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Again, QLD White back are better than NSW. Their front row dominate the NSW- as 5-6 penalties again NSW for not binding or pull down the scrum.
National U/16 Championships 2010
- Thread starter Lee Grant
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Again, QLD White back are better than NSW. Their front row dominate the NSW- as 5-6 penalties again NSW for not binding or pull down the scrum.
S
skullring
Guest
This all seems like a repeat of the schoolboys 18 carnval earlier this year, QLD white being QLD 2, NSW schools being NSW 1, Sydney being NSW 2, and QLD Red being QLD 1
en_force_er
Geoff Shaw (53)
... or Qld Red can be Qld 1. Like they are.
If anything this shows that these teams are all very very equal and quite capable of beating each other on their day.
Shame Vics couldn't cause an upset like WA did though.
If anything this shows that these teams are all very very equal and quite capable of beating each other on their day.
Shame Vics couldn't cause an upset like WA did though.
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
I feel sorry for folks who like rugby and weren't at the U/16 Championships today at Riverview. There were some cracking games and one got to see a lot of players that will make names for themselves when they leave school.
Brumbies 33 - Victoria 24
This was a close run game and the Brumbies got up only in the last quarter of the game.
Western Australia 32 - NSW Country 17
There were a few lads from WA that played in the Open Championships earlier in the year so they had the class on the NSW Country lads, but you wouldn't have known it when Country was ahead 17-8 at oranges. Then WA showed their better ability and fitness to score 24 unanswered points in the 2nd half.
It was a well deserved win because WA had gone down in two close games on the opening two days to Qld Whites and NSW.
One could imagine the WA Academy being interested fairly soon in some of the lads. As FTS indicated in an earlier post: 10. Komene is a good general though there's not much of him, and 13. Peni looks like he is going to be a star player.
11. Mosese is reminiscent of 2009 Oz Schools player Situati (now Oz 7s): brilliant, yet greedy. 12. Burton is really a flyhalf but he facilitated well at inside centre, looking like a 16 y.o. Barnes.
In the forwards hooker Scoble and no.8 Le Roux were real goers, and it was good to see some good tall timber in the 2nd row. Ross Haylett-Petty, younger brother of DHP but, at 195 cms, taller than him, and young Kiwi Thomas, both had skill and mongrel.
[Not to the point of the tournament but one of the parents said that 11 of the Hale School 1st XV were from South Africa. Keep them coming SAffers– props most welcome.]
Sydney Juniors 30 - Queensland Reds 24
So many times in the last decade I have posted that a Qld team played above themselves against a NSW team that had better players; but this was the other way around.
The Reds were 19-6 ahead at oranges and were good value for it but the Juniors scored 24 points to 5 in the 2nd half and won. They winners hooped and hollered at the end then stopped it in good grace to shake hands with their shattered opponents. It was a good match and the visitors did their state proud.
I'm not sure how the Juniors won but the Reds blew several good moves through poor handling. This was despite having an assured facilitator in 10. Brittain, a Horne clone in 12. Tuttle and an outstanding 13. in Palau, who was much like current Oz Schools 13. Hingano. Then there was excellent broken field runner 11. Afamasaga, plus 15. Banks looking every inch like Aidan Toua in the same team and on the same ground a few years ago.
But the ball work ?!?!
In the Qld forwards 7. Satui looked like a brown Liam Gill and 8. Timu had some powerful runs.
In the Juniors 1. Raru and 5. Sa'u (short for a lock) were like bull terriers and 8. Sio was outstanding. The longer the game went, the better he looked. As for the others: they have to be congratulated for playing better as a team than their opponents did and not giving up when things looked hopeless.
Queensland Whites 25 - NSW Schools 22
Unlike the previous game these looked like evenly matched teams and they scored 3 tries apiece IIRR. The Whites scored a couple of tries in the 1st half before the NSW backs found out how to defend against the blue heeler Whites who kept breaking out. NSW took the lead before oranges; then the lead switched a couple of times with tries before the final Whites' try near the end of the game sealed it. It was a well taken try but the NSW backs' defence had failed again by being mis-matched.
