ARUs Recipe for Mediocrity
Ben Whitaker, entrusted the U20s Australian selection process to a Queensland selector and coach, and to nobody’s surprise was duped, resulting in a National team dominated by past Queensland schoolboys. For Queensland to have equal numbers with the rest of the country would be questionable , for them to have 16 players to the rest of the country’s 12 is beyond ludicrous.
– And it’s not as if the Queensland results for this year group have been even close to being special. Two years agowhen these boys were 18 after their Qld teams came 5th and 6th in the National schoolboy tournament the same selector chose these Qld boys to dominate selections in the Aus schoolboys side. This side was beaten by the NZ “A” and “B” team
Did the results this year in the U20s Oceania championships with all the same Qlders in this side indicate that things had turned around? Being soundly beaten once again by New Zealand suggests a resounding NO!
But a lot of these players are Super Rugby players for the Reds, I here you say, and therefore are automatic selections. Why??? Are the Reds on top of the Australian Conference or are they in a rebuilding phase and including a lot of young boys in their sides. Its certainly not happening in Waratah land where players like Swinton and Macauley from last years Aus 20s can’t even get a guernsey let alone talented Waratah 20s players. And None of these Reds boys would be making the Waratahs super rugby side.
It is a National disgrace that selections at this level can be anything else but transparent. These selections were based on the opinions of two Qlders who asked for no feedback from State coaches on the form of these players. And it’s not as if these selectors have done their research and were picking form players from other states. – Two of the players from NSW that were selected have been injured all year and didn’t play until the Oceania championships – and then one of these boys was admonished on social media for poor performance in the NZ loss. Selection stupidity or negligence??
How do NSW players that made the team last year not get a guernsey this year. Harrison Goddard, Dan Mathews, James Ramm were good enough to make the team last year but not under this Queensland regime - Goddard is playing Super Rugby and starred in the U20s Aus team last year. (The reply will be that Super Rugby wouldn’t let him go due to Genia’s injury but he was not selected way before that- Giving Tate and Lonergan captaincy in successive games spoke volumes)
So what happens to the talented players from other states that have had their pathway to National selection blocked by this Qld coach and selector? Super rugby franchises will look to cherry pick from the selected Aus National side. These talented players that were overlooked will have to be content with training their guts out battling for recognition in their own state squads. Some talented boys however like Jaffer-Williams, disillusioned with a corrupt and political selection system will toss in the towel and be lost to Rugby possibly for good.
The ARU has a responsibility to provide a pathway for all the boys from all the states not just Qld. The ARU has been negligent in their duty to ensure that the best in-form players are chosen from an even playing field. As a result we have ended up with a state side masquerading as a National side that is once again destined for mediocrity. The ARU needs to ensure that these boys from NSW, Vic and Brumbies end up in NRC teams this year so that they can follow a pathway to professionalism and not be lost to the politics and officials with agendas that are destroying the sport.
The team breakdown to travel to the World Championships in France is below
16 QLD, 7 NSW, 5 ACT
Queensland 16
Angus Blyth, Bond University Lock QLD Southport School Qld
Matt Faessler, Brothers Hooker QLD Toowoomba Grammar QLD
Harry Hockings, University of Queensland Lock QLD Anglican Church Grammar QLD
Harry Hoopert, Brothers Prop QLD Toowoomba Grammar School QLD
Trevor Hosea, Harlequins Lock QLD Brisbane Boys College QLD
Efi Ma’afu, Wests Hooker QLD Ipswich Grammer QLD
Fraser McReight, Brothers Back Row QLD Brisbane Grammar School QLD
Josh Nasser, University of Queensland Prop QLD St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace QLDPatrick Tafa, Norths (Sydney), No 8 QLD Brisbane State High School QLD
Lawson Creighton, Brothers Fullback QLD Padua College QLD
Tony Hunt, Norths Centre QLD St Joseph’s College Nudgee QLD
Len Ikitau, Vikings Centre QLD Brisbane Boys College QLD
Isaac Lucas, Sunnybank Fly half QLD St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace QLD
Tate McDermott, University of Queensland ScrumHalf QLD Toowoomba Grammar QLD
Jordan Petaia, Wests Centre QLD Brisbane State High School Qld
Semisi Tupou, Box Hill Fullback QLD St Joseph’s College Nudgee Qld
NSW 7
Sama Malolo, Endeavour Hills
Esei Ha'angana, Melbourne Unicorns
George Francis, Eastwood
Josh Kemeny, Sydney University
Rory Suttor, Sydney University
Matt McTaggert, Easts
Bayley Kuenzle, Southern Districts
ACT 5
Rob Valetini, Wests
Ryan Lonergan, Vikings
Mack Hansen, Gungahlin
Tom Ross, Gungahlin
Isiah Latu, Queanbeyan
