Sydney Colts 2012

[Iluvmyfooty]

A full strength Uni may be hard to achieve as I think there is some player points restrictions that may apply in what team Uni puts on the field.

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

I think West Harbour have a very strong pack & would dominate every team in the comp scrumwise ,& in the tight stuff , however they have had 3 of their forwards missing
recently , 2 in the under 20 tournament in South Africa , & one in the current schools tournament , so they probably won't have this advantage against Manly , who , as has
been mentioned , are a good all round team. Could be a different story in the semi's , when they are back though.

Who are the players in SA and in the Schools championship

 

[Done that]

Who are the players in SA and in the Schools championship

Alan Ala'alatoa , Senio Toleafoa ,Phil Maunukeu

 

[Spewn]

Could you be the same Spewn who predicted that "Uni won't win the title. Easts or Manly will when their Colts 2 teams are at "full strength" back in 2011. Bit of a recurring anti Uni theme to your posts. Neither Easts nor Manly were not even in the final or grand final to play Uni let alone beat them in 2011.

It seems like Wests are shaping up well this year and they certainly gave Uni a fright in round one so it would not surprise to see these 2 teams slug it out in the GF this year. From what I have seen most of the other clubs would struggle against a full strenght Uni.

Predictions can be unpredictable. Without doubt Uni has the best across the team fitness. I'm not so sure they have the best team. I rate Randwick and Wests forwards as being harder in the collisions but not as fit. Manly is a very well drilled team - nice to watch. Easts haven't got any try scoring power. Eastwood are below par. I'm not anti-Uni I just don't think that they're that good. I suspect they steamroll teams in the final ten minutes. That doesn't mean much at the end of the season when match fitness evens out. I'll predict this much - Easts have no chance of winning. Although they have good players in some positions they haven't got the strike power - hence they won't beat Uni twice this year (would have been three times if they had beaten Randwick), only once.

 

[Eyes and Ears]

Having watched Uni Colts over the past decade, they have had the ability to go up a couple of gears when finals come around. Some good quality teams have been blown away. If these other teams are legitimate challengers, they will need to realise that they must also be 10-20% better and handle the pressure of the big games. They also have to overcome the disadvantages of finishing behind them on the minor premiership table.

 

[It is what it is]

Having watched Uni Colts over the past decade, they have had the ability to go up a couple of gears when finals come around. Some good quality teams have been blown away. If these other teams are legitimate challengers, they will need to realise that they must also be 10-20% better and handle the pressure of the big games. They also have to overcome the disadvantages of finishing behind them on the minor premiership table.

Spot on E&E (where are your ears by the way?).
The week off from finishing 1st or 2nd is a huge advantage after a long season.
They build and taper well and have benches that would start for most/all other clubs.

 

[Bruce Ross]

Without doubt Uni has the best across the team fitness. I'm not so sure they have the best team. I rate Randwick and Wests forwards as being harder in the collisions but not as fit. Manly is a very well drilled team - nice to watch. Easts haven't got any try scoring power. Eastwood are below par. I'm not anti-Uni I just don't think that they're that good. I suspect they steamroll teams in the final ten minutes. That doesn't mean much at the end of the season when match fitness evens out.

Having watched Uni Colts over the past decade, they have had the ability to go up a couple of gears when finals come around. Some good quality teams have been blown away. If these other teams are legitimate challengers, they will need to realise that they must also be 10-20% better and handle the pressure of the big games. They also have to overcome the disadvantages of finishing behind them on the minor premiership table.

Spot on E&E (where are your ears by the way?).
The week off from finishing 1st or 2nd is a huge advantage after a long season.
They build and taper well and have benches that would start for most/all other clubs.

I watch Uni Colts every week. I was surprised when Spewn earlier in the thread said that he didn't think Uni could win the competition after their game against Easts. The scoreline was 32-0 on a very heavy track with constant rain. More importantly my perception was that in that game the Uni team really muscled up, something that they normally haven't done.

