National U/16 Championships 2013

[Hugh Jarse]

Please post discussion of the teams, and the games themselves, in this thread.

Would Gaggerlanders post the teams when announced, and if possible list 1 to 15 and reserves, but if this is not known, the squad list will do.

NSW Schools Rugby Union
P. BRADFORD
H. CHAPMAN
J. DONATO
E. FILEMU
M. GIRDLER
N. GITTOES
H. GODDARD
T. HILL
H. HUTCHISON
S. KENNEWELL
S. LOGA-TAROGI
L. LOUGH
R. McCAULEY
J. McGREGOR
J. MADDUX
J. NETTLETON
A. NGUYEN
J. OXLEY
S. PASSFIELD
T. PIRODDI
G. PORTER
J. RICHARDS
J. STOREY

Sydney Junior Rugby Union
L. ANDERSON
H. CHAPMAN
C. CLIFFORD
B. DALTON
D. ENGLAND
E. FAATUI
S. GIBSON
A. HANCOCK
J. HAWKINS
L. HEATON
T. HORTON
L. HUGHES
C. HURLEY
T. LEAVER
D. LIGALIGA-TONSIE
H. MCLEANNAN
W. McRAE
L. MILHAM
C. ORPEN
L. SIMPSON
T. STRANG
F. TOOHEY
C. TUTUNOA

NSW Country Junior Rugby Union
L. BAKER
R. CONNOLLY
N. CUSHAN
I. ENRIGHT
B. FORD
R. GRAHAM
B. HAUVILLE
C. HICKS
H. JOHNSON-HOLMES
A. KING
N. McCROHON
R. PEDEN
D. PHILLIPS
A. POHLA
K. RAMPLIN-SMITH
D. RYAN
M. STEWART
J. STRANGE
J. THORNDYKE
S. TOWNSEND
Z. TRINKLER
D. WOODS
J. WOODS

Source:http://www.nswschoolsrugby.rugbynet.com.au/default.asp?id=201774

 

[The Taxi Driver]

Sorry, already put this on the wrong thread.​

What do you all think about Hutchison and Kennewell being selected for Under 16s schools when both are playing in NSW 2 and CS this week? Is this just Schools making sure they beat Qld or should two other 16s get a gig? No question as to their strength. ​

Schools has some weak links but it is not in their back line!

Also, as others have noted, I have a problem with upgrading 15s to 16s. All in good time. I didn't notice either of the 15s selected at Knox (although one has big reputation?)​

 

[Rugby Mum 2]

Sorry, already put this on the wrong thread.​

What do you all think about Hutchison and Kennewell being selected for Under 16s schools when both are playing in NSW 2 and CS this week? Is this just Schools making sure they beat Qld or should two other 16s get a gig? No question as to their strength. ​

Schools has some weak links but it is not in their back line!​

​

Also, as others have noted, I have a problem with upgrading 15s to 16s. All in good time. I didn't notice either of the 15s selected at Knox (although one has big reputation?)​

More to the point, why would you play in a 16s tournament (which both played in last year) when you are playing with the big boys. It would be a step down in rugby quality. Give the shadows a run!

 

[Hugh Jarse]

"Official" Information on the tournament on this web site. http://www.rugby.com.au/tryrugby/Playing/CompetitionsResults/Under16.aspx

Some of the information on that web page seems left over from last year.
It will be updated by the unpaid interns as more information comes to hand closer to the event.

It pays to revisit it occasionally.

 

[random2]

Continually surprised by the exclusion of Joeys trio Tom Wright, Banjo Treavers and Eddy King from these rep teams, can't really see how the 3 best backs in a team which has dominated the GPS over the past few years can continue to be ingnored by rep selectors. Guess thats politics for ya.

 

[Wood Rat]

More to the point, why would you play in a 16s tournament (which both played in last year) when you are playing with the big boys. It would be a step down in rugby quality. Give the shadows a run!

Kennewell didn't play last year

 

[The Taxi Driver]

Kennewell didn't play last year

Would have but for injury? Always been strong in this group, just ask Newington!

 

[Ruck & Maul 101]

Continually surprised by the exclusion of Joeys trio Tom Wright, Banjo Treavers and Eddy King from these rep teams, can't really see how the 3 best backs in a team which has dominated the GPS over the past few years can continue to be ingnored by rep selectors. Guess thats politics for ya.

R2
Eddy King didn't even trial and the two lads that made the Syd team as halves performed . As far as the schools team goes I think the half is a ISA lad and if performed extremely well also.

