National U/16 Championships 2012

[tripod]

Cutting to the chase . an 'alternate' final day could have been:
Game 1: Qld Red v Qld white
Game 2: NSW Schools v Sydney Juniors
winner game 1 v winner game 2

that way we would have been guaranteed of the NSW thriller! which is what everyone in Sydney is really interested in, is it not?

Or could be a QLD thriller, which is what the whole of Queensland is really interested in!

 

[George Smith]

exactly Tripod!

 

[Sydneybra]

The schools forward pack is made up of mostly loosies but remember Crichton and Summerhayes are both very big units who excel in the loose and tight play. Good choice if we see them at 8 and 6. The same can be said about Sydney 2nd rower Toby Rudolph.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

If, parden the pun, push comes to shove, Bowditch (View) looks like he could probably play OK @ 2nd row. Has he played there before?

If our national coach can select a #10/12 to play at #15, they why can't the Schools follow Dingo's lead and put a prop in 2nd row?

 

[George Smith]

Huge I always contend that a good 10/15 can interchange seemlessly. Likewise locks and No6 can interchange without too much adjustment. I cannot see Jack playing 4/5 or even 6. He is big and is unstoppable from 5mtrs out but cannot run around the paddock once without stopping for breadth. Maybe if he did some athletic training instead of the gym in the off season we will see him reach his rugby potential. He certainly has the attributes.

 

[George Smith]

The schools forward pack is made up of mostly loosies but remember Crichton and Summerhayes are both very big units who excel in the loose and tight play. Good choice if we see them at 8 and 6. The same can be said about Sydney 2nd rower Toby Rudolph.

This trend is very common these days. As most of the good athletes in junior footy are playing loose I see many teams going for 5 backrowers. NSW and Sydney 15s did last year for example with Lough/Walker/Chrichton/Woodhill/Menzies. The issue with this is that they can get undone if they are not careful. Qld 15s showed how a mongrel tight game in the forwards can be successful against NSW last year. NSW countered with some good wide running and the forwards had enough nous to deflect and counter attack. Indeed it was the 2 flankers, Woodhill and Menzies who went in a did the hard tough stuff rather than the 4&5 (Lough/Chrichton) in this game! Relying on 5 backrowers is inherently dangerous. Chrichton (man-of-the match QLD v NSW) played his best footy for Scots this year after he balanced the loose&wide with the tight stuff. He is now an even better player for it (if that is possible).

This all adds to the intrigue for the 16s Tournament.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

The Under 19 Laws, particularly the Scrum ones allowing for a maximum shunt of 1.5 metres and no crutch binding seems to encourage the 5 interchangeable loose forwards model.

I wonder if this also impacts on our performance at U20 level where our tight forwards are often found wanting against the Darkness and the various carnivore Teams like the Saffers and Pumas. Do these other countries stick as rigidly to the U19 variation rules as we do?

It seems that our Beanpoles and Bulldozers in the fatties may not be getting much of a preparation for the real world of International U20 and opens footy. If the other countries don't police the U19 Laws as rigidly as us, it must place them at a compatative advantage.

 

[10to12]

This trend is very common these days. As most of the good athletes in junior footy are playing loose I see many teams going for 5 backrowers. NSW and Sydney 15s did last year for example with Lough/Walker/Chrichton/Woodhill/Menzies. The issue with this is that they can get undone if they are not careful. Qld 15s showed how a mongrel tight game in the forwards can be successful against NSW last year. NSW countered with some good wide running and the forwards had enough nous to deflect and counter attack. Indeed it was the 2 flankers, Woodhill and Menzies who went in a did the hard tough stuff rather than the 4&5 (Lough/Chrichton) in this game! Relying on 5 backrowers is inherently dangerous. Chrichton (man-of-the match QLD v NSW) played his best footy for Scots this year after he balanced the loose&wide with the tight stuff. He is now an even better player for it (if that is possible).

This all adds to the intrigue for the 16s Tournament.

