Australian Schoolboys & National Championships 2018

[sidelineview]

Yep. So far it's looking like NSWI first and daylight second.
Its also looking like the entire NSWI forward pack and starting 15 will be named in the initial 40 or so players.

Even though CS have had an unhappy time of it there's some players who are still in the mix. The 1, 6, 8 & 11 for mine. The 6 was injured today so hopefully he'll be OK for Thursday and Saturday.

The 1 , Driti for ACT showed some impressive pace for a big man today in scoring a try today. Him and the 15 Jimenez look pretty good things at this stage.

The QLDI 10 is my pick of the fly halfs so far ahead of Edmed from NSW1.

The competition for the 9 spot is a good one with two more games to play. The two QLDI 9s looked good today Jeans & Stowers. NSWI 9 Strang, ACT 9 Atkins & NSWII 9 Tecjek are still in the running.

 

[The Doctor]

Results from Day 2

NSW1 41 defeated ACT 19
QLD1 29 defeated Combined States 0
Vic 23 defeated QLD2 21 (Match of the Day)
NSW2 34 defeated WA 7

Current standings in Pool A

1 NSW1
2 ACT
3 Vic
4 QLD2

Current standings in Pool B

1 QLD 1
2 NSW2
3 Combined States
4 WA

Final Pool matches on Thursday

10.00 am Vic V ACT (my pick ACT)
11.30 am WA V CS (my pick CS)
1 pm QLD1 V NSW2 (my match of the day)
2.30 pm NSW1 V QLD2 (my pick NSW1 by a lot)

NSW 1 will finish top of Pool A, QLD 1 and NSW 2 will be fighting for the top spot in Pool B. I think NSW2 have the stronger forwards with an even contest in the backs. Could be a very close game!

I'd expect you'll see Qld1 get over the top of NSW2. With a dominant forward pack & Gordon directing traffic at 10 they'll be hard to stop.
Agree ACT, CS & NSW1 will be all handy winners come Thursday evening.

 

[WLF]

Yep. So far it's looking like NSWI first and daylight second.
Its also looking like the entire NSWI forward pack and starting 15 will be named in the initial 40 or so players.

Even though CS have had an unhappy time of it there's some players who are still in the mix. The 1, 6, 8 & 11 for mine. The 6 was injured today so hopefully he'll be OK for Thursday and Saturday.

The 1 , Driti for ACT showed some impressive pace for a big man today in scoring a try today. Him and the 15 Jimenez look pretty good things at this stage.

The QLDI 10 is my pick of the fly halfs so far ahead of Edmed from NSW1.

The competition for the 9 spot is a good one with two more games to play. The two QLDI 9s looked good today Jeans & Stowers. NSWI 9 Strang, ACT 9 Atkins & NSWII 9 Tecjek are still in the running.

Agree with all this, but I lean towards Albert no.9 (bench) for NSW 1 as my best performing 9.
Seems to have a good footy IQ and is very good around the field and talks /leads well, is also a good size (v NZ ETC).
Supports well and solid in D.
I also prefer Tecjek no.9 NSW 2 ahead of all the others.

 

[sidelineview]

Agree with all this, but I lean towards Albert no.9 (bench) for NSW 1 as my best performing 9.
Seems to have a good footy IQ and is very good around the field and talks /leads well, is also a good size (v NZ ETC).
Supports well and solid in D.
I also prefer Tecjek no.9 NSW 2 ahead of all the others.

Its a close race that's for sure but I dont think Albert had such a good game today. He did against VIC.
I preferred the 21 Stowers for QLD1 today. He was a livewire and wasnt shy to take a quick tap which resulted in him scoring a try. A good 9 should be willing to take the initiative to put his team on the front foot imo.
I like Strang as a 9 but they've all got 2 more games to impress.

Maybe the 9s who show they can do more than pass left and right and box kick will get the nod.

 

[Garry Owens]

On form to date , and for completeness , I reckon the top 9 is Spencer Jeans

Strang was way too erratic today and tbh ACT’s Atkins was the surer hand

NSW 1 probably do look like dominating the forward pack at this stage but I reckon Adriti ( 1 ) and Tom Van Der Schyff ( 6 ) have got good claims . 2 and 7 seem up for grabs

QLD 1 should dominate the backline . Gordon , Vahiu and Jiminez ( ACT ) should have 10, 11 and 15 locked .

Jeans and Pasiota look like the best 9 and 12

But 13 and 14 still look like there are more runners in the mix

 

[WLF]

Its a close race that's for sure but I dont think Albert had such a good game today. He did against VIC.
I preferred the 21 Stowers for QLD1 today. He was a livewire and wasnt shy to take a quick tap which resulted in him scoring a try. A good 9 should be willing to take the initiative to put his team on the front foot imo.
I like Strang as a 9 but they've all got 2 more games to impress.

Maybe the 9s who show they can do more than pass left and right and box kick will get the nod.

Yep, and I know you understand this role well.
Funny thing, I was talking to an ex-schoolboy selector today and his rugby IQ was well worth listening to.
His thoughts centred around the importance of a good spine, ie no.2, no.9, no,10 and no 15.

I think 2 of these spots IMO are clear ie no.2 (Pollard) and no.15 (Jimenez), so the other 2 spots are up for grabs but very important.
Also the importance of 6 and 7, 1 must be an on-the-ball player and the other a damaging runner.
Probably most people know this but interesting to hear how specific the selectors are when assessing the skills set required for each position.

