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The best XV of players from any school

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
I could sit and watch Karmichael/Kurtley schoolboy highlights for hours on end, for the sake of it i'd add Quade and Aiden Toua to the package just for my own enjoyment purposes. I wonder who will be the next to come through with that much ability, reports are Chris F'sautia (BSHS) is a freakishly good player. Not sure what to make of all that, but I'm browsing through my calender now trying to find an opportunity to see him play.


Toua was a wonderful schools player. When I first saw him in the Oz U16 tournament I thought he was Fijian, the way he played his rugby. Sometimes he just ran around and through players who looked like they were standing still, and sometimes they were because they didn't know what to do.


I didn't see QC (Quade Cooper) play for his school. He didn't shine in his U/16 tournament in Sydney and didn't compare with KB (Kurtley Beale), nor did he impress for Qld schools in the Opens the following year. Lucas was the Qld 10 and QC (Quade Cooper) was on the bench. The Oz Schools selectors knew his quality better than I did though and picked him for the 2005 Oz Schools reserves ahead of Lucas and Leali'ifano, the two Oz Schools flyhalves from the year before.


QC (Quade Cooper) wasn't that great in the 2006 Oz tournament the following year either but you could see some flashes of brilliance. It was only when I saw him play 12 outside KB (Kurtley Beale) versus Tongan Schools later that I realised how good he was. He was still throwing miracle passes as he did in the tournament, but the connection between 10 Beale and 12 Cooper was electric. They had a ball and were giggling like the Ella brothers after tries.


It was then I postulated in a few rugby forums that they could be in the same positions for the 2011 RWC if they stayed healthy and were still playing the union code, (they both looked like league players). How the world turns.


If you get a chance take the opportunity to watch Chris F'Sautia play. If he stays healthy he will end up an Oz Schools legend because it will be his 3rd year in the Oz Schools 1st XV and finish playing more Oz Schools "tests" than anybody else.

Even Beale didn't do that. He got injured before the 2004 GPS v CAS game and missed everything - and played later in the year in the U/16s tournament, as mentioned. It was probably better for him anyway. He was a very skinny kid then in a high traffic area.
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light

Peter Fenwicke (45)
Toua was a wonderful schools player. When I first saw him in the Oz U16 tournament I thought he was Fijian, the way he played his rugby. Sometimes he just ran around and through players who looked like they were standing still, and sometimes they were because they didn't know what to do.

If you get a chance take the opportunity to watch Chris F'Sautia play. If he stays healthy he will end up an Oz Schools legend because it will be his 3rd year in the Oz Schools 1st XV and finish playing more Oz Schools "tests" than anybody else.
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Yeah I spent a few years with Aiden as he grew up. What many people don't know was that he actually grew up playing soccer and was offered a soccer scholarship to churchie. Peer pressure forced him into the 15 man game and he's never looked back, Churchie soccer staff have claimed him ever since. Nevertheless, he had never touched a rugby ball in his life until he was 15 and immediately made an impact gaining rep selection. I've been tracking him ever since, good friend of his fathers. Praying that he makes a career out of it because the kid deserves it

As for Sautia, I have him penciled in for two weeks time against ACGS. I look forward with interest and will be back here to give you the comparison to the boys mentioned above.
 

dobduff11

Trevor Allan (34)
I don't think it has been posted yet so here you go, found this the other day and I now have an idea about why Lee thinks KB (Kurtley Beale) was a schoolboy god.

[video=youtube;ExhE0Qs0W68]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExhE0Qs0W68[/video]

Toua was a wonderful schools player.

From what I have seen on youtube and my own collection, Aidan has produced some scintillating stuff. Some of his runs are amazing and he has a left foot step I'm sure Quade wouldn't mind adding to his repertoire.

I won't embed them because it will clutter the post but if you want to see some Aidan Toua magic have a look at these videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzb8_VIrXr8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIMj69unFRQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsOcBBwRNao

Would loved to have seen Special K at school but there aren't any highlights on youtube so I can only guess at his talent.

When i finish school I am hoping to produce a highlights reel/ mini documentary on the 2007 Schoolboy season and the effect it has had on Australian rugby, hopefully I will be able to make use some of my videos as their are some quality highlights of JOC (James O'Connor)'s school days. I might fish for some more videos but at the moment exams take priority :)
 

Lee Grant

John Eales (66)
Its the way isn't it? Many schools play their best back at flyhalf so he gets his hands on the ball more even though he's not really a 10. Hawker could play anywhere in the backline if he had to though.

