Australian Schoolboys & National Championships 2012

[JC Rugby101]

How did Tepai play today? Missed the final day

 

[Hugh Jarse]

How did Tepai play today? Missed the final day

Archbishop Lee Grant was impressed with him.

...snip...

The big news of the day was that 12. Moeroa passed the ball for a NSW try; everybody gasped.

..snip..
.

 

[JC Rugby101]

Archbishop Lee Grant was impressed with him.

That's one more than the Waratah centres

 

[whatever]

And his athletics for which he is an Australian champion i believe. This young man has now come to a very important cross-road in his life today.

Tepai is an exceptional athletic, but I have noticed over the last year or two his physical growth has been sideways; I hope I am wrong but I don't see his future as a union centre (doubts on lateral movement). He could end up a Conrad Hurrell type centre in league or a backrower. I believe to remain in union (at the highest open age level) he will need to make definite choice to become leaner.

In saying this I could be totally in err as I have not seen him play union in about a year.

 

[Man on the hill]

(pending Newbie and MOTH providing some gratuitous advice).

Give yourself an uppercut

 

[Nusadan]

Neori Nadruku St Edmund’s College ACT

Any relation to Noa Nadruku, the former Raiders' Fijian winger from the 80s(?) and 90's?

 

[Lindommer]

Papers mentioned something about him being Noa N's son.

 

[Banger]

Very interesting I thought Tuttle was a certainty. Of those who were fortunate enough to watch all week, did he under perform or were there just better backs on the day. Usually reputation comes before form in these type of selections.
The other interesting selection was Manns in Aus A. He surely was not up there with other number 8's at this level. Thoughts anyone?

Absolute legend of a player who never stopped working and gives good backrow coverage.

 

[Lee Grant]

Guessing who will be in the starting XV:

1. Aaron Pleash Ipswich Grammar School QLD 1
2. Tom Wilson Barker College NSW 1
3. Siotame Kavapalu Rowville Secondary College VIC
4. Harry Rorke St Ignatius College NSW 1
5. Jack Cornelsen Brisbane Grammar School QLD 1
6. Lolo Fakaosilea Brisbane Boys College QLD 1
7. Jack Dempsey St Ignatius College NSW 1
8. Mitchell Whiteley St Ignatius College NSW 1
9. Andrew Ferris The Kings School NSW 2
10. David Horwitz The Scots College NSW 1
11. Andrew Kellaway The Scots College NSW 1
12. Jim Stewart The Scots College NSW 1
13. Lalakai Foketi The Kings School NSW 2
14. Harry Jones The Kings School NSW 2
15. Jake McIntyre Alstonville High School NSW 1

16. Moli Sooaemalelagi Roxburgh Park Sec College VIC
17. Cameron Orr Trinity Grammar School NSW 2
18. Neori Nadruku St Edmund’s College ACT
19. Matthew Philip St Augustine’s College NSW 2
20. Michael Gunn Anglican Church Grammar QLD 1
21. Angus Pulver The Shore School CS
22. Andrew Robinson St Mary MacKillop College ACT
23. Jonah Placid Toowoomba Grammar School QLD 1

There are some anomalies here:
- there was no openside flanker selected but Gunn did OK there in one game and Dempsey played the house down in the final when he got a stint there. They could play both, but if they are choosing a team that will end up playing the Kiwis, I would have Fakaosilea in the pack.

- Hard bastard Robinson may well be chosen at 13 but he is too close to Stewart in type, and Foketi has a natural "plays what's in front of him" savvy .

- They may start Placid, who is a brilliant runner, at fullback, but it would never be at the expense of dropping McIntyre who is the better all round player. He would have to switch to 10. They could also start Placid on the wing instead of Jones, but that would have nothing to do with tournament form: Jones and Kellaway were the two best wingers of the week.
.

 

[Lee Grant]

any comments on jack Tuttle (QLD 1) missing out on the Oz team?

It may be a surprise to those who saw him in the U/16s tournament last year, and no doubt for Nudgee also, but he didn't do enough; literally.

He threw a few nice passes and wriggled through a few tackles but based on tournament form you wouldn't have picked him ahead of Stewart, who I assume will be the 12, his normal position, though he played 13 in the tournament.
.

 

[Lee Grant]

CTPE, I dont know the lad from a bar of soap, and i am no expert on the tight five, but the lad goes hard! Which leaves me to ask the question if Robertson has an attitude problem that only the selectors and coaching staff know about? How does he keep getting ignored? it defies logic IMO.

His attitude is not a problem. I think if he was picked for GPS as a LHP he would be in the Oz Ones now but GPS obviously needed him at THP, and he was kept there by NSW. I was not too fussed about his being chosen in the NSW Twos as there hasn't been a lot of difference between the two teams recently.

We shouldn't be too fussed about his being in the Oz A team either. Some of the selections are very marginal and besides: he will have a chance against Tonga, and especially on tour later in the year, to move up if he is good enough.

He's enjoying the experience at THP though, and you can't knock that.
.

 

[Newbie]

Neori Nadruku St Edmund’s College ACT

Any relation to Noa Nadruku, the former Raiders' Fijian winger from the 80s(?) and 90's?

Great pick! Must admit that one escaped me altogether. Obviously the Canberra Raiders were not able to use their former relationship with Nadruku to entice the son over to the dark side! Doesn't surprise me though, rugby has since evolved into a professional sport since the time when Nadruku defected from rugby to league. As matter of personal interest can anyone else confirm if my recollection is correct insofar as Noa Nadruku being an ex-Fijian rugby sevens representative before he defected.