In the Whites back three 11. Khuu, 14. Kallell and 15. Bowen were hard to stop in the open and flyhalf Paia'aua made some breaks too. I had to look up the number of 6. Tuatala a couple of times because he was making breaks like a back, but there was no mistaking that 8. Tuifao was a forward with his bruising runs.
Congrats to the Whites: their goal line defence won it for them.
***
I don't care who wins these games and the same goes for the Opens but I had a sneaky smile on my face driving home knowing that two teams with the fewest GPS players from their state won their way into the finals.
The other thing I thought about is that I can't remember an U/16s tournament with so many good bruising no 8s, and the tall timber situation looked good too.
I don't know who is going to win tomorrow. I'd fancy the Reds not to drop their standards on defence in the 2nd half again and to beat NSW Schools to get 3rd place. I'd fancy the Whites to beat the Sydney Juniors in the final also. West Australia should beat the Brumbies, and the NSW Country v. Victoria game should be close but the Country lads should get up.
Brumbies 33 - Victoria 24
This was a close run game and the Brumbies got up only in the last quarter of the game.
Western Australia 32 - NSW Country 17
There were a few lads from WA that played in the Open Championships earlier in the year so they had the class on the NSW Country lads, but you wouldn't have known it when Country was ahead 17-8 at oranges. Then WA showed their better ability and fitness to score 24 unanswered points in the 2nd half.
It was a well deserved win because WA had gone down in two close games on the opening two days to Qld Whites and NSW.
One could imagine the WA Academy being interested fairly soon in some of the lads. As FTS indicated in an earlier post: 10. Komene is a good general though there's not much of him, and 13. Peni looks like he is going to be a star player.
11. Mosese is reminiscent of 2009 Oz Schools player Situati (now Oz 7s): brilliant, yet greedy. 12. Burton is really a flyhalf but he facilitated well at inside centre, looking like a 16 y.o. Barnes.
In the forwards hooker Scoble and no.8 Le Roux were real goers, and it was good to see some good tall timber in the 2nd row. Ross Haylett-Petty, younger brother of DHP but, at 195 cms, taller than him, and young Kiwi Thomas, both had skill and mongrel.
[Not to the point of the tournament but one of the parents said that 11 of the Hale School 1st XV were from South Africa. Keep them coming SAffers– props most welcome.]
Sydney Juniors 30 - Queensland Reds 24
So many times in the last decade I have posted that a Qld team played above themselves against a NSW team that had better players; but this was the other way around.
The Reds were 19-6 ahead at oranges and were good value for it but the Juniors scored 24 points to 5 in the 2nd half and won. They winners hooped and hollered at the end then stopped it in good grace to shake hands with their shattered opponents. It was a good match and the visitors did their state proud.
I'm not sure how the Juniors won but the Reds blew several good moves through poor handling. This was despite having an assured facilitator in 10. Brittain, a Horne clone in 12. Tuttle and an outstanding 13. in Palau, who was much like current Oz Schools 13. Hingano. Then there was excellent broken field runner 11. Afamasaga, plus 15. Banks looking every inch like Aidan Toua in the same team and on the same ground a few years ago.
But the ball work ?!?!
In the Qld forwards 7. Satui looked like a brown Liam Gill and 8. Timu had some powerful runs.
In the Juniors 1. Raru and 5. Sa'u (short for a lock) were like bull terriers and 8. Sio was outstanding. The longer the game went, the better he looked. As for the others: they have to be congratulated for playing better as a team than their opponents did and not giving up when things looked hopeless.
Queensland Whites 25 - NSW Schools 22
Unlike the previous game these looked like evenly matched teams and they scored 3 tries apiece IIRR. The Whites scored a couple of tries in the 1st half before the NSW backs found out how to defend against the blue heeler Whites who kept breaking out. NSW took the lead before oranges; then the lead switched a couple of times with tries before the final Whites' try near the end of the game sealed it. It was a well taken try but the NSW backs' defence had failed again by being mis-matched.