I see that Shore have named that new stand at Northbridge after him. It's the best schools stand in Sydney but the ground will always be compromised because the field is on a cricket oval which means that the action is too far away like at Kings and Riverview. It also means that there's a large muddy patch in the middle of the field during the rainy season.

It's not as bad as View in that regard though. That is a bloody shocker when it's been raining - almost as bad as at Sydney Uni Oval.

But I digress.
 

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Peter Fenwicke (45)
All those videos made me want to go practise my side step, how some people are that good is beyond me. More so Aidan, just cause he had only played rugby for 3 years and was selected in Oz A schools in grade 11.

Certainly would be able to create a decent schoolboys backline since 2000, obviously going on how they played at school (not after, hence ommision of WOBs).
10. Kurtley
12. Karmichael
13. Sautia
15. Toua

I like it :D
 
T

tranquility

Guest
As for Sautia, I have him penciled in for two weeks time against ACGS. I look forward with interest and will be back here to give you the comparison to the boys mentioned above.

Is this game at Churchie or State High?

In Aidan's very first ever year of rugby he played flyhalf for the As.
 

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Peter Fenwicke (45)
At State High.

And yeah, played there for a while but I think size was his problem, that and when they moved him to fullback he cut teams up like no one had ever seen before haha.
 

The_Brown_Hornet

John Eales (66)
Dobbie, thanks for the footage. Watching KB (Kurtley Beale) at schoolboys level must have been a treat for all those Joeys supporters like our man Lee. You know what stuck out for me though? The quality of the passing, starting with the half back, through KB (Kurtley Beale) and the other players. None of this over the head or behind the back rubbish we see at international level. Sympathetic passes, executed well. That, my friends, is how you play the game. It must get coached out of them by the time they get to first class or test level.
 

#1 Tah

Chilla Wilson (44)
I don't think it has been posted yet so here you go, found this the other day and I now have an idea about why Lee thinks KB (Kurtley Beale) was a schoolboy god.

[video=youtube;ExhE0Qs0W68]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExhE0Qs0W68[/video]

Who is that fullback, he looks pretty handy too?
 
T

TheNextBigThing

Guest
I seem to remember Betham playing at outside center at least for some his time in the 1s. I might be wrong though as I'm pretty sure I watched the same games as you Barabarian.

And Beale played in the 1s for three years 04, 05, 06.
Schoolboys 1s 05, 06 i think.
 

light

Peter Fenwicke (45)
I guess Sautia and Beale are in a class of their own. Although word has it that Chris is injured, out for 4-6 weeks and won't be back for BSHS until after semester break. That puts him out of GPS selection, surely the kid will walk into the Queensland Squad regardless how match fit he is? perhaps someone who knows a little more can enlighten me..
 

Brumbies Guy

John Solomon (38)
This is about your 8th post in the last 24hrs about him, would seem like the only person I can think of that would know more about Sautia is himself lol
 

Swarley

Bob Loudon (25)
Does anyone want to have a crack at a QLD GPS, NSW GPS, CAS, CHS and ACT comp? it would be interesting to see which of the groups has the stronger side

Without conducting any in-depth research, I reckon QLD GPS would have the strongest side. They've produced plenty of talented internationals in both League and Union. A large proportion of Australia's Super 15 playing pool are GPS Old Boys, off the top of my head:

1. Paul Alo- Emile (BSHS)
2. Stephen Moore (BGS)
3. James Slipper (TSS)
4. Nathan Sharpe (TSS)
5. James Horwill (BBC)
6. Rocky Elsom (NC)
7. David Pocock (ACGS)
8. Scott Higginbotham (TSS)
9. Will Genia (BBC)
10. Quade Cooper (ACGS)
11. Digby Ioane (GT)
12. Berrick Barnes (IGS)
13. Peter Hynes (BSHS)
14. Luke Morahan (TSS)
15. James O'Connor (NC)
----------------------------
16. James Hanson (GT)
17. Mark Chisholm (GT)- Couldn't find another prop
18. Rob Simmons (TSS)
19. Richard Brown (NC)
20. Ben Lucas (GT)
21. Matt To'omua (BSHS)
22. Rod Davies (IGS)

Pretty formidable squad IMO.
 
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