Australian Schoolboys and National Championships 2011

[The Chosen]

Calendar is now up on www.austschools.rugbynet.com.au and highlights are:

*Div 11 Championships in Melbourne 23 June -29 June
*Div 1 Championships @ Ballymore 03 July - 10 July

*England vs Australia U19 in Sydney(ground not disclosed) on 21 August
*Australia `A' vs England @ Oakhill College on 24 August
*Australia vs England @ Riverview on 28 August
*Australia `A' vs NZ @ St.Marys Stadium on 04 October
*Australia vs New Zealand @ Knox Grammar School on 08 October

 

[Parra GM]

Australian U19?

 

[The Chosen]

That's what the calender shows!
I think there is a discrepancy in max ages for English Schools vs Aust Schoolws- someone else might be able to clarify?

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

About 15 years ago, Australian Schoolboys was u19. Can't speak for now.

 

[no_name12]

What age does England schoolboys finish at?

 

[Eyes and Ears]

Australian U19?

I suspect there are 2 reasons. 1. it is probably the start of building an U20 squad for 2012 and 2. the English boys are older, so they are going to match them with an U19 side.

 

[dobduff11]

no-name: English schools finishes at U18, you have to be 17 up-to the 1st of Jan in your final year to be eligible.

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

What age does England schoolboys finish at?

When the Schools team toured Great Britain last year they played mostly u19 sides I think

 

[Lee Grant]

And the time before - it certainly wasn't an even playing field. Many of the England boys left school in the middle of the calendar year and had been in academies since then. A few had left the year before. We've had a few 16 year olds on the last couple of tours and 17 year olds of course, playing against some who had turned 19.

When England or Ireland Schools tour here guess what? That's right - they play only schoolboys who have to be U18 at the start of the calendar year.

If they can organise a school team to tour to Oz, why can't they organise school teams when we visit them?

My guess is that they don't have the schools rugby set up that we have here and that organising a schools tour to Oz is a one off hassle once or twice a decade. When we tour every 4 years it's probably easier for them to do it through the regional academies.

Maybe Dobbie can advise why they do it differently when we visit there compared to how we do it when they are in Oz.

 

[dobduff11]

LG when you guys tour it is usually in december, at the end of your school year and rugby year.

For us that is the third or fourth month, quite often the U18 squad hasn't been finalized as the six nations is in February/March. I know in 2009 when you toured they played U19 regional academies twice, they were basically trials for the U20 squad last season, and the U18 team once which they lost.

The regional academies sides were chosen for warmup matches for you but also the intention of trialling out some players for the U20's and keeping the others in the reckoning for the year after.

However when we tour Aus ( ie june, july, august) our U18 squad is finalised and just about to disband. The players who were too old for the 18's this year but still at school are not selected for the tours abroad and so are often used under the U17, U19 monikers to get them game time.

Final point is that most queensland boys finish school when they are 17 where as everyone in England basically graduates at 18 unless you are born between mid july and the 1st September. So we tend to have a year on your boys anyway.

Hope that clears it up in a roundabout way

 

[elementfreak]

Calendar is now up on www.austschools.rugbynet.com.au and highlights are:

*Div 11 Championships in Melbourne 23 June -29 June
*Div 1 Championships @ Ballymore 03 July - 10 July

*England vs Australia U19 in Sydney(ground not disclosed) on 21 August
*Australia `A' vs England @ Oakhill College on 24 August
*Australia vs England @ Riverview on 28 August
*Australia `A' vs NZ @ St.Marys Stadium on 04 October
*Australia vs New Zealand @ Knox Grammar School on 08 October

Div 2s are being held at Box Hill RUFC in Melbourne and not at Geelong Grammar like usual.

 

[Joe Mac]

How many Aussies are back from last years team?

 

[Lee Grant]

Good question:

I don't know of many unless I see them play Joeys or in NSW trials later on, but maybe other folks can add to my list of 5 (categorised how they were originally chosen.)

Oz Schools Ones 2010
4/5 Curtis Browning
11. Chris F'Sautia

Oz Schools Twos
4/5 Rhys Dombkins
6. Michael Wells
9. Waldo Wessels

When listing the players put only definites down - no "I heards" or "I thinks"

Thanks

 

[Thomas]

Oz Schools Twos
10. Grant Davies

 

[FTS]

Tom Cusack will be back.

 

[alc14]

maile nguamo aus schools 1 is back aswell at hooker

 

[rugbywatch]

My prediction for Aus 1:

15. Isaiah Mosese
14.
13. Chris Sautia
12.
11.
10. Grant Davies
9. Waldo Wessels
8.
7.
6. Michael Wells
5. Rhys Dombkins
4. Curtis Browning
3.
2. Maile Ngaumo
1.

 

[The Blindside]

My prediction for Aus 1:

15. Isaiah Mosese
14.
13. Chris Sautia
12.
11.
10. Grant Davies
9. Waldo Wessels
8.
7.
6. Michael Wells
5. Rhys Dombkins
4. Curtis Browning
3.
2. Maile Ngaumo
1.

Brogan Roods will be at 13. Ezra Amituani at 1. Mark Bladwin at 7.

 

[baldingwingforward]

Brogan Roods will be at 13. Ezra Amituani at 1. Mark Bladwin at 7.

Blindside - Why not just fill in all the blanks with Newington boys while you're at it...

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

I believe Gordon Broome will be the 7.

I would have Wells in the locks position, Dombkins at 6 and Browning (if fit) at 8