Under 20 Championship Day 2 – NSW rampant

Selections of Secret Squirrel

As it stands after two games of the Championship who is likely to be in the touring party?

The Squirrel has looked at the nuts and picked out the best ones.

The Squad

The squad for Italy will comprise 28 players but last year they had 34 at the camp for the week in Queensland then finalised the squad before coming back to Sydney for warm-up games.

I didn’t see much of the Barbarian’s first game and didn’t rate many of them the way they played against NSW yesterday.  Those extra six places will make up for my not picking many Barbarians players so let’s say they could all be from outside of Sydney and Brisbane, or at least, more from outside of NSW.

The selections do have a Blue tinge but a lot with depend on the result tomorrow.  If NSW wins I may not be far of the mark but it will be different if the result goes the other way.

Let’s assume that they take 16 forwards and 12 backs.

The forwards (16)

The Front Three

[Six] Would be hard pressed to ignore the NSW front three of Sandell, Orr and Fainga’a. They have been very strong to date. Tomorrow will be very interesting on that front !

Pleash is also a “gimme” – so the other two spots are up to the selectors – as I don’t profess any experience or knowledge of the combatants.

Locks

[Four] – This is going to be the selectors headache area for sure.

Ned Hanigan will be one.  Lukhan maybe – but I don’t think Rodda will crack it this year. With another twelve months under his belt, he will look a bit like Tom Staniforth – who was there yesterday with his old man. If he can play like Tom, he will be in for sure next year.

There was one of the Baa Baas who I thought might be OK – but he didn’t play yesterday

The fourth one is up in the air but who they pick at no. 6 will affect the selection.

Back row

The squad is blessed with performing 6’s, 7’s & 8’s.

No 6 (Two)

There are probably three candidates here – Croke, Korcyzk and N. Kellaway – and I think they will only take two. Tomorrow’s battle between these guys will be epic !

Let’s say Kellaway makes the team as the third lock and cover 6.  His lineout work has been good.

No 7 (Two)

Where do I start !?  Assuming Wilkin will come in – he would be my first pick. You then also have to consider Michael Gunn.  You then have MacMillan, McCalman, & Dunbar.

Depending on tomorrow it may be between Gunn and a NSW candidate which would most likely be McCalman, because he has been the preferred starter for the Blue team.

No 8 (Two)

Ollie Kamp and Junior Fakaosilea.  Kamp has been everywhere – and really getting into the tough stuff – Junior is a big lad, and I think they will need that in Italy.

With the level of physicality – I think they will want a few backups here so I think they will take both.

The backs (12)

Half backs

[Two] – Unless he has a complete brain snap tomorrow, Mitch Short  should be in.

They will take a second – probably the Queenslander Isaac Fines – although Rory Davis may grab it if the selectors want a completely different style of running half.

It may come down to whether the coaching staff want two similar halves – Short and Fines who have a similar style, (although Short has the best pass of the lot of them), or two different style of halves – Short and Davis

It may even come down to the combination that Short and Deegan have.

Interesting decision to be made here !!.

Fly Halves

[2] Ditto remarks about Deegan – his combination with Short has been outstanding

They will probably take Third – as the Baa Baas guy didn’t deliver yesterday at all. Third showed a blistering step and pace to slice through the Fiji back line – but was otherwise more of a distributor.

Centres

[4]  A. Kellaway could be selected at outside centre, but can cover fullback also. That gives the extra cover there – so you don’t have to take two fullbacks.  Or if they chose Magnay in the midfield, Kellaway could stay on the wing.

I wasn’t impressed at all with Jurd and Corcoran yesterday – they didn’t do much. They are both big lads – but were surprisingly quiet.

Which means Alex Newsome could get picked as second outside centre.

I think inside centre Jack Redden might be a smokie here – he has certainly stepped up a notch and has played really well thus far.  I’m uncertain about the other inside centre but I rate Ben Starkey above the Queenslanders; so he could be a show.

If they want to blood someone , they may take Hutchinson as a centre, instead.  he has played on both midfield positions as well as on the wing.

I think this is going to be the other area where the selectors have some very tough choices to make !!

Wingers

[3]  Take your pick – they all deserve a shot !

Presuming Campbell Magnay will get chosen if the Reds release him (or A. Kellaway play on the wing if Magnay is at centre), then you could take any other two of the following four:

Harry “Fabio” Jones, Conrad Quick, Henry Hutchinson, Joey Fittock

I think Jones may just have done enough yesterday – but he will need to have a strong showing against the Reds tomorrow (both in defence and attack) to grab a spot but I would put him ahead of the others at this stage.

Jones also has a couple of other strings to his bow – his kicking with either foot, his long goal kicking – and he could also cover full back if needed.

Fullback

[1] If he is released from the Rebels – this should be Jonah Placid.  Having A. Kellaway as a backup and Jones as third-string means they can go with just one here.

I think the complaint last year was that they went across too light in the backs – and that with a 16/12 split – they might be light on again. But I think they will get some injuries along the way in the forwards – so will need the extra cover there.
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