IRB U/20 Tournament and Oz Squad

[tigerland12]

I agree whole heartedly. Also take into account the fact we already have 2 very able opensides in Fiangaa and hooper, as well as quirk who has played open side at super rugby level.

The other provinces can whinge about it all they like. But at the end of the day, if the ball was in their court and they were starring down the barrel of australia's first super rugby title in many years without an open side flanker in the squad, I would feel exactly the same way.

It is better for Gill's development that he start for the reds in a finals series than sit on the bench (behind captain colby) for the U20. If worse comes to worse they could probably fly him over for the finals once the super rugby is finished.

Could not agree more. The U20's already have two Super Rugby opensides. Shatz would do the job as a 7, but he isn't the type of fetcher Robbinson and Gill are, should be interesting to see what happens here. Link might resist because the teams the Reds play the coming weeks aren't that strong in comparison to the rest of the competition.

 

[Bowside]

Could not agree more. The U20's already have two Super Rugby opensides. Shatz would do the job as a 7, but he isn't the type of fetcher Robbinson and Gill are, should be interesting to see what happens here. Link might resist because the teams the Reds play the coming weeks aren't that strong in comparison to the rest of the competition.

They may not be as strong, but financially these games are crucial to securing a home semi, and the chance at the home final. Speed to the breakdown is crucial to the reds gameplan, and that is exactly what gill would provide.

The ARU would be incredibly stupid to send him to Italy.

 

[qwerty51]

And before you bring up kingston, I think he should have stayed at home as well, provided the tahs needed him (and made the finals).

Why would I bring up Kingston? I don't want him home. I want the best u20 Australian players in Italy. That simple.

 

[RedsHappy]

I have a strong hunch Link will pull Gill from the comp, because Quirk is the only other bloke who has payed 7 and he is going to Italy as well. This would means Shatz would be our 7, which is not the end of the world but I think Gill will be playing in Red and not Gold in the next couple of weeks.

I certainly hope so, tq. If there is anything stupider - seemingly induced or inferred by the ARU - than this 'mini battle' over key young players re home games vs Italy U20s, I have yet to see it.

How anyone can argue that 'playing for country in a junior comp that maybe 500 Australian fans (mostly parents) will witness and with games televised at inhospitable hours if they are at all' is more important for the code as a whole in Aus 2011, than, say, the chances of the Reds winning an S15 at home and the Tahs staying in the top 6, is, frankly, beyond me.

Aus rugby desperately needs star S15 teams that break through and, hopefully, win. This country badly needs top rugby silverware and the excitement vibe and $s that flow from such. Please witness Suncorp stadium yesterday to comprehend these simple facts.

This point has nothing whatsoever to do with 'parochialism vs patriotism to nation', that is rubbish respectfully. The point has to do with the 'big picture, big audience, big fan-building' outcomes essential to halting the reversal of code market share and code income in Australia. The notion that an U20s comp in Italy should legitimately risk adequate player depth for the Reds and Tahs in the key S15 finals phase can only be based upon amateur-era sentimentality and complete commercial naivete, or both.

 

[fatprop]

How anyone can argue that 'playing for country in a junior comp that maybe 500 Australian fans (mostly parents) will witness and with games televised at inhospitable hours if they are at all' is more important for the code as a whole in Aus 2011, than, say, the chances of the Reds winning an S15 at home and the Tahs staying in the top 6, is, frankly, beyond me.

because it is playing for your country ............................................................................ it is about ensuring the U20 tournament is given high priority

 

[Bowside]

because it is playing for your country ............................................................................ it is about ensuring the U20 tournament is given high priority

Just like the 7's eh?

 

[lauries02]

well Gill on his way home and Ted Postal is on his way over. Although not as good as Gill, Postal is a very good player. i remember watching him for the Nudgee first XV in 09, he was the best player out there. he also played alongside Gill for the Aus schoolboys in 09.

 

[dobduff11]

From what Ive read about the place Postal has a non stop motor. Look forward to seeing him play as he hasn't figured much at the force so far.

Does anyone know how close Nicky Price was to making this squad, I noticed he was playing for Southern Districts this year but he hasn't made an academy since his return from AFL.

Seems that many of the 08 Aus schoolboys that are available have been overlooked and most of the squad is from the 09/10 squads.

 

[Lee Grant]

Dobber,

Postal isn't a patch on the two Brumbies guys but he's a goer and it's always good to see a young bloke get a shot unexpectedly. I wondered why they sent over another 7 over when two is enough for a squad. It was a different case with the three young Super players: any two of them would play in big matches. Then I considered that if Salvi gets injured at the Brumbies then Hooper would have to return. That, and the likelihood that Nuci must be happy with the the balance of the squad even though it has 3 fetchers.


At least it has solved a dilemma for Nuci about which two of the young galacticos to start in big games - not that he would have ever worried about it.