Last year they were well beaten twice by Easts and once by Manly because they played like Christian gentlemen and let the opposition come at them which the enemy did with great enthusiasm and aggression. Uni were also extremely lucky to get away with the semi-final against Randwick. They got out of jail in that one but then were quite dominant in the Grand Final.

It is useful I think to focus on Spewn's statement:

I suspect they steamroll teams in the final ten minutes. That doesn't mean much at the end of the season when match fitness evens out.​

Normally that would be the case. By the end of the season all of the teams still in contention are fit in the sense of running fitness. But where the Uni First Grade (not Colts) team typically surges in the last quarter of the game is because they are stronger and more powerful than their opponents, the result of heavy weight training virtually year round. This season the Colts are training heavier and more intensively than in any previous season. And if they can maintain the aggression and commitment they showed on Saturday it will take a very good side to beat them.
.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

What has to be worrying is the lack of numbers playing colts across all clubs. 3rd grade this year seems to have more byes than games.

Has the colts become too elitist and consequently the "battlers" are skipping SRU colts and going straight to subbies colts? Worse would be if they are simply stopping all forms of rugby altogether after school.

There was a time where 4th and 5th grade colts teams were the norm.

There is a suspicion that the colts elitism, and fast tracking of schoolboy stars may have been a contributory factor to our under achievement at U20's world cup.

 

[AussieDominance]

Let's get some facts right first....

Parra v Gordon game was not called off 15 mins before time. Though that is Gordon's claim. According to the ref, there was less than 90 seconds remaining and he was sick of Gordon's sledging and also sick of Parra's reactions to it. This came direct from the ref. If he had any issues with the behaviour, he would have submitted an incident report..which he did not.

On the scuffle after the Eastwood 1st Grade match, this did happen. Perhaps you should question Eastwood as to why they smuggled alcohol into a licenced venue? The incident was blown out of proportion, as it was over as quickly as it started as members of both clubs just removed those more lubricated than others from the venue. Nothing more than intoxicated people being removed happened. It's just that those who were removed, were not happy about it.

This is incorrect information. I was playing this game. The game was called off because the referee felt that Parramatta would rather try and start fights than play Rugby(due to the scoreline).

Two Physio's had to step in when six Parramatta players attacked a Gordon player over the sideline.

This was called with 15 minutes to go.

 

[AussieDominance]

Totally agree with Bruce if Uni get beaten it will take a bloody good colts side when Gordon played them it was a contest for 60 minutes then superior fitness and strength and power in the last quarter was too hard to handle.

 

[I like to watch]

This is incorrect information. I was playing this game. The game was called off because the referee felt that Parramatta would rather try and start fights than play Rugby(due to the scoreline).

Two Physio's had to step in when six Parramatta players attacked a Gordon player over the sideline.

This was called with 15 minutes to go.

why would the ref call off a match 15 minutes early, and not make a formal report.Why hasn't the club escalated the matter?
some serious questions to be answered.

 

[Veteran101]

I'm not anti-Uni I just don't think that they're that good. I suspect they steamroll teams in the final ten minutes. That doesn't mean much at the end of the season when match fitness evens out. .

Correct. Undefeated. But will they win? No in my view. Randwick has a better pack for one. Manly is a better balanced team. West Harbour has a better pack. That will do for now. I expected something better from an undefeated team even taking into account the weather and the talent drain to the superb under 20s squad. Disappointed. Hence my bold prediction.

​

Randwick has a better pack but yet uni won 42-14. Manly has a better pack then randwick but lost 45-11, and West have a good pack and uni underestimated them but uni won 34-27. If you have a good "pack" I would think your pack wouldnt uni's (not so good pack) put more then 40 on you. I doubt anyone will catch up to uni's fitness, if other teams get fitter towards the end....wouldnt they aswell?​

 

[Informer]

Uni also have a habit of leaving the best to last. Careful game management throughout the year can see boys who play up in grade for most of the year can also qualify for the Colts finals. There were a few boys in the GF last year who spent most of their time playing grade. Dunbar and Latu would fit the mould this year, plus Skelton has yet to make an appearance, so we are yet to see the best Uni colts have to offer on the paddock.

