2012 IRB Junior World Championship

[TRF_Olyy]

Just because Will Addison was mentioned earlier on in the thread I wanted to post this try as I'm avoiding my practical report :lol:, and it's a great score (IMO). Tommy Bell is at 10, as well (and Ross Harrison no the bench, but unused)



Really looking forward to this kicking off now.

 

[Peat]

IT says that Ulster are asking for Jackson to be left at home.

 

[Darwin]

Just over a week till this tournament kicks off now - really looking forward to it. To me this is the most open tournament thus far - England look to have a strong squad (though will miss Kvesic), South Africa look good too (though will miss Goosen), Australia look like they will be dangerous (and they have probably the best player in the tournament in Liam Gill), while New Zealand don't have a particularly strong squad (for them - they probably still enter the tournament as slight favourites).

Can't say I'm that familiar with the NZ squad. We have some big props, and a good selection of locks (though are missing big Michael Fatialofa). Our loose forward look strong (despite missing Cane) - Blake is a quality openside, and the likes of Tupou and Manu are big strong ball runners. Don't know much about the halfbacks (Perenara would have been handy!), but there are good options at 10 (Eade, West), and some quality throughout the backline (Ahki, Emery and McKenzie are particularly dangerous). Can't wait for this to start.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

While England will miss Kvesic we'll got Nutley playing 7 and he's a very very good player as well, so I think it will be a minimal loss.
I'm really looking forward to this as well, probably more than the full internationals.

 

[Peat]

While England will miss Kvesic we'll got Nutley playing 7 and he's a very very good player as well, so I think it will be a minimal loss.
I'm really looking forward to this as well, probably more than the full internationals.

Yeah. Think we're going to miss Ford/Daly/Watson more, although Heathcote/Addison/Walker isn't at all bad as replacements. Add them all up and we're a bit of a way off of full-strength though...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Pfft, Addison >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Daly

Though I think Addison is going to be used at 13 rather than 12. I hadn't realised Watson wasn't there - he's a quality player, and will be missed. He's like Wade in that he'll create a try out of literally nothing, just dancing through the opposition. Yarde and Elliot are both very good wingers though.
I've just noticed that Addison is on the team list as a winger, rather than centre. Don't suppose it really matters though, he'll go where they want him.

 

[Darwin]

Yeah. Think we're going to miss Ford/Daly/Watson more, although Heathcote/Addison/Walker isn't at all bad as replacements. Add them all up and we're a bit of a way off of full-strength though...

I don't imagine any team is at full strength though - For example we (NZ) are missing four 1st choice players (Sua, Fatialofa, Cane, Perenara).
BTW: why is Ford not playing (is he injured?)

 

[Peat]

I don't imagine any team is at full strength though - For example we (NZ) are missing four 1st choice players (Sua, Fatialofa, Cane, Perenara).
BTW: why is Ford not playing (is he injured?)

Ford is staying at home to undergo an extensive conditioning programme to bring him up to scratch for the rigours of international rugby. I meant to type professional rugby actually, but made a freudian slip - it's widely expected that this will be the last summer off Ford has for a long time, with media reports indicating that if he had travelled, it would have been with the senior squad.

And yeah, no doubt everyone's missing a few - I'm just getting in my excuses early! England's problems lie elsewhere to this tbh...

Olyy - and your opinion without your Sale hat on? Agree that we're still blessed with backline talent.

 

[donmcdazzle]

New Zealand squad is named:

New Zealand Under 20 squad
Forwards: Fraser Armstrong (Waikato), Hugh Blake (Otago), Nathan Harris (Bay of Plenty), Jake Heenan (Auckland), Joe Latta (Wellington), Christian Lloyd (Wellington), Taniela Manu (Canterbury), Rhys Marshall (Hawke's Bay), Glenn Preston (North Harbour), Tuki Raimona (Southland), Nick Ross (Canterbury), Eric Sione (Wellington), Jordan Taufua (Canterbury), Jimmy Tupou (Countries Manukau), Ofa Tuungafasi (Auckland).
Backs: Pita Ahki (North Harbour), Ambrose Curtis (Wellington), Jason Emery (Manawatu), Scott Eade (Southland), Bryn Hall (North Harbour), Marnus Hanley (Waikato), Milford Keresoma (Auckland), Jono Kitto (Canterbury), Martin McKenzie (Soutland), Opetera Peleseuma (Wellington), Matt Proctor (Wellington), Junior Vaa Tofa (Auckland), Ihaia West (Hawke's Bay).

No Perenara or Cane in there. Looks to be our weakest under 20's squad in many years.

Ive seen some of the Wellington guys in club rugby, don't rate Ambrose Curtis all that highly. He is quite big for a winger but not especially quick or elusive. One of the wingers from Petone, Belgium something, is pretty electric I'm surprised he isn't involved, maybe a year too old. Surprised that the other palmy boys centre didn't make it along with Emery, they were both in NZ schools last year, and he looked the better of the two to me. Edit - after some googling I just read this article and it is sad. Manawatu were about to have the two good young midfielders we needed and now one is lost to league.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/sport/5875342/Laumape-tied-to-contract

Eade looked pretty nippy the few games he played for southland, reminds me of Barrett more than any other 10.