In the Whites back three 11. Khuu, 14. Kallell and 15. Bowen were hard to stop in the open and flyhalf Paia'aua made some breaks too. I had to look up the number of 6. Tuatala a couple of times because he was making breaks like a back, but there was no mistaking that 8. Tuifao was a forward with his bruising runs.
Congrats to the Whites: their goal line defence won it for them.
***
I don't care who wins these games and the same goes for the Opens but I had a sneaky smile on my face driving home knowing that two teams with the fewest GPS players from their state won their way into the finals.
The other thing I thought about is that I can't remember an U/16s tournament with so many good bruising no 8s, and the tall timber situation looked good too.
I don't know who is going to win tomorrow. I'd fancy the Reds not to drop their standards on defence in the 2nd half again and to beat NSW Schools to get 3rd place. I'd fancy the Whites to beat the Sydney Juniors in the final also. West Australia should beat the Brumbies, and the NSW Country v. Victoria game should be close but the Country lads should get up.
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
PS The NSW Schools scrums were penalised time and time again on the LH side. This was despite replacing their LHP with another specialist LHP, yet they hadn't been penalised in the other two games (according to a no doubt unbiased NSW parent.)
Instead of blaming the ref perhaps credit should go to Keebra Park THP Tongakilo of the Whites team.
Instead of blaming the ref perhaps credit should go to Keebra Park THP Tongakilo of the Whites team.
FTS
Billy Sheehan (19)
Cheers for all that Lee. A great insight as always. So far today NSW country has beat VIC (I think the country lads punched above there weight very well all week) , NSW schools destroyed QLD red 31-0 (dunno what has happened there), WA has beaten ACT comfortably (thought ACT would put up more of a fight, WA has becoming more of a powerhouse while ACT still did themselves proud). Havn't heard a result from the final, but im tipping Syd ney juniors to get up.
A
Ageing Parent
Guest
Quick Report - Believe Sydney Juniors (33) got up over Qld White (21) - another top match from report to hand.
The_Brown_Hornet
John Eales (66)
Thanks for the updates guys. Loving the fact that WA are doing so well. Lee, I think you'll see more an more kids with Saffer parents playing in our rep teams. It's like little Cape Town over here these days.
qwerty51
Stirling Mortlock (74)
You see this is what I can't understand. This competition is for 16 year-olds. Everyone is around the same age right? NSW have been very dominant in the competition for many years even with 3 teams against QLD's 2.
However in the open competition QLD has been very dominant and they claim that their players are generally a year younger than NSW. What's going on here?
However in the open competition QLD has been very dominant and they claim that their players are generally a year younger than NSW. What's going on here?
CHS 72
Bob McCowan (2)
Hey Lee!
I love your reports and your sentiment for the teams with more non GPS students. (I thought you were a Joeys/GPS hard core fan? Everybody loves the underdog). It's hard for many to get out to these games and are interested in specific players. Cromer HS (CHS) on the Northern Beaches have a number of players in the Juniors team (Hopoate, Fokai, Gutherson and Hodge from Manly HS). These guys were in the NBSC team that won the Buchan Shield last year (the equivalent of the Waratah shield for Opens. Could you please refer more specifically to the names of the NSW and Juniors players that caught your eye.
Thanks Lee
I love your reports and your sentiment for the teams with more non GPS students. (I thought you were a Joeys/GPS hard core fan? Everybody loves the underdog). It's hard for many to get out to these games and are interested in specific players. Cromer HS (CHS) on the Northern Beaches have a number of players in the Juniors team (Hopoate, Fokai, Gutherson and Hodge from Manly HS). These guys were in the NBSC team that won the Buchan Shield last year (the equivalent of the Waratah shield for Opens. Could you please refer more specifically to the names of the NSW and Juniors players that caught your eye.
Thanks Lee
I like to watch
David Codey (61)
I asked exactly the same question when the opens had played.
The only answer that made any sense was that basically Qld train as a squad for a significantly longer period and play as ateam much better, not so much 1 out football.
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
It's just as well I'm not a betting man because I would have done my dough today.
NSW Country 27 – Victoria 15
Missed this game and chose breakfast instead.