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

Speaking of Skelton where has he been all year? For that matter any word on Michael Wells (Norths) and Cam Clarke (Gordon?) - both have been absent from colts all year. Injuries or travelling or given up entirely - anyone got any word?

 

[Tahboy]

Uni as always are a classy side but I think there biggest advantage is they can bring on replacements who can make a difference as against other clubs bring on players to make up the numbers
They also have a very good goal kicker in Hodge and I have noticed they take more shots at penalty goals than previously
The difficult part is you have to play them for 80 minutes and really be aware of the last 5 minutes of the first half and first 10 minutes of the 2nd half
I know when Randwick played them this year Randwick competed for all but the last 30 seconds of the first half and the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half and uni put on 3 tries and it's game over
There defence structure is very good and I think this is the hardest part of an opposition game plan to be able to score tries as against them scoring tries
It will be interesting to see if they win the comp but they will have to work for it which is all everyone wants to see a good fair finish to a great competition and a great advert for Aust rugby

 

[Done that]

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Randwick has a better pack but yet uni won 42-14. Manly has a better pack then randwick but lost 45-11, and West have a good pack and uni underestimated them but uni won 34-27. If you have a good "pack" I would think your pack wouldnt uni's (not so good pack) put more then 40 on you. I doubt anyone will catch up to uni's fitness, if other teams get fitter towards the end..wouldnt they aswell?​

I think Uni have the best team overall & will win the comp.
However I was at the Uni / Wests game & don't know how you can dismiss the West performance by " Uni underestimated them " ?
How can you justify that assessment of the 2 teams ?
Wests have a number of high calibre players who are well known to the Uni players & coach , & are traditionally a strong team each year in the colts competition, & I'm know Uni expected a tough game.
If you were there you would have formed the impression , as did most of the Uni supporters , that they were fortunate to get the win .
As it was Uni won on goal kicks , with the try count being 4 each , & the Wests half back falling over in the soft ground & spilling the ball backwards , close to his line , about 60 secs from the end , for Uni to pick up & run about 1 metre to score.
Uni are probably the fittest team , however some of this advantage may be nullified if the opposition team is not playing in the 2 grade grand final & can bring on fresh reserves.

 

[Informer]

Speaking of Skelton where has he been all year? For that matter any word on Michael Wells (Norths) and Cam Clarke (Gordon?) - both have been absent from colts all year. Injuries or travelling or given up entirely - anyone got any word?

I understand Clarke has recurring injuries and is still struggling for fitness. He was the water boy for the game against Uni. Once he is fit he is unlikely to play for Norths and will concentrate on his sevens commitments. Not sure what happened to Wells, I thought he was in the trial squad for the under 20 team but no mention of him lately.

 

[supporter]

Uni are probably the fittest team
-------------------
Uni fitness training is a testing exercise for those who like to continue on at Uni Rugby. If they don't like it - the message from the coaches - find another club. No wonder they reap the reward at game time.

 

[Veteran101]

I think Uni have the best team overall & will win the comp.
However I was at the Uni / Wests game & don't know how you can dismiss the West performance by " Uni underestimated them " ?
How can you justify that assessment of the 2 teams ?
Wests have a number of high calibre players who are well known to the Uni players & coach , & are traditionally a strong team each year in the colts competition, & I'm know Uni expected a tough game.
If you were there you.

Speaking of Skelton where has he been all year? For that matter any word on Michael Wells (Norths) and Cam Clarke (Gordon?) - both have been absent from colts all year. Injuries or travelling or given up entirely - anyone got any word?

I was there. Look at the team selected then, and then look at the teams now. Very different players playing then in that game then now.

Skelton out with a fracture to his foot, will be back in a few weeks.

 

[lily]

Wells injured. Wont play this year.