Australian Schoolboys & National Championships 2008

[Lee Grant]

There are 2 more days:

Fri
1. Qld I v Qld II (non competition)
2. NSW II v ACT
3 NSW I v CS

Sun - there is a re-draw but it will probably be:
1. ACT v CS
2. NSW II v Qld II
3. NSW I v Qld I

There was no play on Thursday, nor will there be on Saturday


speckie

The other likely lads are:

7. Michael Hooper - the outstanding player to date - as hard as Pocock was on the ball as a schools player and if anything a better linker.

11. Nicky Price - as mentioned. Don't let go of him Reds.

Another player I have forgotten to mention is Qld I lock Nicholas Buchanan (son of the former Oz cricket coach). He has deft hands in the lineouts and is pretty good around the rucks.

As of this time there are fewer standouts than in other years but the last day will be the big test for these lads.

 

[RugbyReg]

where's Hooper from? Lee, top stuff. I love this time of year and reading your updates.

 

[oxe7]

so by the sounds of it hooper should get signed at the end of the champs??

he is also in yr 11.

 

[The Chosen]

where's Hooper from? Lee, top stuff. I love this time of year and reading your updates.

Hooper has played with Manly Club team and Manly Rep team from around the 11years age group upwards. Over the years Manly and Gordon over been the dominant teams at annual State Championships. This year the 2 teams drew the Grand Final. I think I recall Hooper's father (Dave?) was a 1st Grade prop(?) with Manly years ago.
Hooper is at St.Pius X Chatswood along with Luke Jones- also in NSW s. Both in Year 11

 

[whocares]

Sounds like a replacement for Waugh at the Tahs. A long way away at the moment though.

 

[Lee Grant]

No time for detail now but there has just been a sensation at Viking Park:

Combined States beat NSW I 10-7 and it was well deserved.

In earlier results Qld 1 unconvincingly beat Qld II 12-6 in a non-competition game.

NSW II beat ACT 15-7

NSW I still go through to play Qld I in the "final" because of for and against points.

 

[barbarian]

Geez Peter Gilmore from Shore is a big bloke. When the lads were near us in the warm up I was quite close to him and I looked up at him and thought: "Geez I wouldn't like to have to feed that big lock," but when he turned around he had 12 on his back - Gilmour.

He's only in year 11 too Lee. The best player to come out of Shore for a while.

 

[the gambler]

Can he kick?? Better watch out for the Swannies stealing him.

 

[The Chosen]

Geez Peter Gilmore from Shore is a big bloke. When the lads were near us in the warm up I was quite close to him and I looked up at him and thought: "Geez I wouldn't like to have to feed that big lock," but when he turned around he had 12 on his back - Gilmour.

He's only in year 11 too Lee. The best player to come out of Shore for a while.

Yes, he's a big boy. Saw him play for Shore vs Knox earlier in season. Well controlled there.
When he played for Manly vs Gordon is State U17 final he was outstanding in 1st half, scoring 2 tries. However in 2nd hald they realised he doesn't pass the ball much and he was tackled out of game.Perhaps at higher level he's not hogging it as much?

 

[Lee Grant]

Good news for AD.

Cameron Mitchell had a scan yesterday (apparently in Canberra, not Sydney as he told me) and will be out only 3 weeks with some soft tissue damage - all going well. But I tell ya he could barely walk on Wed. morning and should have been using a stick or something. It will be a relief to Kings fans that it's not too bad.

Yesterday's games (sorry didn't have time to post this cr@p last night):

Qld I 12 Qld II 6

It was bloody cold and handling of all teams suffered all day. There was a report that it was snowing in Belconnen, a suburb of Canberra, and I would have believed it since I had to wear 3 jumpers, a ski vest, gloves, a track suit under the strides, a blanket over the legs, and a thick woollen coat to keep warm. I looked like the Michelin man.

Some clown in the local weather office reckoned it got to 8 degrees but it didn't get that high in the shade of the stand at Viking Park, I can tell ya.

But I digress.

It was 2 tries to 0, and both teams gave reserves extended runs as they always do in these non-competition games, but still it was an unimpressive display by the winners who infringed to a fault as they did against NSW II when they had either 13 or 14 men on the park.

Twos had a strong wind in the 1st half and were down just 6-7 at oranges, but the Ones scored a try in the 2nd half. Twos could have won it with a converted try but when the Ones main players came off the bench they were too good to be over-turned.

3 Josh Daley (Ones) has the prop bloodlines of his brother and had a powerhouse display around the rucks but Alo-Emile (Twos) had a top game too.

As usual 11 Price (Ones) was class.

Ones no. 10 Ambrosini came on later and settled them down a bit. He made the Qld I team from the AIC 2nds team and you can see why. But I'm not yet convinced he is the Oz Schools flyhalf because he lacks a bit of X-factor. We'll find out tomorrow how he stacks up against NSW Is. He got a yellow card for slowing the play down but it was more as punishment to the Ones team infringing so much at that time.

