Australian Schoolboys 2014

[Braveheart81]

Agreed Hugh. Unlike you however, my knowledge of the schoolboys team begins and ends with their previous match against the NZ Bs. I can only comment relative to that match.

I also have a bit of bias towards Hugh Summerhayes.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^

You have every right to be biased towards Hugh Summerhayes. He is a fine and capable young man both on and off the field, and a credit to his parents and school. He applied himself manfully in the Barbars game to the best of his considerable abilities, but alas he is not an age group international standard Open Side Flanker, and this is not his optimum position, but hey which player is going to choose the bench, or worse, being left out of the 23 entirely by refusing to play in anything other than their preferred position.

It seems that he became a victim of the Selectors trying to find a role for him in the game (or reason not to choose him in his preferred position) when they selected him in that game in his secondary role. He never got a chance to stake his claim for the Test BSF jumper in the Barbar game, and they were never going to drop the Captain to give him a run on slot in the Test at 8.

There is a big difference between playing #7 for school 1st XV (which he has done at times this year) in the CAS competition against other NSW CAS 1st XV players, and doing the same up against the best OSF's from NZ who have been playing that role and dreaming of being the next Sir Ritchie since they could walk.

Yes to Blind Side Flanker, No 8 and Second Row at a pinch (but not against 6'9 giraffes) but, respectfully, he was playing out of position at #7.

 

[Lee Grant]

A bit rough on Summerhayes and Yeomans being dropped to the bench.

Monu a tad lucky to be in. Had Summerhayes played 6 against the Baas, his best position, instead of 7 which I never saw him play before (unless it was in the to and fro from the bench in rep matches and I have forgotten) he may have got the start.

Yeomans is unlucky also but at least Perese is in his best spot: he's a better centre than a wing. 12 Tuipulotu will have to lift.

The backs are fine and it wil be good to see Joey Fittock play again. Two years ago he was sensational playing for NSW Schools in U/16s playing with Hugh Summerhayes and wunderkinds Angus Crichton and Henry Hutchison—and for Qld Red this year in the Opens.

So the starting changes from the Fiji test are that Fifita moves from LHP to THP and Bradford takes the 1 jersey. Vui to the bench. That's an improvement based on the Baas game we saw.

Goddard takes over from Duffy as scrummie as we thought he would after we found out why he didn't start against Fiji.

And Sepesa Loga-Tarogi ousts Ah-Mu Tuimaleali'fano on the right wing. That will not improve the comfort of ground announcers, should he score.

I liked what I saw of Hewat in the Baas game. I couldn't work out why he was added to the team at the last minute after Rodda dropped out, and Rudolf and Petterson were left at home. But he played a lot better from the bench against the Baas than I remember his playing in the Opens.

PS - Is he the same Reece Hewat who is connected to the St. George league Juniors, by the way?

PPS - I see that Harley Fox still has that roll of fat around his middle that he had months ago in the Opens. He would be a better player without it.
.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

I also have a bit of bias towards Hugh Summerhayes.

I did not think he played well (i.e. Im not saying he played badly) and I'm a bit concerned about his pace

 

[Lee Grant]

Too slow to be a 7 - that's for sure, but it wasn't his fault he was picked there.

 

[Braveheart81]

I did not think he played well (i.e. Im not saying he played badly) and I'm a bit concerned about his pace

Too slow to be a 7 - that's for sure, but it wasn't his fault he was picked there.

I agree that he's definitely not a 7 but I thought he was one of our better forwards against the NZ Bs.

It's a problem that he started at 7 though when he's mostly a 6 and to my knowledge generally played lock when he was shifted out of position (at the Australian schools championship a couple of times from team lists I saw).

Seeing as depth at 7 seems to be massive at most levels of Australian rugby it surprises me that this schoolboys side isn't flush with quality 7s we're trying to shift into other positions in the pack.

 

[BraveandGame]

After watching the BarBars game I would have picked Tuaina Tualima at 6 - backrow work rate was clearly our biggest weakness.

 

[SonnyDillWilliams]

Not a bad team, and have no major disagreements, and particularly agree with late addition of McGregor ... although with a Sydney bias interesting that Scots College , incredibly dominant in AAGPS, and 0 in the team, St Augustines won Waratah shield and 0 in team, some (2 that I can think of) freakishly talented NSW indigenous kids and 0 in team, NSW very dominant at National Champs yet only 7 in starting team

add in the injuries to superstars like Crichton, Hutch et al, and I can only conclude this has been a very good year (for talent), and a lot of kids who should count themselves a bit unlucky ... either way, will watch with interest on Saturday

 

[Lee Grant]

Seeing as depth at 7 seems to be massive at most levels of Australian rugby it surprises me that this schoolboys side isn't flush with quality 7s we're trying to shift into other positions in the pack.

It's usually good in Schools but not this year, at least in the 26 picked. Lachlan Anderson was outstanding in the two games I saw him play for Oakhill and was a NSW Is starter, but the Qld lad was picked. I would have chosen Anderson instead of Fox, and once Fox was in I would have replaced Crichton with Anderson instead of Tualima.

