IRB U/20 Tournament and Oz Squad

[Slim 293]

The Brumbies will lose both their preferred opensides in Hooper and Fainga'a if they're not given the option to hold onto them...

 

[tranquility]

They should all go in my opinion. The chance to win the competition and develop as leaders amongst their contemporaries is more important than playing second fiddle to other blokes in the finals / or dead rubber matches in the case of Hooper and Colby.

In the case of the Reds we could really need some of these blokes; like Gill, Quirk, Shipperley etc. But I think it will be better for them and our club in the medium term to go and kick some arse abroad.

 

[tranquility]

To add to that post, when Quirk grows into his body and learns what his game entails at this level playing in his correct position (6). We will have a very special player.

 

[latrell247]

Where is Stephano Hunt playing now? I know he was with the Northern Suburbs (NSW) last year

 

[Slim 293]

I'm of the opinion that if the U20's are considered a priority over Super rugby then there should be no concessions made for some players over others...

The Brumbies play the Rebels and the Tahs in the last two rounds and while they might not be considered finals contenders these are still games they want to win...

The same rules should apply for all teams regardless of their finals aspirations...

 

[Joe Mac]

I predict that George Smith comes back for the Brumbies for the last 2 games so that he can be available for the World Cup. Colby and Hooper are then released to U20 world cup and we win the baby cup and big cup with George Smith kicking McCaw's butt in the final... Wow, that would really be a dream come true

 

[Slim 293]

George Smith to come back and form the quad-half system with Giteau, Lealiifano and To'omua...

 

[Lachlan]

What about Lewis Holland? From what I saw of him in the 7's he looks like a great player on the wing or at fullback. I believe he's 18 at the moment? Perhaps too young.

 

[JimboJoe1006]

On Woodhouse: I had big wraps on him as a schoolboy. I didn't see him in 2010, his first year out of school except for a few minutes for the Junior Waratahs. In 2011 he started in one game for the Juniors and had a blinder but didn't get another run. He wasn't available for the U/20 trial game because of injury so the reason why he didn't play more for the Juniors was probably because he was injured already.


He moved to the Manly club this year and has been listed in the programmes as playing in the Ones at 13 and 15 when others have been hurt, but he didn't play in the one Manly game I saw - against the Rats.


Maybe that blinder was a one off, but it was a blinder. Maybe lily can tell us how he is going for Manly this year.

Saw him play 1st grade on the weekend against West Harbour. Played at 15, and was pretty impressive. He is a pretty elusive runner and looked dangerous on the counter-attack. I hope he stays injury-free and get to see more of him this year!

 

[Jets]

Where is Stephano Hunt playing now? I know he was with the Northern Suburbs (NSW) last year

He is playing for Sunnybank at the moment.

 

[kiap]

Anyone know when the touring group is announced?

 

[tranquility]

Mitchell Felsman might get a look in too. He would be the fastest bloke in the competition if selected.

 

[Newb]

George Smith to come back and form the quad-half system with Giteau, Lealiifano and To'omua...

he might have the best grubber of all of them

 

[Jets]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/s...e-stars-to-baby-wallabies-20110508-1ee5f.html


Waratahs, Reds to lose stars to baby Wallabies Greg Growden
May 9, 2011

AUSTRALIAN provinces are waiting to find out how many of their best young players they will lose for the final Super Rugby rounds due to a clash with the International Rugby Board's junior world championship.

Australia will field its best possible team in the under-20 tournament to be held in Italy from June 10 to 26. This coincides with the final two rounds of the Super Rugby tournament, and the opening weekend of the expanded finals series. Several countries, including Wales, South Africa and New Zealand have already named their squads, and Australia, whose head coach is David Nucifora, are scheduled to name their contingent shortly. Those in line for selection include Brumbies back-rowers Colby Fainga'a and Michael Hooper, Reds forwards Liam Gill and Ed Quirk and back Dom Shipperley.

The most obvious candidate from the Waratahs squad is utility back Tom Kingston, who can cover many positions including fullback, wing and outside-centre. In preparation for Kingston's unavailability, it is understood that the Waratahs have given Soseni Anesi more game time on the wing. Although Kingston played several games on the wing for the Waratahs, he was on the bench for Saturday night's match against the Force in Sydney.

..At a time of a season when provinces need all of their available talent, the make-up of the Australian under-20 squad will be closely scrutinised by the provinces, who are hoping for some flexibility.

Waratahs hooker John Ulugia is certainly not a candidate for this tournament, as he is in his 25th year. But his weekend produced a succession of highlights as he overcame pressure applied on him by the Western Force - and scored the match-winning try at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday night.

