Under-20 Competitions including Oceania & World U20s

[RebelYell]

I’d seriously worry about our future if some 19/20yr old good enough for the junior wallabies was playing colts. That’s not a ringing endorsement of their talents.

We need to somehow understand the narrative over here isn’t the actual reality. Our players and especially our youth play more amateur rugby than almost any other nation. Perhaps the Argentines are the only ones that match at a young age, but that all quickly stops when they move overseas to play and pretty sure they all sit in a national academy for large portions of the year. Perhaps this might actually be the issue why we aren’t progressing as a nation quicker than others.

On saying this perhaps how good have the guys done considering they aren’t getting the same pro experiences the others are getting?

Playing in colts as a 19y/o is not necessarily a measure of a player's long-term viability as a professional. Tom Lynagh played Colts last year and impressed in Super Rugby this year.

 

[Adam84]

I’d seriously worry about our future if some 19/20yr old good enough for the junior wallabies was playing colts. That’s not a ringing endorsement of their talents.

Im not.

development progress comes in various ways, playing in colts is still incredibly beneficial to players of enormous talent.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Jack Barrett I'm pretty sure had been playing mostly Colts for Randwick this year. He was one of our best and matched up with his opponents fine.

Front Row might be a bit of different story due to the physical development requirements of the position.

 

[Wilson]

Jack Barrett I'm pretty sure had been playing mostly Colts for Randwick this year. He was one of our best and matched up with his opponents fine.

Front Row might be a bit of different story due to the physical development requirements of the position.

You can probably extend that out to the entirety of the tight 5 - a lot of locks have plenty of growing still to do post 20, both up and out.

 

[Love2Scrum]

The last 5 years have been just that. The boys come out and get put in Club footy. Big difference between Club footy and the Top 14 or D2 though. This would also cull some of the Schoolboy talent who won’t kick on.

I’d say from 2005-2015ish we cotton willed the Aus schoolboys in Super rugby sides and they sat in suits for 3 years and then we would debut them and wonder why they weren’t up to it. If you look at team sheets from the first half of this years premier grades around the country almost all of these boys were playing every week if not on the bench for Super Rugby.

I STAND CORRECTED!!!

I wasn’t aware that most of these boys were playing in either club land or Super Rugby teams. My bad.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I think our development pathways are producing some good footballers at the moment. The task now is to get them to the next level.

 

[Joe King]

Anyone know if the u19 Super Rugby rep teams are playing in a comp again after club season?

I thought that was a pretty good concept last year. Made for a good pathway from club to state rep, affiliation with Super Rugby teams, and a good step up from club to potential u20 junior Wallabies the following year.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

 

[Highlander35]

Well that didn't take long to fix!

 

[Adam84]

Noting it’s schedule for April, i wonder if the U20s playing in Super Rugby will be held back from it or whether it will take priority.

 

[Wilson]

Noting it’s schedule for April, i wonder if the U20s playing in Super Rugby will be held back from it or whether it will take priority.

I'd prefer it took priority, but that might be a few years away given the current composition of our squads

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Good question. Will depend on the level of player and team situation as much of a cop out answer as that is. Jorgenson this year was going to be withdrawn right? Because he was the starting 15 for the Tahs.

I'd hope the guys that are probably numbers 22-30 in the squads will be released from being on the bench for Super Rugby to play in this.

 

[Adam84]

If a player is starting in Super Rugby and there’s no alternative, then perhaps he should be left in Super Rugby.

However I’d prefer the rest to be released, they shouldn’t be held back from U20s TRC only to sit on the bench for a Super Rugby team.

 

[Confucius Say]

Noting its schedule for April, i wonder if the U20s playing in Super Rugby will be held back from it or whether it will take priority.

Super Rugby would take priority for “development” but I would personally feel playing for your country is more important.

 

[Confucius Say]

What a good initiative from SANZAAR and with the RWC in Australia in 2027, it’s a good lead in for the best of the best young players. Gives a lot of young blokes a North Star to aim for over the next 8-9 months.

 

[RugbyReg]

So who of this years squad is ineligible next year?

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Haven’t checked but I’d say Wilson, Bowen, O’Donnell, Annan, Gordon are all going to ineligible being their 2nd years. Jack Barrett only in his first year out of school like Jorgenson so he could be a menace

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

What a good initiative from SANZAAR and with the RWC in Australia in 2027, it’s a good lead in for the best of the best young players. Gives a lot of young blokes a North Star to aim for over the next 8-9 months.

What would be really great is if they announce that they will be running a Super Rugby A (Aus based) featuring our 5 franchises plus the U20s. Ideally on a home and away (but I'll take a single round of games) basis giving not only the extended squad of each franchise more quality game time but the U20s time to build cohesion leading into both the U20s TRC and JWC.

 

[qwerty51]

Noting it’s schedule for April, i wonder if the U20s playing in Super Rugby will be held back from it or whether it will take priority.

I hope hope Super is prioritised becuase A) it needs to be, brings in the revenue etc. so we don't want to weaken our teams and B) yes despite missing from the team and losing cohesiveness, playing against men at a high level is far superior for development and prep for the JWC than the TRC u20s. The best NH u20s teams have the most guys they have had proper pro experience.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

U20 World Rugby Trophy:
Pool A

Pool B

Think most people would have automatically thought Scotland & Samoa for top of the Pools...