12 Stepano Hunt is a bit name for the Ones but he had another pretty anonymous display before he injured his shoulder and had to go off in a lot of pain. His team mate 13 Faulkner has been quiet too.

Both Qld fullbacks showed their class again and I can't split these two - which is a particular nice rap for Morahan (Ones) because he is still in year 11.

 

[Lee Grant]

NSW II 15 ACT 7

Geez - the ACT have some good players but not in every position and they were found out by NSW II who had much the same problem but held onto the ball better.

The ACT were good at the breakdown, but at the same time turned over too much ball to cancel that out. They were also on the back foot in a lot of set pieces - yet you had the feeling that they could have won the day had a couple of things gone right.

What might have been.

ACT - 10 Robbie Coleman had his best game of the week and underlined it with a beautiful chip kick and gather to score a try that had the local crowd and no doubt Brumbies Assistant coach Owen Finegan at the ground, screaming. He must be in the frame now for one of the Oz Schools spots.

Reserve 13 Tom Gilmour also had a strong game.


NSW IIs

1 Liam McGrath was ferocious on defence around the rucks and also burst through his opponents in that area. It was by far his best performance of the week and the same thing could be said for 8 Luke Rissman who, amongst a few good things, scored the a try from the back of the scrum to clinch the game.

Like McGrath, another Joeys lad, 13 Bill Meakes, also had his best display.

10 Harry Bennett is making a strong statement to the selectors. It's good to see a young flyhalf who can boot the ball a mile time after time for touch and though he hasn't kicked all his goals this week they are all well struck.

12 Peter Gilmour was just about unstoppable by the first tackler, but it looks like he has a bad calf injury and won't be able to back up for the final game.

 

[spectator]

Sounds like it is pretty even through the whole comp Lee, with CS upsetting NSW 1 and other results quite close. Maybe selections will reflect this and there will be a good representative spread? Has the youngest Faiinga turned out for the ACT? I haven't seen any mention of him.

The other thing that strikes me is that there are quite a number of Year 11's mentioned in the reports. Is that unusual?

Look forward to more reports Lee.

 

[Lee Grant]

speckie

Yeah the so called lesser teams have played well, but I remember NSW II rolling Qld I 2 years ago and Qld II rolling NSW I - yet these two losing teams got the bulk of the players in the two Oz teams.

I forgot to add in my last post that the NSW II hooker Chis Edwards from Hunter Valley Grammar had another top game. I will give myself an uppercut tomorrow to remind me to look at his negatives, but right now he's looking like a schoolboy TPN.



Combined States 10 NSW I 7

Just like 2 years ago NSW I got rolled by a 'lesser' side. I nearly wrote "lesser team" but that would have been inaccurate because CS were the better team of players.

Ever wish you could take your words back? Of course you have. I would like to take mine back about CS not bothering the top sides - and I said the same about ACT too - and they have played well.

It was a well deserved win and if Darryl Mitchell had kicked a couple of long range penalties the win would have been more emphatic.

It was a cracking match. One waited for the NSW Is to mow down CS because their CVs were better but they couldn't unlock the CS defence. Down 10-nil at oranges and still scoreless well into the second half, NSW turned down an easy penalty, to their credit, and took the scrum option and scored a try from it.

In the last 10 minutes NSW were playing well and near the end NSW did some good maul work and were near the CS line but it collapsed not too long after I saw a NSW knee being lifted. Scrum to CS and they relieved pressure.

In the last minute NSW got a scrum FK and attacked, but after a few exciting phases they tuned over the pill and it was game over.

The CS parents, and especially 9 Justin Turner's mum, went bananas.


NSW I

MacDougall, who hadn't been distributing the ball well, was replaced by Dallalana at 12 with James at 10. He made a pretty good fist of inside centre and this versatility will help his selection prospects.

7 Hooper was quieter today because he was forced to work close but showed enough to indicate that he's not just a fetcher-linker.

6 Ale came on in the 2nd half and made a perceptible improvement to the go forward of NSW - and he must have been counseled about the miracle offloads because he was careful there. Pencil his name in.

8 Cunningham had his only good game of the week IMO

4 Luke Jones dropped a restart but otherwise looked back to form.

10 Ben James had his best game of the week but he still doesn't excite me.

11 Pele was more involved crashing balling from his wing to a set plan - but he hasn't done enough IMO.

15 White continued his disappointing week and 13 Oldfield, who has been playing well, made a lot of mistakes..

14 Jelly ran down a 2nd CS try that looked certain to wrap the game up. He was like a bolt of lightning. It wasn't the only good thing he did either . He's still in the hunt for a wing spot but much will depend on tomorrow's game. Chris Hickey at the ground would have his name pencilled in somewhere.


CS

10 Mitchell was superb with his long raking kicks in general play or from FKs or PKs. it's a pity he is a bit slow of foot and of distribution.

Reserve centre Esekia had a blinder and his midfield partner Te Aute wasn't too far behind.