Western Australia 33 – Brumbies 17
Saw this game for only 10 minutes in between the two main games as it was on another field. It was 7-3 WA just before oranges so the WA lads must have put the hammer down in the 2nd half again.
NSW Schools 31 – Qld Reds 0
I didn't pick this result and nor did anybody else. I asked a NSW parent where they got all the new players from overnight as the lot they had yesterday looked ordinary. He just shook his head and said everybody had been waiting since Monday for them to show up to play and today they did. They looked more like the NSW Schools U/16 team of last year and played like a Ones team was having a run against the Twos.
The Reds ball work was ordinary again and their defence was just as bad as it was in the 2nd half against the Juniors yesterday. They had intensity but it was poorly channelled except when the ball was in the hands of 8. Timu who had another top game. Talking of 8s: Ingram-Melsom of NSW played well again today. He's not a bruiser, but a rangy skills 8, with a big engine and a passion to get at the ball and/or any opponent carrying it.
Some of the restarts and kicking for line by NSW were not 1st class but otherwise the team put on a top performance. Even the scrums were fine after being pinged yesterday.
The NSW damage started early with an outstanding individual try by firecracker hooker Wilson, who some Reds backs couldn't get to – and incidentally he kicked the conversion. Later 15. Gutherson gave flick passes for two tries. He had an an outstanding match. We will see this lad later in senior footie but I fear it will be at Brookvale Oval.
The wingers who finished Gutherson's work for the tries, Vlahos and Robertson, always worried their opponents and ditto, in a different way for THP Ala'alatoa.
Sydney Juniors 33 – Qld Whites 21
This game reminded me of a song that has lyrics along the lines of: “I get knocked down but I get up again; you cannot keep me down” . The lads from both teams kept hitting the deck, sometimes on the hard cricket square and just kept getting up to take and give more of it. It was a high intensity game and all the lads should be proud of what they did.
It wasn't a game of two halves – it was a game of four quarters. But the Juniors did better in their two good quarters and were worthy winners of the comp.
They blitzed the Whites in the 1st quarter and were up 21-0 before you knew it, but Qld got up up again in the 2nd quarter and pressured a couple of tries to be behind just 14-21 at oranges. In the 3rd quarter it was the same but the tries didn't come for the Whites. They were strangling the Juniors of the ball but the Sydney lads were getting up again off the deck to protect their lead in their red zone.
Come the 4th quarter and the Juniors visited the Whites' half for a change and 8. Sio burst through the Whites' backs in a set move from a lineout and dished out for the try. Then on another visit Junior 11. Foketi ran through White traffic for a hard fought try; so 33 – 14.
Game over? Not hardly – the Whites got up again , you could not keep them down - and they were over for a try following a yellow card to a Junior. A big Sydney forward was distraught after apparently being inaccurate on defence of the try, but his mates hugged him behind the goal posts and suggested he look at the scoreboard.
Not long after it was over - 33-21. Great match.
A lot of the comments I made yesterday could have been said of the boys for today but 8. Tuifao was a standout for the Whites again. 12 Laud worried his opponents again holding the ball in both hands. 9. Gregg had some top sniping runs but overplayed his hand a bit as they expected him and 15. Bowen had some more fine runs and was twice responsible for getting good field position leading to 2nd Qtr tries. A big tick to utility Aino also; he was like an energizer bunny when he was on.
For the Juniors lanky 15 Vaux had many smooth runs through a lot of Whites for big game, and the big fowards 1. Raru, 3. Talaki and 5. Sa'u - all held together by hooker Kitchen – worked their guts' out. 11. Foketi was always a problem for the Whites and 12. Nicholson was just as good as his direct opponent was.
I saw only two days of the tournament and if there was a Star Award for Thursday and Friday for all the teams it would go to Junior 8. Patrick Sio of from the West Harbour club. Dead set – he looked like Toutai Kefu sometimes.
But Lee you've mentioned just about every 8 as being a good player, haven't you – were the 8's that good?
Yep.
NSW Country 27 – Victoria 15
Missed this game and chose breakfast instead.