Nicky Price played a lot for SD last year and was coming along nicely and starting to look like a real footie player towards the end, but he hasn't been mentioned much in 2011. I haven't seen him this year in club TV games, or can't remember him. Nicky may have been hurt this year as I have seen him listed at 13 and 15 and the weeks he hasn't been listed in the Ones and I have programmes for, he wasn't listed in the Twos. Saifoloi, the 2009 Oz Schools flyhalf, and in the Oz U20 team, seems to be the preferred by SD at fullback these days and that is one of Nicky's spots.


The only time I saw Price play this year that I could remember was in one quarter of a Tahs trial at Nowra and he missed a couple of boy against man tackles for tries to them, which was not a good look.


I thought the 2008 outside backs did OK and they were mostly Qiders: Morahan Jr. is in the squad, and Shipperly is needed at the Reds. The third Qlder, Price, is a disappointment but his sojourn in AFL did him no favours and we are still watching this space. Anderson from NSW, and who made Oz A Schools was a replacement in the squad last year and would probably have made this one, but for a serious injury.

Not to the point of this thread, because he is too old, but Sills from NSW IIs that year is developing nicely in club rugby and could come good too. Still digressing: the big disappointment now for me in the 2008 tranche of backs is not in the back three, but the centres. Bennetts and Mitchell are fine players still as seniors but they are injured a lot - indeed Mitchell is out for the season as we speak. Thus they are finding it hard to make their mark, and may become tainted as medical jokers, as they say in France.
.

 

[Upright]

Lee thanks for he update on Sills - good to see a young player following the proven path from school to senior club football, learning how to play, impressing in senior footy (not just under age stuff) and hopefully continuing to develop. If i remember correctly he was a bit of a flyer, is that still the case?

 

[spectator]

Have to ask, Is Salesi Manu the name of the massive NSW prop and does he age qualify for this tournament?

 

[Lee Grant]

No - he played last year but is too old for 2011.

 

[Lee Grant]

Lee thanks for he update on Sills - good to see a young player following the proven path from school to senior club football, learning how to play, impressing in senior footy (not just under age stuff) and hopefully continuing to develop. If i remember correctly he was a bit of a flyer, is that still the case?

Yeah he is still bloody quick. He's put on a bit of weight since his 7s days - from 81 to 85 kgs. If he was with a Super stable he would probably go close to 90 kgs after a few years. More importantly he is holding his place in the Randwick Ones; so it indicates that they think his footy playing ability has improved. He was no geat shakes last year.

More often than not flyers don't make it in senior rugby and later in pro rugby, as well as we had hoped; so it's definitely a watch this space situation with young Clinton. The Brumbies have had a look at him and with their lack of speed out wide they could have another look - and at Lindsay Crook who is located in the ACT as we speak.

 

[bloodred]

Interesting Lee, I was wondering what happened to Lindsay. How is he going? He was from here on the coast and went to TSS. I think he needed to get away from family ties.

 

[Lee Grant]

I asked that question of the ACT folks a while back. IIRR they said he was playing in the Twos for a club down there but had been injured before that; so maybe he was on a comeback. Earlier in the year, I saw him in a game for the Runners against the Force A (in Sydney, believe it or not) but he hardly ever got the ball. It was the same in two games I saw him play for Oz Schools. It look like he was diligent enough in trying to get involved but maybe it was a matter of team mates trying to shine on their own account.

If he's good enough he will come through somewhere and let's not forget: this is his first year out of school.

 

[Moses]

Its a cheap shot I know, but Dud Roodt was an appallingly bad choice to poach for the Waratahs. How do we guarantee that we don't do that again?

Dud was drafted into the Cheetahs no 18 jersey last weekend - not sure if he got on the field?

 

[dobduff11]

Have seen Sills on his sevens travels and he looks a bit of a shifter. Recently saw a small amount of footage of Nicky Price and he looked rapid as well. Would like to see Price on the end of a dominant backline on the tv.

I know about Cam Mitchell and have seen some highlights of him, although I haven't seen Bennetts I have heard a fair bit about him from you Lee. Sad to see them injured so much and for young centres at the tahs it seems their time is running out a bit, especially with Apo coming through.

Haven't seen a full game of Simon Morahan since the 2007 season so lets hope he has improved a bit, not that he was bad then.

Really looking forward to seeing Morahan, Apo, Rohan, Kimami and Ambrosini

 

[dobduff11]

Just if anyone is interested you can still watch Full game replays of three of australias matches from 2010, South africa, england and the final against nz.

http://www.irb.com/jwc/video/index.html?videoid=2038602

 

[Lee Grant]

I saw two U/20 threads on the 1st page and merged them but one was from last year sorry about that because I don't know how to unmerge them.

 

[Riptide]

That Dave Rennie coached NZ team last year was incredibly impressive right across the park.

I haven't read much about this years NZ outfit although see that they too have a little S15 experience in their squad. From Europe, England are monstrous again this year and butchered their 6N's counterparts for a grand slam; their squad really looks good on paper.