2024 Under 20 Rugby Champs all match discussion thread

[JackJill]

Jnr Wallabies play Italy at 3am AEST tonight/tomorrow morning.

Should be an interesting match, Italy should have more to throw at the Australia defence. Coming off a cruel loss against Ireland, Italy will want to win this at all costs so Australia will have it by them.

Will be a captivating match will indicate how they will go against the favourites of the pool in Ireland. Hopefully some more weight behind the pack will assist with the battle in the middle, still unsure why Goddard is not in the 23?

Aus by 7.

 

[Marce]

I can't believe the smart organizers of World Rugby scheduled the Juniors Wallabies and Pumitas games at the same time lol

 

[Marce]

This team can't play in the rain. It's not the first time

 

[Steve_Grey]

Watched the game - 1st thing I noted (and yes I know it was raining) - how much ball did we kick away? Even in good attacking positions we kicked ball away.

Our back row (bar #7) is weak (with little or no firepower on the bench either - in this or the last game) - #6 is a liability and doesn't seem to know how to clean out at rucks, and #8 went invisible for long periods. It might be that N Grey coaches #6 and #8 to play like extra wingers but it doesn't work in wet weather - you have to play with grunt.

Italy won the game by playing to the conditions - this loss puts us in a difficult position; must win game vs Ireland (unlikely) as Italy will fancy themselves vs Georgia.

 

[Rudderless]

Round 2

Thursday 4th

- Ireland v Georgia (Pool B)
22-16

- Wales v Spain (Pool A)
31-10

Friday 5th

- France v New Zealand (Pool A)
26-27

- England v Fiji (Pool C)
48-11

- South Africa v Argentina (Pool C)
12-31

- Australia v Italy (Pool B)
12-17

 

[Strewthcobber]

Wow, some big upsets to wake up to.
Lose one game in this format and you are just about done.

There's a post on Reddit that gives this Aus team 33% of qualifying from here. Pretty much the same chance as France

 

[Pfitzy]

Optimistic. From what I saw of the Georgia game, these guys are on a flight home

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Arg beating SA is a huge result looking ahead to when those "boys" become Test players.

 

[drewprint]

I’ll brave the game and watch it later, but it’s frustrating seeing this as it’s been clear for a while now. A run and gun 7s player is great and all but we need a proper big hardworking body there. The penny doesn’t seem to want to drop for Grey et al.

 

[Shiggins]

Who's coaching these guys? Terrible game plan. Just kicking ball away. Terrible kicks. So bad

 

[Strewthcobber]

Check out the scenes at the end of NZ v France (spoiler)

 

[Marce]

The Italian scrum destroyed the junior Wallabies. Professionals vs school boys

 

[Desmond]

What does everyone expect seriously we spend all our money on wingers, fullbacks and 7s players. We have no respect as a country for the scrum and then can not believe it when we get owned by 2rd/3rd tier countries. Our best prop was a late call up and he has been doing great in 1st grade Shute Shield week in week out. How many of these players were from the mighty Waratahs Academy?? Who is in charge of the development and selection of these academy players??

 

[Strewthcobber]

This team can't play in the rain. It's not the first time

Even our greatest teams fell apart when it got wet. Falling apart in the rain is embedded deep within thee Australian rugby psyche

 

[Cockatoo Run]

How many of these players were from the mighty Waratahs Academy?? Who is in charge of the development and selection of these academy players??

One Waratahs Academy player in the starting XV. A couple on the bench got 20mins, a couple didn't get on at all.

 

[Braveheart81]

Losing our first choice LHP, second choice THP and a first choice lock from the first game might have impacted things.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Check out the scenes at the end of NZ v France (spoiler)

That's some pretty shit ARing right there.

 

[JackJill]

What does everyone expect seriously we spend all our money on wingers, fullbacks and 7s players. We have no respect as a country for the scrum and then can not believe it when we get owned by 2rd/3rd tier countries. Our best prop was a late call up and he has been doing great in 1st grade Shute Shield week in week out. How many of these players were from the mighty Waratahs Academy?? Who is in charge of the development and selection of these academy players??

Agreed, Goddard has been dominating Shute Shield Scrums and torturing even super rugby looseheads all season. I don't know what Grey's plan is with our forward pack, but it ain't working.

 

[Desmond]

One Waratahs Academy player in the starting XV. A couple on the bench got 20mins, a couple didn't get on at all.

Yes on paper that's correct but i think most people on this forum are aware two thirds of these players were all part of Gen Blue, Waratah academy or identified by NSW rugby and developed by nsw rugby. Then picked up in the last year or so by other states.

 

[House is on Fire]

I've been watching Judah Saumaisue carve it up all season at number 8 for the Power House 1st grade in Melbourne. After watching the Georgia and Italy matches, and seeing the lack of impact from the second and back row, I simply can not fathom how he was left out of the squad.