Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
Hawkes Bay Academy 61 - Oz U/20 Trialists 7 - or something like that.
It was like the Ones playing the Threes. The Kiwis were too good in just about every position and each player played like an experienced man. Even if some our players were the same age as a Kiwi player, or the same size, the Kiwis were stronger than them and were streets ahead in rugby nous both as individual and as team players.
The Kiwis blew a few tries but our blokes passing skills were awful and they blew a good portion of the few chances they had. Some of the continuity of the Hawkes Bay players was extraordinary and often it was for the length of the field for a try.
It was obvious that none of the Super contracted players or pro academy guys were out there; so I asked a bloke how they picked the Oz team. He said they invited 47 to the camp; some were injured and 29 of the rest got on the park.
There is going to be another camp in middle of April, in Canberra, I think he said, and the team would be picked in mid-May.
Super players would be picked unless their team made the finals and they aren't released.
The Oz team was:
1. Jack Kimmence
2. Hugh Roach
3. Scott Sio
4. Blake Enver
5. Michael Stolberg
6. Boyd Killingworth
7. Charles Freney
8. Ted Postal
9. Ed Bredenhann
10. Rohan Saifoloi
11. Ethan Ford
12. Apo Latunipulu.
13. Joel Faulkner
14. Heremaia Te Aute
15. Simon Morahan
Reserves and the positions played that I can remember.
1. Tim Metcher
2. Tolu Latu
3. Gary Neugebauer
7. Miles McCaffrey
8. Jason Havea
9. Nick Frisby
12. Stephano Hunt
13. Junior Rasolea
14. Mitch Felsman
15. Jason Seage
? Daniel McGhee
? Greg Melton
? JP Pradaud
? Jason Hofmeyr
About the only good news was that he scrums in the first half were good.
It's no use trying to report on who played well or not for Oz because they were putting out fires most of the time, even sometimes when they had the ball, when the Kiwis were like barbarians at the gates trying to get their ball back.
Having said that 6. Killingworth was like a Poidevin (his future is at 7) and 13. Faulkner looked very classy.
PS Bradley - thanks for advising that this game was on. It's not far from where I live and I had time to get there.
It was like the Ones playing the Threes. The Kiwis were too good in just about every position and each player played like an experienced man. Even if some our players were the same age as a Kiwi player, or the same size, the Kiwis were stronger than them and were streets ahead in rugby nous both as individual and as team players.
The Kiwis blew a few tries but our blokes passing skills were awful and they blew a good portion of the few chances they had. Some of the continuity of the Hawkes Bay players was extraordinary and often it was for the length of the field for a try.
It was obvious that none of the Super contracted players or pro academy guys were out there; so I asked a bloke how they picked the Oz team. He said they invited 47 to the camp; some were injured and 29 of the rest got on the park.
There is going to be another camp in middle of April, in Canberra, I think he said, and the team would be picked in mid-May.
Super players would be picked unless their team made the finals and they aren't released.
The Oz team was:
1. Jack Kimmence
2. Hugh Roach
3. Scott Sio
4. Blake Enver
5. Michael Stolberg
6. Boyd Killingworth
7. Charles Freney
8. Ted Postal
9. Ed Bredenhann
10. Rohan Saifoloi
11. Ethan Ford
12. Apo Latunipulu.
13. Joel Faulkner
14. Heremaia Te Aute
15. Simon Morahan
Reserves and the positions played that I can remember.
1. Tim Metcher
2. Tolu Latu
3. Gary Neugebauer
7. Miles McCaffrey
8. Jason Havea
9. Nick Frisby
12. Stephano Hunt
13. Junior Rasolea
14. Mitch Felsman
15. Jason Seage
? Daniel McGhee
? Greg Melton
? JP Pradaud
? Jason Hofmeyr
About the only good news was that he scrums in the first half were good.
It's no use trying to report on who played well or not for Oz because they were putting out fires most of the time, even sometimes when they had the ball, when the Kiwis were like barbarians at the gates trying to get their ball back.
Having said that 6. Killingworth was like a Poidevin (his future is at 7) and 13. Faulkner looked very classy.
PS Bradley - thanks for advising that this game was on. It's not far from where I live and I had time to get there.