Due to concerns about his lineout throwing, the Waratahs' third-string hooker knew he was going to be targeted. The Force, as expected, focused on a kicking game aimed at keeping the Waratahs deep in their own territory, where the visitors hoped to win the opposing throw at the lineouts.

However, the Waratahs were able to thwart that. Taking advantage of an often wayward kicking performance by the Force, they took quick lineout throws. And when Ulugia had to throw, he was generally accurate, with the Force only winning two of the Waratahs' 12 lineouts.

Ulugia also succeeded in giving the Waratahs the lead at the right time. With the Force in front 15-13 in the 69th minute, the Waratahs relentlessly went for the pick-and-drive option, going through 25 phases before winning a scrum feed. Shortly after, the Waratahs forwards again attacked the Force line, and Ulugia burrowed his way under a mountain of bodies to score his first Super Rugby try.

Even though it was a moment of great relief for the Auckland-born and Victorian-raised player, there were no theatrics.

''I'll leave all that celebrating to the backs,'' Ulugia said later. ''I guess I was overall pretty happy with my performance but it's not an individual thing.''

The Force were naturally upset after losing yet another winnable game, made even more worse by former player Ryan Cross scoring the first try of the game when he chased Ray Price-like after a Kurtley Beale penalty goal attempt that hit the left upright and fell straight into his lap. ''We did everything we set out to do, and then they scored two soft tries,'' Force coach Richard Graham said

 

[Lee Grant]

Jets - thanks for posting that.

This was the policy they had last year IIRR. It could be rough on the Brumbies losing two fetchers who are more often than not shoe horned into the same pack, but Salvi will still be available. I can't account for why Salvi was so influential for Bath yet is not playing to that form, nor to his form before he left for overseas; but I digress.

Saw him play 1st grade on the weekend against West Harbour. Played at 15, and was pretty impressive. He is a pretty elusive runner and looked dangerous on the counter-attack. I hope he stays injury-free and get to see more of him this year!

Thanks for that info on Woodhouse. Sounds like he played as he did against Fiji for the Junior Tahs.

I said that I wouldn't comment on the team before I saw the official squad but I can't help myself. I can't find the thread with my original selections a few months ago but I will comment on the list of hello 123 (Welcome aboard by the way.)

1. paul alo-emile Will be at tight head.

2.siliva siliva Some mentioned Roach as being picked already. I saw him in the U20 trial. He didn't shine and I don't expect him to start ahead of Silva in big games but he could be in the squad unless they think of Sio being the back up. Roach will be a fine senior player if he gets to be a big enough man.

3. scott sio / matt mafi Sio has played for Norths in the Twos as THP and in one game for the JWs but he is really a backrower who can play LHP. In that JW game at THP he struggled in the scrums; so he will most likely be contending for the 1 or bench jersey.

4.luke jones Haven't seen him for Manly this season but he had this spot last year.

5. ed quirk Will not be picked ahead of Peterson in this position. Peterson had a slow start to the season after some mild hamstring problems but will be one of the first players selected if healthy.

6. michael hooper Tick

7. liam gill The other two backrowers have had considerably more Super game time in the last two years than Gill, who has had only minutes this year. Even though the youngest of the three is arguably the most skilful, Quirk could start at 6 in crunch matches, and Hooper move to 7 ahead of Gill. This would add a bit of backrow grunt. Oz did not lose to the Kiwis in the final last year because of a lack of skill.

It's a pity that Miles McCaffrey is in the same playing generation as these fellows as he played well against older men for the Juniors this year.

8. colby Fainga'a Tick

9.eddie brendenhann Eddie is probably a harder player than Stirzacker and is preferred to start for the Uni Twos ahead of him. But Zacker outplayed him for the Runners v. the Juniors IMO when Eddie came off the bench. Both Uni players may go.

10. james ambrosini Haven't seen him since school but have seen Saifoloi a lot for the Junior Tahs this year and I think he'll be preferred when it matters and be the goal kicker. Volavola was mentioned as being picked already. (?) He had a poor game starting for the Juniors against Samoa but one game is a small sample

11. kimami sitauti Haven't seen him this year. Did OK in this team at 13 last year in a league, I have to beat the other guy mano-a-mano, way.

12. stephano hunt Saw him in the U/20 trial. Apo was better on the day and is reported already in the squad. (?) Not a lot of depth here - the same as the Oz seniors.

13. tom kingston No brainer and this is his best position.

14. dom shipperley Tick

15. damon anderson Would have picked Woodhouse first.

