Preview 2: National U16s Championships – The Teams

Queensland call their 1st team the Reds and their 2nd team the Whites. Because the GPS season ran so late this year the GPS players were assessed on form playing for their schools. All other players were assessed from skills sessions and from trial matches they played amongst themselves. 18 GPS lads were chosen in the Reds 23, and 13 in the Whites 23.

The Qld Red forward pack includes 3 who played in last year’s U/16 tournament. It has explosive potential in both tight and loose as they are big lads and all their starting forwards have played in the backrow. Though they have size and strength opponents will be hoping that their ability to maintain intensity throughout the tournament will be found wanting.

The backline has players with skill and speed and have some talented options in the halves. They could tear apart a lazy defence. The outside backs have speed and power, and will be difficult to contain in space. The team has plenty of star talent and impact players, and are big favourites to be in the big game on Friday afternoon.

The Qld White side is harder to analyse because they have selected a more diverse squad. In contrast to their flashier Red counterparts their forwards are mostly workhorse-style players. They have skilled halves with excellent vision and distribution ability, who should be able to set up plenty of opportunities their outside men. They have selected some who are excellent kickers from hand which suggests a game plan based on width and position.

This strategy may smooth over the rumoured raggedness of their midfield and it should suit the nature of their no-nonsense forward pack. If they can stick to a structured plan, the strong goal kicking ability in the squad should give them an advantage in tight matches. They are not fancied by some, but could surprise a few with simple but well executed rugby.

Some of the other teams may be a bit of a mystery to the general rugby public, but several of the players are well known to experts because of the Junior Gold Squad programmes in WA, Victoria and ACT.

The ACT Brumbies U/16 team topped their pool at the NSW JRU State Championships playing a free and entertaining style of football, but were knocked out in the Semi-final by the Gordon district team, who had players selected in the two NSW teams. They played against Victoria in August but the only trial result known is a loss to Sydney Juniors. They may struggle to be competitive at this level.

Western Australia have had a thorough selection process including a 3 match series of North v South matches. 13 players from the team played for WA last year when they were invited to the NSW U/15 Regionals where they impressed by winning 3 and losing 1. To prepare for Nationals, they’ve had a series of matches against several Club under 18 sides.

The forward pack is big, tall and mobile, and enjoy a good run with the ball in hand. The backs selection is well balanced with skilful halves, big, fast and smooth operating centres, and a lean fast back three. While it is expected that they will try to dominate through ball in hand tactics, one hopes the outside backs aren’t ignored.

Victoria has 5 lads returning from last year but not much is known outside the state about the others. They will be hoping to uncover promising players as they have in the past in Victoria U/16 teams, such as: Lloyd Johannson 2001 (Wallabies), John Ulugia 2002 (Waratahs), Tetera Faulkner 2004 (Western Force), Daniel Yakapo 2004 (Oz Sevens); Tala Grey 2005-06 (Biarritz); Alan Fa’alava’au 2009 (Oz Sevens) and Moli Sooaemalelagi 2009-10, who played for Australian Schools in Sydney this year but suffered a late injury and could not tour to Fiji and NZ.

Maybe there is a budding future Wallaby like Ewen McKenzie in the squad too.

DIVISION II

The National Indigenous squad run by the Lloyd McDermott Development Team team have won this Division in every year, but two. They would be favoured to win again but the key match up will be on Friday when they play South Australia, who usually give them a good run for their money. Don’t miss it.

TEAM LISTS:
NSW Schools http://www.nswschoolsrugby.rugbynet.com.au/default.asp?id=194606
Sydney Juniors http://juniors.rugbynet.com.au/
NSW Country https://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/community/threads/national-u-16-championships-2012.11190/
QLD Red: http://www.redsrugby.com.au/Reds/FutureReds/QueenslandUnder16TeamSelection.aspx
QLD White: http://www.redsrugby.com.au/Reds/FutureReds/QueenslandUnder16TeamSelection.aspx
ACT http://www.brumbies.com.au/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=zXqRlEu8SdI=&tabid=1425
Victoria https://sitedesq.imgstg.com/customdata/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_main&ItemID=17334&OrgID=3850&count=1
WA http://www.westernforce.com.au/NewsEvents/NewsArticles/tabid/905/ArticleID/7229/Default.aspx
South Australiahttp://www.sarugby.com.au/prog_state.html#U16
National Indigenous: http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1699/ArticleID/7412/Default.aspx
{Team lists for teams from the Northern Territories and Tasmania are not known at this time.]

(Team Lists are subject to change due to injuries and other circumstances. Final Lists were submitted to the ARU on 7 September)

Thanks to the Dark Shark and Swarley for their insight into the Queensland Teams, and to WestKiwi for the WA Preview.

Thanks to Sportography for the photos