George I must have been at another game, in my memory the NSW boys beat Qland through the forwards convincingly (tight and Loose) and were outplayed in the backs when the NSW coaches played the wingers in the centres allowing the Qland backs to run wild whenever they got the ball

 

[David Connors]

Any one got a likely Queensland starting XV?

 

[Lee Grant]

I always contend that a good 10/15 can interchange seemlessly.

When I coached some juniors back in the day - way back - I had two good backs in the team and they were used to playing no.10 (as we call it now). They both wanted to play there and their dads wanted them to also; so I had them take turns at playing 10 and 15.

What I found out was that their play at fullback improved their play at flyhalf.

This makes sense because they are natural protagonists and one must always watch the position and movements of the other, and look for their strengths and weaknesses also.

It turned out that the faster lad started to enjoy playing fullback more, so he asked if he could stay there. It appeared to the dads that the outcome was caused by the great wisdom of the coach but though I basked in the credit for it, it was just serendipity.

We still nudged the wooden spooners for their title that season though, as I remember. They did better the following year when I wasn't coach. What does that mean?
.

 

[Rugby Mum]

Back when the sides were announced, on the NSW U16 thread, both Ferris and Gutteridge were mentioned by posters as being in the extended Juniors squad. Good luck to them.

Someone had their crystal ball working.

Injuries are a fact of life in a collision sport. Feel sorry for Olver and Molloy, but they will get another crack in Opens.

Or not to far away in the proposed 17 s...

 

[Lee Grant]

Are there any folks from outside NSW who will be attending the tournament?

I have a couple of Sydney folks helping out but would like some outside contributors to get a national take on things. We will trial doing a daily report with individuals writing real short reports for each Div I game. They will be collated into the daily report with a byline to each writer.

You wouldn't have to worry about getting the proper score or list the scorers, unless you wanted to; we can get that stuff.

The deadline is 10pm on game day, but it's only 150~200 words a couple of times in the week.

Any takers who have access to the net?

By all means - contact me privately by clicking on Inbox > Conversations > Start a new conversation, if you prefer.

If you think 200 words is too many to write this post has 154 words already
.

 

[George Smith]

George I must have been at another game, in my memory the NSW boys beat Qland through the forwards convincingly (tight and Loose) and were outplayed in the backs when the NSW coaches played the wingers in the centres allowing the Qland backs to run wild whenever they got the ball

Your observations are true10to12. The point as I recall was that some big breaks leading to tries were out wide. This was often Angus Chrichton and Johnny Walker running where the No13 is normally (which is no surprise). Also the winger went close to scoring as well.

Although we were promised a copy of the 'tape' I have yet to review it.

 

[Rugby Mum]

Your observations are true10to12. The point as I recall was that some big breaks leading to tries were out wide. This was often Angus Chrichton and Johnny Walker running where the No13 is normally (which is no surprise). Also the winger went close to scoring as well.

Although we were promised a copy of the 'tape' I have yet to review it.

I recall management telling the team they would each receive a copy....nothing get. Is there a copy available?? Happy to buy a copy .

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Any one got a likely Queensland starting XV?

See post #93 on page 5 of this thread. The comments in that post apply to all teams.

In summary: Unlikely to see a "full strength" QLD team/s apart from the key games. Rules require all kids to be in at least one run on game.

 

[George Smith]

I recall management telling the team they would each receive a copy..nothing get. Is there a copy available?? Happy to buy a copy .

I am trying to determine whether a copy exists still.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

So Monday is the first day of competition?
Public holiday in Sydney - no excuses

 

[Sydneybra]

When does it start??

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Full draw at #29 post on page 2.

MATCH DAY 1 – Monday 1st October
0930 NSW Schools v NSW Country Oval 1 Div 1 - Game 1
1045 Sydney Juniors v Victoria Oval 1 Div 1 - Game 2
1330 QLD Red v Brumbies Oval 1 Div 1 - Game 3
1445 QLD White v Western Australia Oval 1 Div 1 - Game 4

 

[Lee Grant]

Who are the gun players we should be looking for next week?