I could name a couple of other players but the main thing for CS was their team imperative, not the individual players. They played together better than NSW except for some periods in the 2nd hallf. Time and time again their forwards enabled Mitchell to clear the ball from their real estate, and when the Blues came back the same thing would happen.

Well done CS.


PS I will be driving straight home from the game tomorrow so won't have time to post. By that time the Oz teams will be known.

Cheers - I'm running out of $2 coins.

 

[Lindommer]

NSW II 15 ACT 7
NSW IIs

1 Liam McGrath was ferocious on defence around the rucks and also burst through his opponents in that area. It was by far his best performance of the week and the same thing could be said for 8 Luke Rissman who, amongst a few good things, scored the a try from the back of the scrum to clinch the game.

Liam's a Canberra lad who went to Daramalan before his Dad sent him off to Sydney. To do well at the Schoolboys' comp in Canberra in front of family and friends must have been particularly satisfying.

 

[spectator]

Looking forward to Lee's wrap of the week's footy but the fact that Qld got the threepeat was a big surprise!

Saw the OZ team announcement on another site and have to say I was surprised that Swanepoel made the bench after having been injured all year. Breddenhan must have been unlucky to miss but I think he will go well as a senior player in years to come.

 

[whocares]

Looking forward to Lee's wrap of the week's footy but the fact that Qld got the threepeat was a big surprise!

Saw the OZ team announcement on another site and have to say I was surprised that Swanepoel made the bench after having been injured all year. Breddenhan must have been unlucky to miss but I think he will go well as a senior player in years to come.

Where was the list?

 

[spectator]

Try this link.

http://austschools.rugbynet.com.au/default.asp?id=133045

 

[whocares]

Australian Schoolboys
Kotoni ALE, St Augustine's College, NSW
Nick BUCHANAN, St Joseph's Gregory Terrace, QLD
Jarrad BUTLER, The Southport School, QLD
Robbie COLEMAN, St. Edmunds College, ACT
Josh DALEY, The Southport School, QLD
Josh ELLICE-FLINT, The Kings School, NSW
Mark JOHNSON, Knox Grammar School, NSW
Salesi MANU, St Augustine's College, NSW
Michael McDOUGALL, The Kings School, NSW
Cameron MITCHELL, The Kings School, NSW
Nicky PRICE, St Joseph's Nudgee College, QLD
Sam ROBERSON, St Stanislaus' College, NSW
Dom SHIPPERLEY, St Joseph's Nudgee College, QLD
Tyler STEPHENS, St. Edmunds College, ACT
Justin TURNER, Central College, WA


Australia A
James AMBROSINI, St Laurence's College, QLD
Damon ANDERSON, Cranbrook School, NSW
Harry BENNETT, The Kings School, NSW
Tim BENNETTS, Pennant Hills HS, NSW
Dylan BRASS, The Kings School, NSW
Eddie BREDANHANN, Anglican Church Grammar School, QLD
Chris EDWARDS, Hunter Valley Grammar, NSW
David FEAO, Brisbane State High School, QLD
Callum FRYER, Sydney Grammar School, NSW
Ben HALES, Scotch College, WA
Tom HESLOP, The Scots College, NSW
Michael HOOPER, St Pius X College, NSW
Stephano HUNT, St Joseph's Nudgee College, QLD
Luke JONES, St Pius X College, NSW
Matthew MAFI, St Joseph's Nudgee College, QLD
Pao PELE, Trinity Grammar School, NSW
Eddie QUIRK, Brisbane State High School, QLD
Luke RISSMAN, Knox Grammar School, NSW
Ken ROBERTSON, Ipswich Grammar School, QLD
Alex ROVIRA, Challenger College, WA
Mac RUTLEDGE, The Kings School, NSW
Siliva SILIVA, Narre Warren South College, VIC
Mark SWANEPOEL, The Southport School, QLD

 

[oxe7]

AUS scholboys?

1. Salesi Manu
2. Sam Robertson
3. Josh Daley
4. Mark Johnson
5. Nick Buchanan
6. Josh Ellice-Flint
7. kotoni ale
8. Jarrod Butler
9. Justin Turner
10. Robbie Coleman
11. Nicky Price
12. Michael McDougall
13. Cameron Mitchell
14. Dom Shipperley
15. Tyler Stephens

AUS A??

1.brass/rutledge
2.
3.
4.luke jones
5.heslop
6.
7.hooper
8.rissman
9. swanepoel
10.bennetts/ bennet
11. fryer
12. hunt
13.
14.
15.

fill in the gaps...

 

[whocares]

AUS A??

1. feao
2. edwards
3. rutledge
4. jones
5. heslop
6. quirk
7. hooper
8. rissman
9. swanepoel
10. ambrosini
11. fryer
12. hunt
13.
14. pele
15. bennetts

16. mafi
17. brass
18.
19.
20. bredanhann
21. bennet
22. robertson
23. anderson

dont know where the CS guys play so i left them out