost all in the centers. Aaron Pleash has had a good half as well in my opinion.

 

[rugby roo]

Someone suggested that was Aus 20s worst performance, I think it was a coming of age moment for japanese rugby at this level and I applaud their performance.
sure Aus didnt help themselves with bad handling(sometimes in your face pressure from Japan) mistimed and ill directed passing (mostly poor execution but also pressure defence) and Japan occupying the space where they could cause one off running resulting in isolation by runners in attack.
Japan served up a very very committed spirit for 80 minutes.
Australia did not simple as that. The run down the blindside from a kick return resulting in a soft try was inexplicable other than the old " I thought you had him" excuse.
if the Aus no 6 didnt come through that maul on their tryline and hold up the ballcarrier late in the game it may have been a different result altogether.In fact 5,6,7 and 8 for Aus did a lot of housekeeping to keep them in it.
I dont know what coaches were thinking but there was a major problem at halves all day long and should have been fixed long before changes were adopted, not a bad goalkicker though.
obviously some things need to be tweaked before ABs and a major refocus on the core elements of the game like if you set too high in the scrum you get pushed off the ball by a lowset pack as happened today.
But as they say what doesnt kill you makes you tougher Australia won but that was a scare they needed I reckon if they cant refocus after that coaches included then we are in trouble.
I am tipping a stellar performance v ABs its what most of these kids have been stribing for.

 

[redhead]

Clearly with such performance we will have zero chance to advance from the group at JRWC in Italy. Praising anyone from the group (and especially forwards maybe with the exemption of young Tui) for allowing to be dominated for most of the day is an interesting concept which I personally do not agree with. If not for Deegan smart play and Kelleway leadership this game could have been lost. Lets refocus, bring back the quality players to a starting line-up because we have today learned that there is limited value of their replacements. We have less than month to get this right.

 

[Marcelo]

I asked if there were chances of beating to the Baby Blacks and nobody answered me. After the last result I think the answer is easy, right?

 

[Lee Grant]

There is a blog on the game here:

http://goo.gl/PhiNWl

More great photos by HJ Nelson
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[RugbyReg]

Is there any reason to think that Mitchell Short could not come into the squad for the main tournament? Any precedent to that for a non Super Rugby player?

 

[Hans]

Yesterday was interesting if nothing else for the selectors. I will apologise to Dalgleish if i had blamed him for sloppy handling, when in fact it should have been the centres, the screen was a touch blurry, however the noticeable difference Deegan made led to alot of the comments regarding his lack of control. His general passing wasn't to bad, it wa sjust the game management that seemed to be lacking.

Regarding beating the baby blacks, i don't think yesterday was a good indicator of where the baby wallabies are at. Their starting side is much better. The addition of Hanigan, Tuttle, Kellaway, Deegan, Orr, Possibly Sandell, Korzyck and Gunn will have a huge impact on the side. Add to that down the track Wilkin, Magnay, Placid et al, and all of a sudden the starting side is looking like a totally different animal to what played yesterday. In fact, changes to the tight 5, and possibly at half could have dramatically changed yesterdays result, as the wallabies were constantly playing back foot ball, give them front foot ball, and i would like to see how it all went.

Saturday will be a good barometer of where the starting side is at, however if i were the coaching panel, i would be praying and doing whatever voodoo i can think of to ensure the starting 15 are ready to go come the JRWC, as the bench showed yesterday there is a clear gap between 1-15 and 16-31

 

[HJ Nelson]

Photos of the U20 Oceania Rugby Championship New Zealand v Samoa game here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/100900132@N02/sets/72157651968055218/

 

[HJ Nelson]

Photos of the U20 Oceania Rugby Championship Australia v Japan game here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/100900132@N02/sets/72157650052968743/

 

[Brian Westlake]

Doesn't sound like a great day for Bobby Dalgliesh, but he is rated highly at the Red Heavies. Deegan sounds very promising.

Most of the blokes playing today are highly rated, so I would give the Japanese the credit they deserve.

I am not apologetic for the rant, so here goes.

If Dalgliesh is the best U20's in Australia at the moment, we're fucked.
If the Nucifora kid is also, we're fucked.
They could have gone to Nudgee,Ippys or Churchies and grabbed the 1st XV halves and they would have done a lot better job.
This team smacks of SA quota systems as in "We have to have 10 queenslanders, 3 WA's and 3 Vic's."
A little tip Thommo... It is not working.
Yes, queensland lads are playing S15 at the moment, bur just as a little aside.... They are F+%king LAST!
Queensland Rugby is up shit creek and they are saying that the heavies LIKE these kids???
Time for a few home truths.
They are not that good when the likes of a Deegan and Kellaway come off the bench and turn things around... Quickly. The front row is an absolute myth and if McInerney plays for the Brumbies in seniors, the game of Rugby in Australia is dead. Australian forwards walking after a breakdown? I don't blame the kid. I blame the selector that put the wrong kid there in the first place. Playing n an Oceania tournament is not the place to get fit.
I think that the Seleector/coaching staff are going to have to make some very hard calls before Italy, because genuinely feel sorry for the likes of Hanigan, Gunn, Deegan etal that are the best of their respective positions and age, being stuck beside somebody's cousin or because qld guys rate him. I am tobeieve that Sandell is injured too,so at least we have one world class front 3 coming back.
Yes, I have not held back, but when talking to a trusted colleague from the UK, Australian Rugby is not even being laughed at behind our backs, they are bold faced standing there chortling to their hearts content.