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U18 Academy Games and Australia U18s

The Ghost of Raelene

The Ghost of Raelene

Simon Poidevin (60)
Steve_Grey said:
Not sure about the 23-25 games? Sydney AAGPS play 10 games each season (home and away for 6 teams). Couple of trial games, and a couple of rep games.

15 games if you are lucky? Or has the season expanded to more than home/away now?
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10 season, 4-5 trials, 2-3 holiday games then a lot end up in at least one of the 4 rep sides for another 2 games.

For the ones that go further they’ll get another 4-5 games of state v state usually 2 then Aus games 2-3.
 
The Ghost of Raelene

The Ghost of Raelene

Simon Poidevin (60)
Steve_Grey said:
It is a good idea - but I think you need to raise the age to maybe U23, as there are limited showcase opportunities after U20s as a group (some play Grade, some give up, some go to NRL etc.)
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Like the idea of an older age. It lets the tight forwards develop.

Problem is the fact it would showcase kids to international club comps and while we aren’t open slather on wallaby selection it could be a disaster.
 
F

farrellybros

Frank Row (1)
hituplover said:
whats the go with no jaques, brial, poyton, le maitire etc.

Did they just not pick the best players ?. Surley they are not all injured
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Jaques & Brial injured. Le Maître is quality but probably had a lesser showing on that day and I think size will continue to be an issue there plus if the likes of Walsh, Jaques etc were there then maybe game plan changes and he’s an option. Not sure what the story is with Poynton - I would have thought his versatility was attractive
 
The Ghost of Raelene

The Ghost of Raelene

Simon Poidevin (60)
farrellybros said:
Jaques & Brial injured. Le Maître is quality but probably had a lesser showing on that day and I think size will continue to be an issue there plus if the likes of Walsh, Jaques etc were there then maybe game plan changes and he’s an option. Not sure what the story is with Poynton - I would have thought his versatility was attractive
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Someone should get in Le Maîtres’ ear and make him a 9.

He’s tough as nail with a great running game. Size may be an issue as he progresses to against men at 7 but I could see him being a Halfback easily. Was great in open play all year for Shore.
 
R

Raytah

Chris McKivat (8)
Brian O’Driscoll said:
Schools just won 12-7 Australia was abysmal. The academies need to have a good hard look at themselves especially the reds because the majority were embarrassing. Howard was good, Grenfell that would be it from the Reds. Again NSW will have the majority.
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Watch the first game. The Aus U18s team (which had most of the lads picked for NZ today) were dominant. Not perfect, but looked pretty good to me.
 
R

Raytah

Chris McKivat (8)
The Ghost of Raelene said:
First of all. Well done to Aus Schools. Great effort to get an underdog win and play with a chip on your shoulder.

It's somewhat good to read the names most thought would be good performers, perform at least. Grover, Fonua Makasini...

Lemoto is a handful every time I saw him play this year. Seems simplistic he was shoved at 12 for a couple of games for Scots when he's clearly an effective 8. Can't see league letting this guy go. He's the prototype metre eater for them.

@Raytah could the other Prop have been Goddard? Didn't see the game but I rate him highly as a prospect.
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Mot Goddard, although liked the look of his scrummaging last year and saw he has been named for NSW 19s. Think it was Uys, who has ended up in the 26 for NZ.
 
M

moa999

Tom Lawton (22)
So is this also a case of the poor misalignment of the two systems for LM and other PONI members.

Viewed as too good for the Schoolboys pathway so they miss out on the Fiji tour that's just commenced, as well as a bunch of trial games, but also fail at the final hurdle for U18 selection and miss the NZ tour.

Who are the 13? @Mule
 
M

Mule

Ted Fahey (11)
moa999 said:
So is this also a case of the poor misalignment of the two systems for LM and other PONI members.

Viewed as too good for the Schoolboys pathway so they miss out on the Fiji tour that's just commenced, as well as a bunch of trial games, but also fail at the final hurdle for U18 selection and miss the NZ tour.

Who are the 13? @Mule
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Bennett Armistead (Reds)
Bailey Bouquaiux (Brumbies)
Dylan Bretton (Brumbies)
Toby Brial (Waratahs)
Tom Hartman (Waratahs)
Talia'uli Latukefu (Brumbies)
Marshall Le Maitre (Waratahs)
Lehopo Leota (Reds)
Jay McKenzie (Waratahs)
Charlie Poynton (Waratahs)
Treyvon Pritchard (Reds)
Manaia Tetana (Force)
Joe Walsh (Waratahs)

injured, overlooked or league….
 
S

Steve_Grey

Jimmy Flynn (14)
Rugby Survivor said:
That is a pretty unfair comment on what the clubs do and their respective Colts coaches or Directors of Rugby. If you did not have the clubs or those employees then you don't have somewhere for those school graduates to play. The clubs provide the structure and coaches for training up to three times per week. They support those players with S&C and medical throughout the whole year. They do this without any funding support from Rugby Australia. We need a better pathway for the elite players but if they don't play for their club they aren't playing in any other competition.
The pathways have been poorly coached and I must say poorly identified for a long time. How can you have the third rate Australian Schools team beating the supposedly Australian U18's team. It is a joke and the people in those positions who have done the selections need to have a big hard look at themselves and what they are actually doing at the selection table.
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Agreed on your defence of the Clubs - they provide one of the few pathways for U20s to play 25+ games a year, with Coaching and S&C, against their age group piers. Those U20s either stay in Colts Sides or play Grade if they are good enough.

If that (U20s Club) pathway was removed, where would our players go?? Would the 'PONI's simply be holding tackle bags and pumping iron in their respective Super Rugby Gyms?

I reiterate that IMO we would be better served by having academies attached to Clubs rather than Super Franchises (except those who the Super Rugby want to sign with $$$ Elite Contracts).
 
B

Brian O’Driscoll

Chris McKivat (8)
hituplover said:
whats the go with no jaques, brial, poyton, le maitire etc.

Did they just not pick the best players ?. Surley they are not all injured
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The selectors clearly have no clue. Poynton will be a superstar in whatever code he plays. Finn Mackay kicked the ball dead twice and failed to find touch on three occasions from penalties how does he get picked? Conway went missing but he is there. They got picked purely because they are signed on multi year academy deals. Are they the best in their positions absolutely not but because they are signed and the ARU is run by the old boys network they are walk up starts.
 
R

Raytah

Chris McKivat (8)
So, seeing squad named today would expect the XV vs NZ to look like:

Uys
Grenfell
Hill / Langi
Ross / Thompson
Fonua
Langi / Cleverly
Robinson
Lemoto / Talialeva
Grover / Blank
Fowler / Mackay
Conway
Takai / Fittler
Goldsborough
Makasini
Bassingthwaite
 
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