In the back 3 mix: S.Morahan played in the U/20 trial game, as did jet shoes Felsman and ditto Ford, but none were standouts. Any of these could be in the squad mix especially as Situati could move to 13 in some pool games to rest Kingston.

 

[JimboJoe1006]

Pretty good team Lee. Anderson who is still recovering from shoulder reconstruction over summer, and thus didn't make the team. Except to see Jacob slot into 15. Sam Talakai has been doing quite well for Students' 1st grade so far - must be in the mix.

 

[Lee Grant]

I saw Sam start for the Uni Ones on Friday night. He's obviously not the first pick THP in the club but he went OK for a bloke his age and playing with other young shavers against a harder head pack..

Forgot that Anderson had an operation and forgot to consider Sam to be honest. PAE will be the THP - I saw him for the Force A team when the whole squad was back east before the Super season and he looked in top form - but Sam could push Scotty for the LHP spot. Haven't see the Qld U20 props this year apart from in the U20 trial at Narrabeen, but no Oz props stood out that day against the generally older and rugby smarter Hawkes Bay Academy.

Anybody know if Sam was at the last U/20 camp in Canberra?

 

[TOCC]

PAE is back playing in the QLD Premier Grade with Sunnybank

 

[Ash]

Saifoloi is currently playing fullback for Southern Districts 1sts, isn't he?

 

[Brumby Jack]

Squad named...

The Australian Under 20s squad to compete at the Junior World Championship rugby tournament in Italy in June has today been named.

Queensland is well represented within the 26-man squad, fielding 11 players, NSW has seven, ACT six, while Victoria and WA have one representative each.

The squad features 11 players who will return for a second tilt at the JWC title, keen to reverse the disappointment of finishing runners-up to three-time champions New Zealand in Argentina last year.

Despite achieving Australia’s best-ever result of second, the 62-17 loss to the Kiwis in the 2010 decider overshadowed what was a stellar performance from the Junior Wallabies at the 12-nation event.

New Zealand has won all three titles and not dropped a match since the JWC replaced the IRB's former age-grade tournaments, the Under 19 and Under 21 Championships in 2008.

Eight members of the Aussie squad have the invaluable experience of beating New Zealand at Schoolboys level, with 2008 representatives Colby Fainga'a, Eddie Quirk, Luke Jones, Dom Shipperely, Jarrad Butler, Eddie Bredenhann, Silvia Silvia and James Ambrosini, part of the squad which broke a drought on New Zealand soil which stretched 13 matches dating back to 1975.

Head coach David Nucifora said after reaching an agreement with the franchises last year, he has included seven players in his squad who boast Super Rugby experience.

NSW Waratahs winger Tom Kingston will make his U20s debut, while Queensland Reds and former Australian Sevens representatives Quirk, Shipperley, Liam Gill and Kimami Sitauti plus Brumbies pair Fainga'a and Michael Hooper all have another shot at the silverware.

“Last year when the new Super Rugby format was set, and being a Rugby World Cup year, we realised there was going to be a clash with the Super Rugby and the Junior World Championship,” Nucifora said.

“With the knowledge of the number of contracted players who were going to still be eligible for this team a solution was sought back then and an agreement was reached to create a threshold number of games to determine eligibility.”

In the last three years, 26 Australian U20 representatives have gone on to earn Super Rugby contracts, and from that group, 13 have gone on to represent the Qantas Wallabies.

Nucifora will announce his captain when the squad assembles at the Sydney Academy of Sport in Narrabeen on 27 May.

The team departs for Italy on 29 May and the Junior Wallabies will set up camp at the AIS in Varese before basing themselves in Padova on 6 June.

Australia has been drawn alongside Fiji, France and Tonga in Pool B for the June 10-26 tournament. (Pools and Draw attached)


Forwards: Paul Alo-Emile (WA), Jarrad Butler (QLD), Blake Enever (QLD), Colby Fainga'a (ACT), Liam Gill (QLD), Michael Hooper (ACT), Luke Jones (VIC), Tim Metcher (ACT), Greg Peterson (NSW), JP Pradaud (ACT), Eddie Quirk (QLD), Hugh Roach (ACT), Siliva Siliva (QLD), Scott Sio (NSW)

Backs: James Ambrosini (ACT), Eddie Bredenhann (ACT), Joel Faulkner (QLD), Tom Kingston (NSW), Tevita Kuridrani (QLD), Apo Latunipulu (NSW), Matt Lucas (QLD), Simon Morahan (QLD), Rohan Saifoloi (NSW), Dom Shipperley (QLD), Kimami Sitauti (QLD), Ben Volavola (NSW