ACTJRU U18 Competition & ACT Schools XV 2016

[Hugh Jarse]

Start your engines. What's happening in Junior Brumbieland?

Who's looking good for the competition, and what are the predictions for the ACT Schools team for National Championships?

 

[Anthony Smith]

Looking forward to a close competition this year with I believe 4 teams vying for the title in Vikings, Dara Marist and St Edmunds.

I expect Marist to bounce back after a shocker last year, great depth in their squad possibly suprise packet.

Eddies to not have their strongest year with quite a small forward pack compared to many gone past. Very talented backline however.

Dara and Vikings the favourites in my opinion with many of last years boys returning.

Grammar... Who knows what to expect apparently recruited quality coaches.

Only 5 teams this year? Will royals field a team?

Anyone wanting to predict teams or ladder?

 

[Burgess101]

All reports are suggesting Vikings and Darra to dominate. Eddies to struggle , Marist expected to be big improvers , Grammar looking dangerous.
Team predictions?

 

[ACTRugbyInsider]

Tuggeranong Vikings - First XV (Rumored - Players Missing)
1. David Stewart
2. Lachlan Lonergan
3. N/A
4. Ben Pratt
5. N/A
6. Izaak Cornelius
7. Justice Henderson
8. Isaiah Tikitau
9. Ryan Lonergan
10. Riley Hughes
11. Nick MacDonald
12. Jonty Hromow
13. Davis Tivalu
14. Charlie Jackson
15. N/A

 

[Keiran]

Looking forward to a close competition this year with I believe 4 teams vying for the title.

I expect Marist to bounce back after a shocker last year, great depth in their squad this year.

Eddies to not have their strongest year with quite a small forward pack this year. Very talented backline however.

Dara and Vikings the favourites in my opinion with many of last years boys returning.

Grammar. Who knows what to expect

Only 5 teams this year? Will royals field a team?

Anyone wanting to predict teams or ladder?

Royals will field a side this year. I expect Tuggies to be the side to beat. Can't say I agree with Marist bouncing back as they only had one average 16's side last year. As for how many sides in the competition you can assume it will be very few. Junior rugby in Canberra is being deserted in droves.

 

[No.8]

Have not looked into the 1st XV scene for years - 'back in my day' (10-15 years ago) lol - Vikings were the punching bags of the 1st XV comp - with eddies putting scores of over 100 on them sometimes - What has changed at a 1st XV level to now make Vikings one of the power-houses?

Of course they have the perfect base/prob one of the best in Australia to have one of the best 1st XV's in Australia - but has there been more focus from a senior level on the 1st XV/schoolboy level?

Are Marist, Eddies etc not recruiting as hard?

Would be interested if anyone had any insight into this.

 

[Keiran]

Vikings have recruited very hard. In fact we've lost 5 players to them. Marist have more kids playing AFL than rugby so they are not truly a rugby school anymore. SEC will still be strong with a fantastic 16a's side last year.

Vikings traditionally buy premierships in the senior ranks with a grade budget other clubs can only dream of. There is however certainly a closer link between their juniors and seniors as they have a talented group of 18's coming through. Be interesting to see how many make the progression to colts given that the cheque book comes out to ACT schools players for them to join.

 

[ACTRugbyInsider]

Predicted Ladder
- Tuggeranong Vikings
- Daramalan College
- St. Edmunds College
- Marist College
- Canberra Royals
- Canberra Grammar

 

[Green grass]

Keiran it is disappointing to see that you are so twisted and bitter towards the Vikings.
As for the 18s comp, Dara vs St Edmund's GF. You heard it here first!

 

[Keiran]

Predicted ladder;

Tuggeranong
SEC
Daramalan
Grammar
Royals
Marist
Young

Hoping to see Vikings give it a crack as the comp is now so boring with the usual Eddies by how many.

 

[Anthony Smith]

Predicted ladder;

Tuggeranong
SEC
Daramalan
Grammar
Royals
Marist
Young

Hoping to see Vikings give it a crack as the comp is now so boring with the usual Eddies by how many.

Mate I don't know if you have been watching in the past few years but eddies aren't looking as good as they have in the past. Even though there under 16 team won, it was a very poor age group to normal as well as most of the XV players leaving, compared to Dara, Vikings and Marist who still have lots of old XV players. You seem to be very anti Marist saying they won't beat royals is very unusual!

Any who, havent most royal players fled to Vikings

Stirring the Pot!

 

[Keiran]

Mate I don't know if you have been watching in the past few years but eddies aren't looking as good as they have in the past. Even though there under 16 team won, it was a very poor age group to normal as well as most of the XV players leaving, compared to Dara, Vikings and Marist who still have lots of old XV players. You seem to be very anti Marist saying they won't beat royals is very unusual!

Any who, havent most royal players fled to Vikings

Stirring the Pot!

Eddies have recruited a few players and to say the 16's last year wasn't strong would be a result of Grammar being very poor and the Marist side (who hadn't lost a game ever before the previous season) coming back to the field big time.

Darra have lost Dan Hooper as coach and I think that is a huge loss.

As for Royals well they have recruited 3 17's gold cup players from outside the ACT and have also found players lost to league will be returning due to no clashes this season.

Whether Royals finish above Marist is here or there. At the end of the day Marist is no longer a rugby school where as SEC are still focusing strongly on the code and will always be strong in a very diluted talent pool.

Of interest for the first time I know of Vikings have more junior teams than any of the school sides.

 

[Anthony Smith]

Eddies have recruited a few players and to say the 16's last year wasn't strong would be a result of Grammar being very poor and the Marist side (who hadn't lost a game ever before the previous season) coming back to the field big time.

Darra have lost Dan Hooper as coach and I think that is a huge loss.

As for Royals well they have recruited 3 17's gold cup players from outside the ACT and have also found players lost to league will be returning due to no clashes this season.

Whether Royals finish above Marist is here or there. At the end of the day Marist is no longer a rugby school where as SEC are still focusing strongly on the code and will always be strong in a very diluted talent pool.

Of interest for the first time I know of Vikings have more junior teams than any of the school sides.

Who are the outside u17 gold cup players??

 

[CatchnPass]

Anyone know if ACT are sending an U16s team to the NSW State Champs at Blacktown this year?

 

[Anthony Smith]

First round this weekend
Any tips or predictions?

Grammar @ Vikings
Daramalan @ Marist
Royals @ Young
St Edmunds bye

 

[No.8]

Where do Trinity Goulburn play these days? Or they don't have a 1st XV anymore?

 

[Keiran]

Where do Trinity Goulburn play these days? Or they don't have a 1st XV anymore?

Goulburn has a Div 3 18's side which may have some a trinity players in it.

 

[Keiran]

Royals 39 Young 10 @ Young

 

[ACTRugbyInsider]

Vikings beat Grammar not quite sure of the score but was pretty close! Francis Soakai-Tai dominated the Grammar defence scoring 3 tries whilst the grammar squad was solid in defence and worked hard all game

 

[ACTRugbyInsider]

Vikings First XV - Game (1)
1. David Stewart
2. Lachlan Lonergan
3. Jacob Lawler
4. Justice Henderson
5. Ben Pratt
6. Izaak Cornelius
7. Francis Soakai-Tai
8. Isaiah Tikitau (C)
9. Ryan Lonergan
10. Riley Hughes
11. Nick MacDonald
12. Davis Tivalu
13. Jordan Nicholls
14. Charlie Jackson
15. Patrick Dowd
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Bench - Fred Kaihea / Connor McGrath