Then there's others like Charlie Smith and Jack Hayson who could have been outstanding 7s had their schools played them in the position.
.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

<snip>
And Sepesa Loga-Tarogi ousts Ah-Mu Tuimaleali'fano on the right wing. That will not improve the comfort of ground announcers, should he score.
<snip>

With a far greater % of the population in NZ that are of PI or Maori extraction, names like John Waipukarau, Hamish Horowhenua, Whetu Paraparaumu, Paripari Whakapapa, Fa'atonia Autagavia, Taiasina Tuifu'la and Asaeli Tikoirotuma roll off kiwis tongues with ease.

I reckon the NZ announcers would manage Sepesa and Ah-Mu's names with the same ease that the AFL Callers in Melbourne spit out Robert DiPierdominico, Anthony Koutoufides, Mark Ricciuto, and Simon Prestigiacomo as if they were ordering 3 VBs and a bundy and coke.

Similar could be said about the Saffers and their abilities (and our difficulties) to pronounce some of their players names.

 

[Natal shark]

<cut>

PS - Is he the same Reece Hewat who is connected to the St. George league Juniors, by the way?

<cut>
.

Reece Hewat did Harold matts for the steelers and that was his last league game he played in March 2013

 

[forwards4ever]

Not a bad team, and have no major disagreements, and particularly agree with late addition of McGregor . although with a Sydney bias interesting that Scots College , incredibly dominant in AAGPS, and 0 in the team, St Augustines won Waratah shield and 0 in team, some (2 that I can think of) freakishly talented NSW indigenous kids and 0 in team, NSW very dominant at National Champs yet only 7 in starting team

add in the injuries to superstars like Crichton, Hutch et al, and I can only conclude this has been a very good year (for talent), and a lot of kids who should count themselves a bit unlucky . either way, will watch with interest on Saturday

Goddard is an indigenous kid!

 

[Hugh Jarse]

From good stock as well.
http://twobluesrugby.com.au/article.php/20110719215635452

 

[Ruck & Maul 101]

PPS - I see that Harley Fox still has that roll of fat around his middle that he had months ago in the Opens. He would be a better player without it.
.

dear dear old man I think you've lost the plot.
How many times have I seen you put on here
Please remember these are just kids, just discuss rugby, don't attack them personally.
Maybe time to give it away

 

[Newbie]

Awesome it's 'Tongue Twister' Friday with uncle Hughie! (@Hugh Jarse)

It kind of reminds me of my old Samoan friend who always sits on the floor. Why? Because his name is Fallofa Sofa - ;-)

 

[Newbie]

And finally the 'Eastern Australian Islanders' have named there team:


NAME SCHOOL
1 Ayden Johnstone Hamilton Boys' High School
2 Max Fryatt Feilding High School
3 Shaun Stodart Southland Boys' High School
4 Lui Okeamoa-Luamanu St Patrick's College Silverstream
5 Quinten Strange Nelson College
6 Luke Jacobson Cambridge High School
7 Hayden Spencer Palmerston North Boys' High School
8 Hapakuki Moala-Liava'a Massey High School
9 Sam Nock St Kentigern College
10 Ereatara Enari St Kentigern College
11 Malo Tuitama Scot's College
12 Patelesio Tomkinson
Otago Boys' High School
13 Rieko Ioane Auckland Grammar School
14 Jonah Lowe King's College
15 Jordan Trainor St Peter's College

RESERVES
NAME SCHOOL
16 Solomone Tukuafu Hamilton Boys' High School
17 Jonah Aoina Otago Boys' High School
18 Alex Fidow Scot's College
19 Sam Ulufonua Auckland Grammar School
20 Christian Kelleher Sacred Heart College
21 TJ Va'a Scot's College
22 Caleb Makene Napier Boys' High School
23 Mason Emerson Lindisfarne College

 

[I like to watch]

I reckon the NZ announcers would manage Sepesa and Ah-Mu's names with the same ease that the AFL Callers in Melbourne spit out Robert DiPierdominico, Anthony Koutoufides, Mark Ricciuto, and Simon Prestigiacomo as if they were ordering 3 VBs and a bundy and coke.

That might depend on which round they are ordering,the first few rounds are easy,but the degree of difficulty does increase as the night gets longer......

 

[Newbie]

That might depend on which round they are ordering,the first few rounds are easy,but the degree of difficulty does increase as the night gets longer..

It won't matter anyway! Most of us don't know how to pronounce half of the names so how will we know when they (the announcers) get it wrong? LOL

Me thinks that the announcers are probably counting their blessings insofar as Ah-Mu Tuimaleali’ifano not making the team!

 

[Hugh Jarse]

R Moo Toohey - Marley - Arley - EE- Farno. Not hard.

Thank goodness there was no great post war migration of Icelandic folk to Australia after World War II. How about having Peter Eyjafjallajökull at inside centre?



Team photo from Aust Schools Web site:

 

[Inside Shoulder]

How about having Peter Eyjafjallajökull at inside centre?

it could be handy having a bloke with a name like that: abuse the ref and then tell him you were remonstrating with the 12