 

[The Taxi Driver]

R2
Eddy King didn't even trial and the two lads that made the Syd team as halves performed . As far as the schools team goes I think the half is a ISA lad and if performed extremely well also.

Who is the other halfback? Agree re Strang, disagree re Travers not being one of 4 half backs. What about Finnane? No 1 prop for Pres A and not selected? Wright as an alternate back? Maybe when Hutcho pulls out...

 

[Ruck & Maul 101]

Who is the other halfback? Agree re Strang, disagree re Travers not being one of 4 half backs. What about Finnane? No 1 prop for Pres A and not selected? Wright as an alternate back? Maybe when Hutcho pulls out.

The other halfback is Louis Heaton, he was the half for nsw 15's last year.
ISA front row far stronger than GPS front row and so was CHS front row

 

[10to12]

Guys its the under 16s schools rep team. The young ones both play school 16s and Simon and Henry could play but are good enough to play opens. Surely you want the best team the selectors can hobble together while negotiating with sydney juniors.As to whether Simon and Henry play, its up to them now that they have been picked. I would think thatthe selectors would have asked them about their availability

 

[Boof]

Although a talented player Jake Richards seems to have had free ride into the Schools side, he did his hammy in the first 10 minutes of the first game at Knox and did not return and also did not play in the State Cup but gets a guernsey over boys that played just another example of the politics, if you get injured like for 98% of those trialling it is just bad luck and this then gives another punter a chance,can often be how you will get your opportunity to play first grade.why do we need to pander to the minority and potentially miss the opportunity to see the majority.

 

[Colin Windon]

Although a talented player Jake Richards seems to have had free ride into the Schools side, he did his hammy in the first 10 minutes of the first game at Knox and did not return and also did not play in the State Cup but gets a guernsey over boys that played just another example of the politics, if you get injured like for 98% of those trialling it is just bad luck and this then gives another punter a chance,can often be how you will get your opportunity to play first grade.why do we need to pander to the minority and potentially miss the opportunity to see the majority.

I think you are being a little tough. You rightly start with the statement that the boy is talented as are all the boys vying for positions. I assume he must have a "body of work" behind him to be selected and wish him a quick recovery from injury. I assume the injury must be relatively minor in order to qualify for selection.

Good luck to all boys for upcoming games and for those not selected don't lose heart. As previously stated the "cream eventually rises to the top."

 

[Mutley]

Kennewell has always been one if the best outside backs in this age group. Richards is a good player but hasn't been up to his best all year so his involvement in NGS obviously helped.
Interesting to see CAS grab 4 or 5 forward spots. Bradford is best prop, Finane unlucky, I think McConnell ( joeys) is best lock but he missed, McCauley is also lucky. Couple if players who seem to be always injured but get selected, I think time will catch up with them as they are starting to be shown up. Three of the schools forward failed to impress in weekend, two if whom played selectively.

All star school backline. On form Maddocks should start at 10. MacGregor is a great player but has been shown up consistently when it has been wet.

SJRU looks to have done well in forward selections and on paper and form is probably a better pack. Solid backs with quality players but the Schools backline if they play as a team looks good

Some unlucky players in Juniors, a number if WZ forwards particularly King. Psaltis, Clements and Ignace are up to this Standard.

All in all I don't think selectors are too far off in both teams. There are always unlucky players!

 

[tomasi15]

Please post discussion of the teams, and the games themselves, in this thread.

Would Gaggerlanders post the teams when announced, and if possible list 1 to 15 and reserves, but if this is not known, the squad list will do.

NSW Schools Rugby Union
P. BRADFORD
H. CHAPMAN
J. DONATO
E. FILEMU
M. GIRDLER
N. GITTOES
H. GODDARD
T. HILL
H. HUTCHISON
S. KENNEWELL
S. LOGA-TAROGI
L. LOUGH
R. McCAULEY
J. McGREGOR
J. MADDUX
J. NETTLETON
A. NGUYEN
J. OXLEY
S. PASSFIELD
T. PIRODDI
G. PORTER
J. RICHARDS
J. STOREY

Sydney Junior Rugby Union
L. ANDERSON
H. CHAPMAN
C. CLIFFORD
B. DALTON
D. ENGLAND
E. FAATUI
S. GIBSON
A. HANCOCK
J. HAWKINS
L. HEATON
T. HORTON
L. HUGHES
C. HURLEY
T. LEAVER
D. LIGALIGA-TONSIE
H. MCLEANNAN
W. McRAE
L. MILHAM
C. ORPEN
L. SIMPSON
T. STRANG
F. TOOHEY
C. TUTUNOA