I do recall the tournament in which he was spotted. Vividly remember him standing up none other than Ricky Stuart (ex-U/21 Australian Rugby rep) and Laurie Daley (which was in an era when Canberra were almost invincible). It was at the inaugural 1993 (or 1994) International Rugby League sevens. Nadruku was part of the Fijian team that also featured another player called Arthura Nicquila who was an ex-Fijian and ex-Wallaby flyer. I believe Nicquila bagged a swag of games for the Waratahs (when they were a great provincial team that even beat the touring All Blacks). Won the Hong Kong sevens pretty much singled handedly for Australia in 1988 (the last time they won it).

Ah memories ... ... Hong Kong sevens ... ... Beer ... ... And More Beer! Sorry I digress

 

[CTPE]

Ah memories . . Hong Kong sevens . . Beer . . And More Beer! Sorry I digress

One of the best weekends away any lad could have......love the way they lock you into the South Stand area if you enter after noon - no pass outs there - and why would you want to leave - way too much fun happening in there so much so that at times you saw very little of the games - and then there's the post games obligatory long walk in the wobbly boots down the hill back to your hotel or one of the bars in Wanchai. It's a must do trip for every Rugby nutter at least once in your life!!

 

[CTPE]

Guessing who will be in the starting XV:

1. Aaron Pleash Ipswich Grammar School QLD 1
2. Tom Wilson Barker College NSW 1
3. Siotame Kavapalu Rowville Secondary College VIC
4. Harry Rorke St Ignatius College NSW 1
5. Jack Cornelsen Brisbane Grammar School QLD 1
6. Lolo Fakaosilea Brisbane Boys College QLD 1
7. Jack Dempsey St Ignatius College NSW 1
8. Mitchell Whiteley St Ignatius College NSW 1
9. Andrew Ferris The Kings School NSW 2
10. David Horwitz The Scots College NSW 1
11. Andrew Kellaway The Scots College NSW 1
12. Jim Stewart The Scots College NSW 1
13. Lalakai Foketi The Kings School NSW 2
14. Harry Jones The Kings School NSW 2
15. Jake McIntyre Alstonville High School NSW 1

16. Moli Sooaemalelagi Roxburgh Park Sec College VIC
17. Cameron Orr Trinity Grammar School NSW 2
18. Neori Nadruku St Edmund’s College ACT
19. Matthew Philip St Augustine’s College NSW 2
20. Michael Gunn Anglican Church Grammar QLD 1
21. Angus Pulver The Shore School CS
22. Andrew Robinson St Mary MacKillop College ACT
23. Jonah Placid Toowoomba Grammar School QLD 1

A near Scots/Kings backline and half Riverview pack - no Joeys or Newington representation though.

 

[G-78-XV-V]

Lee,
do you have a match report for the two top games yesterday, i really enjoy reading what you saw vs what I saw.
ps. LG & Newb's, your posting times shows real stamina for a bunch of old blokes !!

 

[yourmatesam]

Great pick! Must admit that one escaped me altogether. Obviously the Canberra Raiders were not able to use their former relationship with Nadruku to entice the son over to the dark side!

Noa Nadruku was playing 2nd Grade for Easts in the ACT in the early 2000's and still has the odd run for the lower grades when he can if I remember correctly. Empire might be able to confirm this one though.

 

[Newbie]

Lee,
do you have a match report for the two top games yesterday, i really enjoy reading what you saw vs what I saw.
ps. LG & Newb's, your posting times shows real stamina for a bunch of old blokes !!

Being 40 something ain't old; and if you say that ever again I'll beat you with my walking stick!

 

[Lee Grant]

A near Scots/Kings backline and half Riverview pack - no Joeys or Newington representation though.

It just goes to show how silly the claims of some folks are, doesn't it CTPE - that if team A is better than team B, they must, more or less by right, have more players in a rep team than team B does. I'm not saying that any forum member has said that on this occasion, they haven't, but I have seen it when folks discuss Wallaby teams - or even World XVs, Super teams of the week, and the like.

We all know the arguments against such facile views.

I didn't even realise that Scots had 3 guys in "my" back line as it never entered my head to think about it, but it is interesting nevertheless. I don't think that the most rabid Scots' fan, if there is such a thing, would think that Scots is going to do better than average in the Sydney GPS this year - yet they have 3 boys in the 23.

The school must be very proud of them.

And 3 View boys in the pack? "My" starting XV is notional, but if any of those 3 was not in the 23 I would have got on my high horse; but it wouldn't have been predicated on what school they went to.

That no Joeys boys didn't make the Oz Ones didn't surprise me given that Robertson was switched to THP by GPS and kept there by NSW. I don't know for sure if he would have made it to a starting gig as LHP for the Ones had he been selected by both the GPS and NSW in his normal position, because Pleash is a fine player. But I thought he would have made the 23 as one who can play on both sides of the scrum.

I didn't think that any Newington boy made a strong case either, but note that Milne was also disadvantaged by being played out of position in the NSW Ones - on the wing. At least he should get another shot next year. Instead, Foketi of Kings got chosen in the centres in the NSW Twos and was able to make his mark. Good for him.

PS - Talking about centres: I note also that 12. Creely of NSW IIs was another unlucky player: his injury was untimely as he had been playing well.
.

 

[Empire]

Noa Nadruku was playing 2nd Grade for Easts in the ACT in the early 2000's and still has the odd run for the lower grades when he can if I remember correctly. Empire might be able to confirm this one though.

Noa certainly did, but not any more.

Hoping the Old Boy connection sees Neori come to Easts.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Lee,
do you have a match report for the two top games yesterday, i really enjoy reading what you saw vs what I saw.
ps. LG & Newb's, your posting times shows real stamina for a bunch of old blokes !!

I assume you have a hangover from celebrating #2 son's selection?