NSW AAGPS Rugby 2014

[connor95]

Spotted at Hunters Hill was the $cotts 1st XV coaching staff. Dressed in casual clothes (surprising considering the salary M. Blackburn is on) with baseball caps and dark sun glasses (where was the sun???) it all failed to hide their identities and the video camera they brought with them. When confronted by a supporter they claimed they were just "rugby" supporters. Wonder what they thought of the game? The NC 15 impressed. Joeys seemed to be fielding a variety of combinations. Some soft tries leaked but nothing at this stage that indicate either school will be "world dominators".

typical trial from the sounds of things

 

[Tahspark]

Great conditions at Northbridge after the recent unseasonably favourable dry spell.

Shore kicked off and chased with optimum enthusiasm, regathered and scored a few phases later whilst some spectators were still taking their seats. Kings struggled to get out of their half for most of the 1st half. Kings opened their scoring with a penalty shot. However, Shore collected their 2nd converted try for a 14-3 half-time lead.

Kings enjoyed the territorial advantage for a large slab of the 2nd half as Shore continued to repel multiple phases. Kings were a bit one out & didn't display much variation whilst camped on Shore's goal line. Eventually Shore succumbed & it was game on at 14-10.

Finally Shore enjoyed some front foot ball & 13 (Kemball) sliced through & looked certain to score only to be denied by #15 (Richards) desperate last ditch cover tackle. Shortly thereafter Shore opted for a penalty goal & took a 17-10 lead. Kings had their moments late but were unable to sustain pressure & Shore secured their well earned victory.

Although the Shore pack appeared to be the lesser in both the height & weight stakes to the Kings' pack, Shore was mobile & gritty all afternoon. Kings were often keen to go wide but were frequently too lateral and Shore picked off their side ways runners.

Shore will win more of these tight type encounters this season. Kings will rue some of their options but will need more variety in attack to challenge well organized defences.

 

[knock on]

Joeys seem to be very under done leading into the first round. There was a worrying lack of cohesion far too much ball going to ground putting the team under pressure. Their tries came from individual efforts to wright, gittoes, Horton and grant rather than any great team work. NC pack dominated as joeys failed to lay a platform for the backs to work off. That said it was only one point the difference and joeys treated it far more as a real trial with a lot of player rotation and different combinations, the 15 starters certainly have potential as a unit but Scots next week will be a big test indeed.

 

[topgun]

Newington may have 'pipped' Joey's in the final minutes of the game but Joeys only managed to stay in the game with the boot. A couple of badly placed conversions set New behind but they were the dominant team throughout the match.

 

[knock on]

New scored 6 tries to 5 and yes deserved the win. But neither side dominated. Joeys scored first and led by 10 points at one stage. Newington were more composed and cohesive and controlled long passages of the game. But there was nothing comprehensive about the game or result. Remember too that joeys led when they had their best 15 on and then started rotating a lot of players. Still joeys have work to do especially in the forwards.

 

[random2]

Agree with whats being said, a deserved win by Newington but neither side dominated by any means. Both sides seemed to be more individuals then teams and whilst there was a lot of bad things to come from the game, there was also a lot of good. Newingtons centres will again be hard to stop this year, Kennewell, Latu and Sepasa were all stand outs. For Joeys, a lot of rotating especially in the second half to have a final look at combinations but Horton, McDonnell and O'Shea were all solid. Plenty of Scots and View boys out at Hunters Hill for the game and neither of them would be too frightened by what they saw. Bring on round 1

 

[lineoutjumper]

shore 2nd XV 13 - kings 2nd XV 15
shore didn't deserve to lose, played good running rugby and defence was excellent really hard done by the ref and the outside backs of kings, a shocking call which Allowed kings to take the game winning penalty- shore seconds will be hard to stop this year as there 1sts

 

[Quick Hands]

Boil over at Hunters Hill New has pipped Joeys on the bell 34 -33... going to be an interesting GPS season...

Good to see New and Shore get up this weekend.

 

[Quick Hands]

Did the rumoured TSC v Manly Colts match go ahead? Any result?

 

[Ted S]

The New v Joeys game, as mentioned, was not great, but enjoyable.
The back's structure from both teams was missing to a certain extent. Both teams made changes throughout the game and I do agree that Joeys seemed to be more dominant in the earlier parts of the game.

The goal kicking from Joey's boys all day (through all grades) was superb.
The refereeing was very good all day as well, until the firsts that is.

In the end, New were a bit lucky to get the win, but they were up against it with poor goal kicking and some very strange refereeing decisions

 

[oarsome]

shore 2nd XV 13 - kings 2nd XV 15
shore didn't deserve to lose, played good running rugby and defence was excellent really hard done by the ref and the outside backs of kings, a shocking call which Allowed kings to take the game winning penalty- shore seconds will be hard to stop this year as there 1sts

Unsure about whether it was a shocking call

 

[Outsidein]

Unsure about whether it was a shocking call

The boy who was pilfering, I believe had a #15 on his jersey, had let go of the ball and player after being asked to "release". After releasing him, the grounded player released the ball aswell, leaving the ball to flick out of the ruck giving a penalty against SHORE for not releasing. The referee should have acknowledged the fact that #15 had let go and it was the pressure of the ruck that led the ball to be turned over.

 

[oarsome]

The boy who was pilfering, I believe had a #15 on his jersey, had let go of the ball and player after being asked to "release". After releasing him, the grounded player released the ball aswell, leaving the ball to flick out of the ruck giving a penalty against SHORE for not releasing. The referee should have acknowledged the fact that #15 had let go and it was the pressure of the ruck that led the ball to be turned over.

I thought that the #15 stripped the ball out - didn't realise he released the player

 

[Outsidein]

I thought that the #15 stripped the ball out - didn't realise he released the player

Yes, very hard to determine both as a referee and a spectator. Hard call to make, especially in such a tight game. What did you think of the game?

 

[oarsome]

Yes, very hard to determine both as a referee and a spectator. Hard call to make, especially in such a tight game. What did you think of the game?

Very entertaining game of footy. The kings forwards were seemed to have the better or the Shore team, they will be set to be a dominant pack when they are fully fit, a few players looked a little out of condition. It will definitely be interesting to see how the team compares to other GPS schools.

In the shore team, Haskard in the second row was strong with several hit ups. Rixon on the wing had a blinder for a debut game for a small lad who i believe is only in year 10.

 

[fireball]

Watching the recent trials joeys still have some selection issues. For mine mccutcheon is not a 13 he is more effective on the wing. A back 3 of wright grant and mccutcheon would be very strong and super fast. Lachie Phillips needs to come in at 13 and scolari drop out of the backline he just doesn't offer the same attacking game as the other boys. Banjo travers is a better option at half and Marcus cutler must be under pressure to hold his front row spot he was poor against newington. With canturi to return from injury joeys could put a much stronger better balanced team on the park for game 1 against scots.

 

[rugbyfanatic123]

Any team lists for Newington yesterday?

 

[lineoutjumper]

@oarsome I may be wrong but the shore seconds have two players who are meant to be in the 16s this year, Rixon (11) and Hedge (2) both who in their respected positions got over their opposite numbers (maybe some potential for shore???)

 

[the_magician]

Result of Riverview 3rd XV match? They are looking strong

 

[oarsome]

@oarsome I may be wrong but the shore seconds have two players who are meant to be in the 16s this year, Rixon (11) and Hedge (2) both who in their respected positions got over their opposite numbers (maybe some potential for shore???)

Consistency will tell the tale for both those players in terms of potential this season for Shore.