NSW Country Junior Rugby Union
L. BAKER
R. CONNOLLY
N. CUSHAN
I. ENRIGHT
B. FORD
R. GRAHAM
B. HAUVILLE
C. HICKS
H. JOHNSON-HOLMES
A. KING
N. McCROHON
R. PEDEN
D. PHILLIPS
A. POHLA
K. RAMPLIN-SMITH
D. RYAN
M. STEWART
J. STRANGE
J. THORNDYKE
S. TOWNSEND
Z. TRINKLER
D. WOODS
J. WOODS

Source:http://www.nswschoolsrugby.rugbynet.com.au/default.asp?id=201774

Why is the Sydney team not given the respectful State titleship it warrants & deserves. NSW Schools, NSW Country, NSW Metro? It essentially is the NSW Club representative at the U16s nationals. The fact that it is not acknowledged accordingly deems it to be in the eyes of those not familiar with the selection system and history of the teams that the Sydney team is just a secondary squad. Which those of us in the know understand is not the case.

 

[Brainstrust]

Kennewell has always been one if the best outside backs in this age group. Richards is a good player but hasn't been up to his best all year so his involvement in NGS obviously helped.
Interesting to see CAS grab 4 or 5 forward spots. Bradford is best prop, Finane unlucky, I think McConnell ( joeys) is best lock but he missed, McCauley is also lucky. Couple if players who seem to be always injured but get selected, I think time will catch up with them as they are starting to be shown up. Three of the schools forward failed to impress in weekend, two if whom played selectively.

All star school backline. On form Maddocks should start at 10. MacGregor is a great player but has been shown up consistently when it has been wet.

SJRU looks to have done well in forward selections and on paper and form is probably a better pack. Solid backs with quality players but the Schools backline if they play as a team looks good

Some unlucky players in Juniors, a number if WZ forwards particularly King. Psaltis, Clements and Ignace are up to this Standard.

All in all I don't think selectors are too far off in both teams. There are always unlucky players!

Agree that Maddux played well in the bog, as does England. McGregor will learn to play in the wet. I have talked to a few of those that have coached him and one of his great attributes as a 10 is that he is an attacking 10 and plays at the line when distributing, and no other 10 in this age group particularly can do that. He laid on 2 tries with brilliant balls in the schools final in conditions that just didn't suit ball playing. He simply needs to adjust his depth in the wet when kicking, simple as that. On the comments regarding Jake Richards, if you look at the ARU development pathway the National 16's tournament is a part of the pathway for NGS players, so his inclusion isn't surprising given he is in the NGS.

 

[Brainstrust]

I think you are being a little tough. You rightly start with the statement that the boy is talented as are all the boys vying for positions. I assume he must have a "body of work" behind him to be selected and wish him a quick recovery from injury. I assume the injury must be relatively minor in order to qualify for selection.

Good luck to all boys for upcoming games and for those not selected don't lose heart. As previously stated the "cream eventually rises to the top."

Fair call CW. The aim of the tournament is not a reward for trialling, or playing club, or playing school, whatever. The National 16's, hosted and mostly funded by the ARU is to have the best players available to play in that tournament. They have no political bias. Obviously if the ARU have identified boys such as Jake Richards into their NGS squad, and he is holding his position there, then he is probably easily eligible to be included. The tournament isn't until the end of September, so I expect he will be fit. If he isn't then someone else gets a go.

 

[sarcophilus]

​

What do you all think about Hutchison and Kennewell being selected for Under 16s schools when both are playing in NSW 2 and CS this week? Is this just Schools making sure they beat Qld or should two other 16s get a gig? No question as to their strength. ​

This is perfectly fine
A mature woman now and with her own practice, Verruca Salt rewrote the constitution in exchange for reduced school fees
schools are allowed to have more then one ompa loompa now

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Why is the Sydney team not given the respectful State titleship it warrants & deserves. NSW Schools, NSW Country, NSW Metro? It essentially is the NSW Club representative at the U16s nationals. The fact that it is not acknowledged accordingly deems it to be in the eyes of those not familiar with the selection system and history of the teams that the Sydney team is just a secondary squad. Which those of us in the know understand is not the case.

The Mandarins of the SJRU would beg to differ with your assessment and have fought long and hard to retain the rather inappropriate title of Sydney Juniors for one of the teams at National Under 16 tournament.

The Sydney JRU team notianally represents the union from which most of the players are supposed to represent.
Sydney JRU is a body affiliated to the NSW Junior RU, as is NSW Country JRU.
NSW Schools RU is a body affiliated to the Australian Schools RU.

