Sydney Academy - 32 Tonga A 18
At least that was the score on the PA. I had something else, but I yak a lot at games and miss stuff - so I'd back the PA guy.
The Tonga A team wasn't as strong as the Samoa A team on Thursday though their fullback ran through 4 or 5 tackles to set up a cracking try and looked like he could play for the Chiefs one day.
It was good to see last year's Oz Schools players David Horwitz and Lalakai Foketi start in a non-school game; and two others, Jack Dempsey and Matt Phillip, come off the bench.
Horwitz didn't play as well as he did against Samoa last week, but he has the look about him that he is going to go places. Foketi was underwhelming, but he will put that in his rugby bank and learn from it. He will be a fine senior player one day.
There have been some lads playing last week and this who were coming back from long injuries.
Wessells started today and had a strong running game.
BJ Hartmann missed all of last year and now has two games under his belt. Boyd Killingworth missed most of last year, but although he was blowing hard at the end, his big engine was still ticking over. He's obviously used his down time to put on a bit of pork too.
According to the fathers of both lads they were both nervous about playing after their long injuries, but they came through with flying colours.
Hooker Hugh Roach was the standout player: he was ferocious and showed his joy of contact. I didn't think the gym junkie could bulk up any more but it looks like he has. He's moving sideways.
Two other players took my eye: 8. Sam Quinn from Uni and 14.Jac Cameron from Norths, not least because I didn't know them (or had forgotten). They are two likely lads: Quinn has a Keiran Read style, and Cameron is elusive - sometimes his pony tail went one way and he went the other.
It must be good for these young fellows to be schooled in the Academy for a couple of years whilst they are playing in Colts - though some of the older boys are already well-established in Grade, even 1st Grade.
I hope along the way the backs learn to pass better than they have in the two Academy games to date.
.