Western Australia 33 – Brumbies 17
Saw this game for only 10 minutes in between the two main games as it was on another field. It was 7-3 WA just before oranges so the WA lads must have put the hammer down in the 2nd half again.
NSW Schools 31 – Qld Reds 0
I didn't pick this result and nor did anybody else. I asked a NSW parent where they got all the new players from overnight as the lot they had yesterday looked ordinary. He just shook his head and said everybody had been waiting since Monday for them to show up to play and today they did. They looked more like the NSW Schools U/16 team of last year and played like a Ones team was having a run against the Twos.
The Reds ball work was ordinary again and their defence was just as bad as it was in the 2nd half against the Juniors yesterday. They had intensity but it was poorly channelled except when the ball was in the hands of 8. Timu who had another top game. Talking of 8s: Ingram-Melsom of NSW played well again today. He's not a bruiser, but a rangy skills 8, with a big engine and a passion to get at the ball and/or any opponent carrying it.
Some of the restarts and kicking for line by NSW were not 1st class but otherwise the team put on a top performance. Even the scrums were fine after being pinged yesterday.
The NSW damage started early with an outstanding individual try by firecracker hooker Wilson, who some Reds backs couldn't get to – and incidentally he kicked the conversion. Later 15. Gutherson gave flick passes for two tries. He had an an outstanding match. We will see this lad later in senior footie but I fear it will be at Brookvale Oval.
The wingers who finished Gutherson's work for the tries, Vlahos and Robertson, always worried their opponents and ditto, in a different way for THP Ala'alatoa.
Sydney Juniors 33 – Qld Whites 21
This game reminded me of a song that has lyrics along the lines of: “I get knocked down but I get up again; you cannot keep me down” . The lads from both teams kept hitting the deck, sometimes on the hard cricket square and just kept getting up to take and give more of it. It was a high intensity game and all the lads should be proud of what they did.
It wasn't a game of two halves – it was a game of four quarters. But the Juniors did better in their two good quarters and were worthy winners of the comp.
They blitzed the Whites in the 1st quarter and were up 21-0 before you knew it, but Qld got up up again in the 2nd quarter and pressured a couple of tries to be behind just 14-21 at oranges. In the 3rd quarter it was the same but the tries didn't come for the Whites. They were strangling the Juniors of the ball but the Sydney lads were getting up again off the deck to protect their lead in their red zone.
Come the 4th quarter and the Juniors visited the Whites' half for a change and 8. Sio burst through the Whites' backs in a set move from a lineout and dished out for the try. Then on another visit Junior 11. Foketi ran through White traffic for a hard fought try; so 33 – 14.
Game over? Not hardly – the Whites got up again , you could not keep them down - and they were over for a try following a yellow card to a Junior. A big Sydney forward was distraught after apparently being inaccurate on defence of the try, but his mates hugged him behind the goal posts and suggested he look at the scoreboard.
Not long after it was over - 33-21. Great match.
A lot of the comments I made yesterday could have been said of the boys for today but 8. Tuifao was a standout for the Whites again. 12 Laud worried his opponents again holding the ball in both hands. 9. Gregg had some top sniping runs but overplayed his hand a bit as they expected him and 15. Bowen had some more fine runs and was twice responsible for getting good field position leading to 2nd Qtr tries. A big tick to utility Aino also; he was like an energizer bunny when he was on.
For the Juniors lanky 15 Vaux had many smooth runs through a lot of Whites for big game, and the big fowards 1. Raru, 3. Talaki and 5. Sa'u - all held together by hooker Kitchen – worked their guts' out. 11. Foketi was always a problem for the Whites and 12. Nicholson was just as good as his direct opponent was.
I saw only two days of the tournament and if there was a Star Award for Thursday and Friday for all the teams it would go to Junior 8. Patrick Sio of from the West Harbour club. Dead set – he looked like Toutai Kefu sometimes.
But Lee you've mentioned just about every 8 as being a good player, haven't you – were the 8's that good?
Yep.
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
Yeah I follow Joeys because my boys went there, but I didn't. I fell in love with Joeys footie when they were there though I had seen a bit of it before when my B-I-Law, a Joeys old boy, used to make me come to some games. I always want Joeys to win, but I'm not a GPS fanatic.