The three teams chosen to represent the best U16 rugby players that are in NSW are the "best" players from the 3 affiliated bodies. Supposedly.

The kicker is that there is a massive Venn diagram overlap between three associations, Schools, Country and Juniors.

All NSW Under 16 boys are at School. It is the Law. Therefore all U16 kids in NSW are eligible for selection into NSW Schools RU team, whether their School has a rugby team playing regular or irregular competitions, or whether they play regular Village club footy with SJRU or NSW Country JRU.
Many kids selected for Sydney Junior RU do NOT play in the Sydney JRU U16 competition. There are eligibility loopholes in SJRU material and NSW JRU State Championships material that allow this to occur. Many of the so called "Ghost Players" have played for many years with Sydney Juniors.
All kids playing Sydney JRU or NSW Country JRU rugby can try out for a slot with their School Association rep team, or the two AAGPS Presidents Invitation Teams.

The inclusion of SJRU and NSW Country JRU teams in the National U16 champs are to "recognise" the valuable contribution to Junior development that these organisations do. To restrict the Sydney Juniors team to those boys who are regularly playing Village club rugby in a SJRU U16 competition would mean that the SJRU team would be about as competitive as ACT JRU, Vic JRU or the WA JRU teams. There would be a very large number of "better" boys that are locked up in the GPS, CAS and ISA Schools system who would not get in front of National Talent Scouts, Development officers and selectors if there wasn't a second pathway option available to those boys.

ARU continue to propose that there should be a NSW I, NSW II and Combined states model for National U16. NSW RU (primarily bowing to NSW Country JRU, and Sydney JRU [NSW JRU pressure] ) continue to resist this proposal, and occasionally threaten to boycott the National U16 Competition. Perhaps ARU should call their bluff, and simply invite NSW Schools RU to send two U16 teams to Nationals.

According to snouts, the issue of the naming of the NSW teams at National U16's is rather moot, because there will be a major upheaval of the National U16's next year (2014). Whether this happens or not will depend on a reading of the Chicken entrails. Reform has been threatened for about as many years as the Waratahs have threatened to win the Super Rugby tournament.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Guys its the under 16s schools rep team. The young ones both play school 16s and Simon and Henry could play but are good enough to play opens. Surely you want the best team the selectors can hobble together while negotiating with sydney juniors.As to whether Simon and Henry play, its up to them now that they have been picked. I would think thatthe selectors would have asked them about their availability

I have no problem with eligible players playing in their own age group, even if they have the skills to be selected, and may have even played in a higher age group tournaments.

As 10to12 says, this is the National Championships, and the best should be there, recognising that the term "Best" is a little subjective and subject to the prejudices of Selectors and Coaches intended gameplans, and the old chestnut of politics.

By the same thinking, the best of our 19 year olds should be at the Junior World Championships, regardless of whether they are in the Sevens programme or even playing Super Rugby. Failure to select the best eligible players guarantees that performances will be sub-standard.

Missing out on selection for one of the NSW teams at U16 level does not consign a boy to the selectors scrapheap for life. There are plenty of kids at Opens this week who were not at Under 16's, or aren't in the NGS. Keep going up the selectorial ranks and there are pplenty of Aust Schoolboys who do not make it to Academies, plenty of players in Aust U20's that are not NGS or Academy graduates. Plenty of Super Rugby professionals who were not Aust U20's, plenty of Wobs who were not in the National U16's.

Brainstrust was on the money with this contribution, that I recommend all read:

Well said HJ. The thing about selection is that as boys go higher there are more quality players vying for possibly the one spot, and depending on what the selectors or coaches are specifically looking for in a player will see many excellent rugby players miss out in that instance, and to be fair that is absolutely ok.

If a coach wants a certain type of player then he should have him. In terms of oz schools payers not going all the way, doesn't mean the selectors are wrong or biased, it just means that at that point in time, they were the best available to them. Good players stop playing after school, weaker payers grow and develop and keep playing, it doesn't mean selection is wrong.

If you have heard Eric Rush the former all black speak he tells a great story about when he was growing up he always trialled but never got picked. His father would always say " don't worry because its just one blokes opinion, maybe the next guy will think differently".

When he excitedly phoned his father to tell him he had been selected for the all blacks, his father congratulated him, but reminded him its just one blokes opinion, don't get a big head, because the next bloke may not like you.

That's my spin on selection, if you play well, sooner or later some one is going to see your skills suiting his game plan and you're in, doesn't mean everyone else was wrong.