 

[sidelineview]

There's usually two 9s selected for each team so there should be 4 spots up for grabs. It will be an interesting contest for the remaining two games.
Pollard, Jeminez & Gordon are all class but it depends how many hookers, 10s and 15s they select in the 46. Young Connolly the 15 for NSW1 is a talent.

 

[sidelineview]

On form to date , and for completeness , I reckon the top 9 is Spencer Jeans

Strang was way too erratic today and tbh ACT’s Atkins was the surer hand

NSW 1 probably do look like dominating the forward pack at this stage but I reckon Adriti ( 1 ) and Tom Van Der Schyff ( 6 ) have got good claims . 2 and 7 seem up for grabs

QLD 1 should dominate the backline . Gordon , Vahiu and Jiminez ( ACT ) should have 10, 11 and 15 locked .

Jeans and Pasiota look like the best 9 and 12

But 13 and 14 still look like there are more runners in the mix

Jeans does look to be a good 9 from the little Ive seen of him but have you seen Stowers play before?

 

[Garry Owens]

^
Yeah

Jeans is a genuine marshaller / game manager

 

[WLF]

I will try and be careful here but something that has struck me last year and this year, is the strength/ability in the centres on show. Granted we only get to see a few games from each team, but other positions seem to have many many strong and impactful contenders.

I can't say I have seen a centre who has set the world on fire.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[Show and go]

I will try and be careful here but something that has struck me last year and this year, is the strength/ability in the centres on show. Granted we only get to see a few games from each team, but other positions seem to have many many strong and impactful contenders.

I can't say I have seen a centre who has set the world on fire.

Thoughts anyone?

If u watch the u20s state of origin tomorrow night u will see BIlly Smith playing for Nsw no4 I believe , he played centre for Nsw 1 last year not a bad achievement to take this step in such a short period of time.

Also recon the no’s 12 and 13 QLD1 look league players and can play be interested if they are ?

 

[sidelineview]

I think Joey Walton & Lachlan Ilias from NSWI have played well.
Waight from QLDI looked OK as well.

 

[WLF]

If u watch the u20s state of origin tomorrow night u will see BIlly Smith playing for Nsw no4 I believe , he played centre for Nsw 1 last year not a bad achievement to take this step in such a short period of time.

Also recon the no’s 12 and 13 QLD1 look league players and can play be interested if they are ?

Show and go,

Yes I stand corrected about Billy Smith, but he was injured last year, so we saw little of him, but very clearly he is terrific.

You may well be right about the QLD 12 and 13, they are quite big/solid boys.
I guess I am referring to centres who run the straight lines,break the line, have speed,and just look a handful every time.
Maybe the defence has been very good, OR the backlines have been sliding across field which makes it difficult to punch/break the line cleanly.

Just an observation.

 

[Rich_E]

Jordan Petaia QLD 1 and Aust schools in 2017 now played a few for the Reds in super rugby. Another recent centre to have kicked on.
.

 

[WLF]

Jordan Petaia QLD 1 and Aust schools in 2017 now played a few for the Reds in super rugby. Another recent centre to have kicked on.
.

UMMM... I do hope he kicks on and may well, guess I am referring to Aussie schoolboy centres when we take on the Kiwis' etc.

 

[rollin_maul]

Match reports from schoolboys website from Sunday's game reports Tricks scored 5 tries for NSW 1. Corect? Would have to be a leading contender for wing spot.

https://www.schoolsrugby.com.au/2018/news/match-reports-day-1-of-the-championships/

 

[CatchnPass]

Correct re Tricks. And not all of them were simply standing at the end of a dominant backline. Took a good intercept for one meat and had to work hard for a couple of others. I thought he was the stand out winger in the first 2 matches on Saturday, but haven’t seen the Q1 lad who scored 4 v WA.

 

[Gary Owen III]

Update from the Div 2 Nationals and Gold Coast Rugby Carnival

Day 4 - A very successful day for NSWJRU U18s against some good competition. The boys had a physical game against a large Auckland schools team - Pakuranga, winning 34-0. For most of boys they faced their first Haka. Then backed up straight after in what was a tough schedule to post a good win against South Australia 38-0.

 

[sidelineview]

Needless to say Thursday's game QLDI v NSWII to determine who plays NSWI in the Main Final will be a goodun.
I wonder how the respective Coaches have juggled their reserve players in their first two games to try to have their strongest teams to play this one.

In my calculations both teams are equal on 10 points, including bonus points seeing as each team has scored 4 or more tries in each of their first two games.

In the unlikely event that Thursday's game is drawn the following is an excerpt from the 2016 General Rules:

In the event that two teams are equal first in their pool .......... their positions will be determined using the following ordered protocol:
-the winner of their head to head match
-the team that scored the greater number of tries in that match
-the team with the greater percentage of ''for'' points compared to ''against'' points
-the team scoring the greater number of tries in their pool matches
-the team with the greatest positive difference in for and against.
-if teams are still drawn the winner will be drawn from a hat.

 

[Garry Owens]

^ I can’t see it being that close

I see the ultimate final as a very intriguing match up - there is obviously some very good ball running power athletes in the NSW 1 pack , but interestingly , the scrum didn’t best ACT’s starters in the opening exchanges.

I question the balance of their pack that have been able to steam roll smaller opponents - but how are they going to go against a pack that can compete with them on size / power AND slow their ball down ?

It sort of the issue in Junior development pathways . We’ve “leagueised” value systems in what we’re easily impressed by at a superficial level and then scratch our heads when the inevitable underperformance comes against players / teams that are more balanced, all purpose , and know how to play to win