Under-20 Competitions including Oceania & World U20s

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Would like to see an inventory of how much actual rugby (game time minutes) has been played this year before this tournament by:

Mac Grealy
Kalani Thomas
Floyd Aubrey
Lopeti Faifua
Mason Gordon

How can they be expected to perform at this level when between them, they would be lucky to have played 15-20 game between them?

Good point.

You hear about how the young English and French boys come through having played so much rugby and it makes it’s such an easier transition.

Rae Rae

 

[For the Love of the Game]

Final score?

 

[qwerty51]

Would like to see an inventory of how much actual rugby (game time minutes) has been played this year before this tournament by:

Mac Grealy
Kalani Thomas
Floyd Aubrey
Lopeti Faifua
Mason Gordon

How can they be expected to perform at this level when they would be lucky to have played 15-20 game between them?

And this is what happens when you only have 5 professional teams in the country!!!!!!!!!

 

[Confucius Say]

They are chosen from within Academies, not one player without at least an academy contract. Last year’s squad had two players that weren’t signed. They don’t seem to look beyond what has been chosen for them.

Does anyone else even get a look? We unfortunately have placed too low a priority on this pathway. Know it’s primarily a money thing and top down driven as a result, but without development how are the Wallabies looking in another 4-5 years?

Speaking of top down driven. I guess they pulled the plug on the Stan coverage?

 

[Wallaby Man]

I don’t really agree that there is better talent being missed/overlooked in favour of the private schools. A lot of them demand selection in rep teams when GPS schools especially in NSW dominate the rep games against other associations. It’s Rugby Australia’s problem to sell the sport and get other groups involved. Without the private schools imagine where we would be.

Most of these boys should be playing club by this stage.

Rae Rae

The best talent at public schools end up at private schools anyway. Private school fees aren’t an issue if you are an elite junior in most sports around the country.

 

[Confucius Say]

And this is what happens when you only have 5 professional teams

They could have all been playing week in week out grade. Some of the squad have been this year but weren’t picked to start today. Obviously no currency in match fitness and game awareness. It is all about the camps and the training paddock.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

They could have all been playing week in week out grade. Some of the squad have been this year but weren’t picked to start today. Obviously no currency in match fitness and game awareness. It is all about the camps and the training paddock.

Think this also goes back to the quality of this group.

Some of these boys are only playing Colts against boys that are good enough for NPC and Super Rugby. If you can’t crack 1st grade club footy you are going to struggle.

Rae Rae

 

[KiwiM]

Final score?

69-12

 

[Adam84]

69-12

could be worse

 

[For the Love of the Game]

69-12

Cheers Mate

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

Afraid you might be right. Just a weak age group. It happens

depends if you select the right names out of the cohort.

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

I am not familiar with schoolboys rugby or age groups Reg so I can't offer anyone. But I'll be damned that I would believe the average sized player in this country is substantially smaller than counterparts from elsewhere. Small and pretty doesn't cut it against tough opponents.

Maybe as others here often complain the problem is one of selection primarily from private schools and a closer look needs to be taken of club players. What say you?

The problem is that the system is set up to promote schoolboys into super rugby when it should be the schools promote into clubland then the players develop further before getting super rugby contracts.

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

They are chosen from within Academies, not one player without at least an academy contract. Last year’s squad had two players that weren’t signed. They don’t seem to look beyond what has been chosen for them.

Does anyone else even get a look? We unfortunately have placed too low a priority on this pathway. Know it’s primarily a money thing and top down driven as a result, but without development how are the Wallabies looking in another 4-5 years?

doesnt help when the qld academy is a basket case for u20 cohort.
No games this year
No training camps or get togethers
Nominated a handful to Junior Wallabies instead of preparing a team ready for selection

 

[Wallaby Man]

doesnt help when the qld academy is a basket case for u20 cohort.
No games this year
No training camps or get togethers
Nominated a handful to Junior Wallabies instead of preparing a team ready for selection

QLD u20 played the Rebels very recently.

 

[RugbyReg]

QLD u20 played the Rebels very recently.

18s?

 

[Wallaby Man]

18s?

You’re right my bad

 

[Oldschool]

Would like to see an inventory of how much actual rugby (game time minutes) has been played this year before this tournament by:

Mac Grealy
Kalani Thomas
Floyd Aubrey
Lopeti Faifua
Mason Gordon

How can they be expected to perform at this level when they would be lucky to have played 15-20 game between them?

100%
Lopeti, (who I rate BTW) since he came over from NZ 3 years ago, probably has played 2 games for Wests and has either been injured or in the wider Reds training group.
These boys need time in the saddle, not holding tackle bags.

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

interesting to note one of NZ u20 locks - Taylor Cahill was a Kenmore Bears Junior.
Not sure when or why he went to NZ but would have been nice to have him in the Aussie pathways.

 

[Garry Owens]

Just on the size thing .....I don't know that going bigger just for the sake of bigger is the answer . In tight 5 spots....sure. But elsewhere not at the expense of game smarts and skill .

Rugby , in this country at least , seems to have a pre-occupation of size for size sake and think that can compensate for poor organisational development and delivery. The game is slow enough ( and getting slower ) with the rapidly antiquated set piece farces and overly complicated and inconsistent breakdown laws , the combination of which , sees less ball in hand / running rugby - and hence , less skill development . And which rewards "boppas" at the same time are disproportionately valued at every level of the game as the game grinds down and slows at every level.

Death to the game by a thousand cuts.

Size didn't do these guys in . Poor vision , preparation and delivery from top to bottom of the whole program did.

 

[DELETE ACCOUNT]

Just on the size thing .....I don't know that going bigger just for the sake of bigger is the answer . In tight 5 spots....sure. But elsewhere not at the expense of game smarts and skill .

Rugby , in this country at least , seems to have a pre-occupation of size for size sake and think that can compensate for poor organisational development and delivery. The game is slow enough ( and getting slower ) with the rapidly antiquated set piece farces and overly complicated and inconsistent breakdown laws , the combination of which , sees less ball in hand / running rugby - and hence , less skill development . And which rewards "boppas" at the same time are disproportionately valued at every level of the game as the game grinds down and slows at every level.

Death to the game by a thousand cuts.

Size didn't do these guys in . Poor vision , preparation and delivery from top to bottom of the whole program did.

Unfortunately for the aussie side (especially the forward pack) the old adage of " a good big man will always beat a good small man" rang true.

The NZ boys just took their tasks with gusto and dedication which resulted in speed and accuracy at a higher level than the Aussie lads could handle. TBH I think there was a difference in the fitness levels as well. Seemed like the NZ lads were going as hard in the last minute as they did in the first.