 

[TNT88]

Are there any likely zac guildfords or Julian saveas this year. As in high scoring future international wings

We wont know until game 1 who the standouts might be. But you might want to keep an eye on this guy, he came on for the Reds last week and scored within a few minutes: http://www.redsrugby.com.au/Reds/RedsSquad/PlayerPage/tabid/583/playerid/36/Default. , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZdWWZzfFnE

 

[Darwin]

Ive seen some of the Wellington guys in club rugby, don't rate Ambrose Curtis all that highly. He is quite big for a winger but not especially quick or elusive. One of the wingers from Petone, Belgium something, is pretty electric I'm surprised he isn't involved, maybe a year too old. Surprised that the other palmy boys centre didn't make it along with Emery, they were both in NZ schools last year, and he looked the better of the two to me. Edit - after some googling I just read this article and it is sad. Manawatu were about to have the two good young midfielders we needed and now one is lost to league.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/sport/5875342/Laumape-tied-to-contract

Eade looked pretty nippy the few games he played for southland, reminds me of Barrett more than any other 10.

The interesting thing with Curtis is that he wasn't even in the initial 40-odd players that they took into a training camp, and was only invited at the last minute (I think to replace someone who withdrew with injury). He must have really impressed at the training camps!

 

[donmcdazzle]

The interesting thing with Curtis is that he wasn't even in the initial 40-odd players that they took into a training camp, and was only invited at the last minute (I think to replace someone who withdrew with injury). He must have really impressed at the training camps!

Must have done, he is physically pretty big for a young guy but I don't see him having the wheels to be all that great at a higher level. I hope he proves me wrong and carves up though.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Olyy - and your opinion without your Sale hat on? Agree that we're still blessed with backline talent.

Sorry, I've had it surgically attached.
3. Harrison
10. Bell
13. Addison

 

[Peat]

While I'm enjoying myself reporting Irish injuries left, right, and centre, I thought I'd point out that that I read on another forum that Layden is injured. Hope it's wrong, but hey, when you're on a roll...

 

[big ginger 8]

Damn you Peat.

 

[TNT88]

Apparently today Oz U20 beat Samoa U20 55-12.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

SA squad finalized;

http://www.sarugby.com/news.cfm?newsid=20518

Backs: Marais Schmidt, Dillyn Leyds, Travis Ismaiel, Raymond Rhule, Tshotsho Mbovane, William Small-Smith, Paul Jordaan, Patrick Howard, Jan Serfontein, Tony Jantjies, Handrè Pollard, Vian van der Watt, Abrie Griesel.

Forwards: Wiaan Liebenberg (c), Shaun Adendorff, Khaya Majola, Braam Steyn, Fabian Booysen, Pieter Steph du Toit, Ruan Botha, Paul Willemse, Marvin Orie, Maks van Dyk, Allan Dell, Oliver Kebble, Steven Kitshoff, Mark Pretorius, Jason Thomas.

The players I'll be looking out for and have some knowledge of (attending, yay!) are Mbovane, Jordaan, Small-Smith, Griesel, Serfontein, Pollard, Liebenberg, Kitshoff and Kebble. Anybody know if the new "Os" from Maties is playing? Maybe he is a year too young still. If I remember correctly his surname is Hammand? If that's the case looks like he'll be missing out. Also, why does the name Pieter Steph du Toit ring a bell? Is he a Sharks player?

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

IRELAND UNDER-20 Team & Replacements (v South Africa Under-20s, IRB Junior World Championship Pool B, Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch, Monday, June 4, 6.45pm local time/5.45pm Irish time):

15. Peter Nelson (Dungannon/Ulster)
14. Barry Daly (UCD/Leinster)
13. Foster Horan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
12. Chris Farrell (Dungannon/Ulster)
11. Sam Coghlan Murray (UCD/Leinster)
10. JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster) *
9. Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) *
1. Des Merrey (Clontarf/Leinster)
2. Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) (capt)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) *
4. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Leinster)
5. Iain Henderson (Queen's University/Ulster) *
6. Jordan Coghlan (UCD/Leinster)
7. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
8. Conor Gilsenan (UCD/Mullingar/Leinster)

Replacements:
16. James Rael (Garryowen/Munster)
17. Peter Reilly (Lansdowne/Leinster)
18. Jake Cawley (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
19. Alan O'Connor (UCD/Leinster)
20. Aaron Conneely (Corinthians/Connacht) *
21. Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster)
22. Jack Carty (Buccaneers/Connacht)
23. Mikey Sherlock (Clontarf/Leinster)

 

[big ginger 8]

Looks like we've given up this match for a loss. Pity Layden's injured. Where's Jackson? It's still a rather good 3/4 line without him but I'd expect him to be there. Also am I wrong or is 5th year the last time Gilsenan played 8? I'm guessing they're picking Marmion because of extra physicality but McGrath is an excellent tackler and far more inventive. I'm happy for Tadhg Beirne starting. This will be a good test for Furlong. Hope the defense isn't shown up like against the physically superior England. Despite missing a few really talented players this will be a strong bok team.

 

[Peat]

Ulster requested that Paddy Jackson be withdrawn from the squad to go through a full pre-season with the Ulster team and the IRFU granted their desire.