Combined States [CS] was a combination team of the best players from Division II teams before 2010 (then including Vic and WA). They were selected from a Division II tournament prior to the Championships.
The 2009 CS team, made up of WA players (including Ollie Hoskins and Kyle Godwin) and lads from Victoria, plus one each from SA and NT and two “Lloydies” from NSW, won the Silver Medal, going down to a slick QLD I outfit in the final.
When WA and Victoria were granted membership of Division I in 2010, a CS team remained in the tournament as a lifeline for players overlooked by their state teams, but capable of performing at the required standard.
Far from being rejects and misfits, if you looked at the names of previous Australian Schoolboys players, you would see quite a few CS players mentioned . The 2010 version included Sam Reiser and Tim Duchesne. In 2011 the CS selected Mark Baldwin, Will Miller and Tom Robertson (who made Oz Schools the following year). In 2012, Jake McIntyre and Angus Pulver were in the CS team.
There were of other handy players in the 2010 CS team also: Jack Schatz of the Reds, and a large boy you may have heard of – Will Skelton. No shame in being selected for Combined States.
It is difficult to choose anybody from this years CS team who will emulate them at this point, but it will be an excellent exercise for rugby’s trainspotters and “clipboards” to pick the Skeltons, Godwins and Schatzs of 2014.
Look out for the bundle of energy that is James Wilkinson. Ned Yeomans can run like the wind, Kirt Anthony has an educated boot. Big Bad Jack Bowditch and King Koim Wingti are monsters—and there are some highly credentialed young’uns riding their pine.
And that’s just the ones to look out for from south of the Tweed.
The Fixtures
SEBEL AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS RUGBY UNION CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014
ST IGNATIUS’ COLLEGE, RIVERVIEW, TAMBOURINE BAY ROAD, LANE COVE, SYDNEY
Div I POOLS
Pool A: ACT, NSW II, QLD I & WA
Pool B: Combined States (CS), QLD II, NSW I & VIC I
Div II TEAMS
VIC II, Lloyd McDermott XV, SA, NT.
MONDAY, 30 JUNE 2014 MATCH DAY 1 Division I Pool Matches (all games on First Field)
1030 Game 1: Div 1 NSW II v ACT
1200 Game 2: Div 1 CS v QLD II
1330 Game 3: Div 1 QLD I v WA
1500 Game 4: Div 1 NSW I v VIC I
TUESDAY, 1 JULY 2014 MATCH DAY 2 Division II Round Robin Matches (all games on First Field)
1200 Game 5: Div 2 VIC II v Lloyd McDermott XV
1330 Game 6: Div 2 SA v NT
WEDNESDAY, 2 JULY 2012 MATCH DAY 3 Division I Pool Matches (all games on First Field)
1030 Game 7: Div1 CS v NSW I
1200 Game 8: Div 1 QLD I v ACT
1330 Game 9: Div 1 WA v NSW II
1500 Game 10: Div 1 QLD II v VIC I
THURSDAY, 3 JULY 2014 MATCH DAY 4
Division II Round Robin Matches
0900 Game 11: Div 2 NT v Lloyd McDermott XV – Second Field
1030 Game 12: Div 2 VIC II v SA – Second Field
Division I Pool Matches
1030 Game 13: Div 1 ACT v WA – First Field
1200 Game 14: Div 1 CS v VIC I – First Field
1330 Game 15: Div 1 NSW II v QLD I – First Field
1500 Game 16: Div 1 NSW I v QLD II – First Field
FRIDAY, 4 JULY 2014 MATCH DAY 5 Division II Round Robin Matches (all games on First Field)
1030 Game 17: Div 2 VIC II v NT
1230 Game 18: Div 2 SA v Lloyd McDermott XV
ASRU Division II Merit Squad announced
SATURDAY, 5 JULY 2014 FINALS DAY (all games on First Field)
0900 Game 19: Division I: 4th Pool A v 4th Pool B
1015 Game 20: Division I: 3rd Pool A v 3rd Pool B
1130 Game 21: Division I: 2nd Pool A v 2nd Pool B
1245 Game 22: Division I: 1st Pool A v 1st Pool B
Australian Schoolboys Team announced
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Team Lists
(Division I)
Queensland I and Queensland II
Western Australia Refer to post #34
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Darcy Taimua-Swain – QLD I
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The Division I teams play four games in six elapsed days. Players will be rotated during the week and everybody will get a starting game. The 23 lads in each team will wear the same number on their jerseys every game they play.
Programmes, with the weekly jersey number listed for each player, will be available for purchase at the ground.
Photos by Getty (as indicated) – others by Lee Grant
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