The more I watch schoolboys trials and such the less I worry about who wins. When you sit with Queensland people at Oz tournaments they always get suspicious of anybody applauding both teams in a game and they try to suss you out in a good natured way, not being used to neutrality.
I would have watched the boys you mentioned a lot more closely but the tournament was over before you posted it, though I did post on Foketi and Gutherson; in fact I was chatting with Clint's grandfather at the game.
Flyhalf Hodge had a better game today for the Juniors, in fact just about all the boys did; it was a mighty effort. Hopoate scored a smart try yesterday in front of proud dad. He was a reserve and some of his connections - maybe his elder brothers or cousins - were yahooing when he scored. One of them yelled: "I told you to put him on earlier." All good fun. He dropped a bit of ball today though.
Iluvmyfooty
Phil Hardcastle (33)
so i guess the nsw schools u/16 didn't match up to last years previous squad?
Sydney Juniors No.15 Jonathan Vaux was named player of the tournament. He also received player's player for his team (this was awarded to one player from each team). In 2009 Sydney Juniors No.15 Cameron Clarke was named player of the tournament as well. I too thought QLD Red's No.8 Caleb Timu and Sydney Juniors No.8 Patrick Sio were outstanding - look out for them both next year for Aus schoolboy selections as both will be in Year 12.
Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
diwi10 - welcome to the forum.
Vaux is a smooth runner isn't he? Sometimes he looked like he was covered in snakes and spiders as nobody seemed to want to touch him. Quite similar to Cam Clark last year in fact. He threw a couple of crook passes in the two days that I saw but well done that lad.
On Timu and Sio: I had the same thoughts about 2011. If there are any better no. 8 school boys in the country than these two next year then Oz Schools will be well served.
It's early days but it appears that they have the game to play senior rugby down the track and unlike Pauliasi Taumopeau, a few years ago now, look like they are going to be big enough men to earn a living in their position. This is especially the case with Sio whose 18 y.o. brother Scott was in the Oz U/20 team this year but weighs in at 113kgs .
With Browning in the Oz Schools 2nd row but destined to be a senior 8, this old Oz rugby trainspotter is drooling. (More than usual, I mean). Nucifora and Hickey were at the ground on Friday and would have had their pencils out.
Any idea of the 2010 Merit Team? Do they still do that?
Vaux is a smooth runner isn't he? Sometimes he looked like he was covered in snakes and spiders as nobody seemed to want to touch him. Quite similar to Cam Clark last year in fact. He threw a couple of crook passes in the two days that I saw but well done that lad.
On Timu and Sio: I had the same thoughts about 2011. If there are any better no. 8 school boys in the country than these two next year then Oz Schools will be well served.
It's early days but it appears that they have the game to play senior rugby down the track and unlike Pauliasi Taumopeau, a few years ago now, look like they are going to be big enough men to earn a living in their position. This is especially the case with Sio whose 18 y.o. brother Scott was in the Oz U/20 team this year but weighs in at 113kgs .
With Browning in the Oz Schools 2nd row but destined to be a senior 8, this old Oz rugby trainspotter is drooling. (More than usual, I mean). Nucifora and Hickey were at the ground on Friday and would have had their pencils out.
Any idea of the 2010 Merit Team? Do they still do that?
B
baldingwingforward
Guest
On Timu and Sio: I had the same thoughts about 2011. If there are any better no. 8 school boys in the country than these two next year then Oz Schools will be well served. QUOTE]
Lee - the two players you have mentioned are indeed good prospects. I haven't seen much of Timu but i have seen Sio play on a number of occassions over the past couple of years and he is maturing nicely. He struggled a little early in the year as an U16 playing 1st XV rugby, but by the end of the season he had got to grips nicely with the rigours of Opens rugby. They will however both face some tough competition next year as both Holloway (Waverley) and Wells (Riverview) who both made the Aus Schools Tour this year, and both play #8 as their prefered position, are back at their respective schools next year... Should be a good tussle when Waverley play Trinity
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