2017 Australian Schools Championship Preview & Team Lists
The 2017 Australian Schools Championships will be held at Riverview in Sydney this week with over 180 young players vying for selection in the Australian Schools and Australian Schools Barbarians sides.
NSW
Last year it was NSW II that upstaged NSW I in the decider to claim the Australian Schools title, but just eight players from that match earned a spot in the Australian Schoolboys side.
After a strong week of trials, NSW I coach Lachlan White is confident both sides will be competitive again.
“We want to play rugby and give the boys a chance to showcase their skills and the best way to do that is to win games and the championship as a team,” White told Rugby News
“QLD will obviously be strong but Victoria will be well prepared and the other sides will be up for the challenge. We’re focussing on Victoria first, then we’ll take a look at the other sides as the week progresses,” he added.
NSW I (1-23)
Bo Abra, Ciaran Loh, Darcy Breen, Max Douglas, Nick Frost, Luca Moretti, Donny Freeman, Charlie Rorke, Henry Robertson, Ben Donaldson, Will Lloyd, Brooklyn Hardaker, Billy Smith, Albert Hopoate, Thomas Woodcock. Reserves: Will Johnston, Apenisa Driti, Max Cutrone, Jeremy Williams, Luke Reimer, Dylan Dowling, Joey Walton, Lachlan Ilias.
NSW II (1-23)
Angus Bell, Will Bremner, Finn Wright, Mac Williams, Ek Lambert-Leplastrier, Liam Cornish, Matthew Stead, Hunter Ward, Marco Bell, Dominic Easy, Jayden Burgess, Ed Poolman, Angus Bell, Tom Yassmin, Harry Haywood. Reserves: Simon Rahme, Luke Edwards, Joel Thomas, Will Harris, Henry Whelan, David Tejcek, Charlie Savala, Harry Wilson.
Players to watch
NSW I – Ben Donaldson (Waverley)
Waverley flyhalf Ben Donaldson was brilliant in CAS’ upset win over GPS, scoring 16 of his sides 26 points.
“Ben was really impressive in the trials and has had a great preparation so I think he’ll have a big week,” White said.
NSW II – Hunter Ward (St Stanislaus’ Bathurst)
Stannies No.8 Hunter Ward is big and strong and impressed for ISA throughout the trials, according to White.
QLD
After missing the final last year, QLD are looking to end their five year dry spell at the Australian Championships and will bring two strong sides down to Sydney.
“We had three nights of trials and the boys made it a really difficult team to select, which is always a good thing. The quality across all the matches was really high,” QLD I coach Michael Crank said.
“We want the boys to play what is in front of them and play an up tempo game but it will depend on the conditions. Last year it was pretty ordinary so we’re hoping for a fast track.”
Lock Harry Wilson and centre Jordan Petaia both return for their second crack at the tournament and have both been named in the QLD I starting XV.
QLD 1 (1-23)
Egan Siggs, Eugene Koorts, Moses Alo-Emile, Harry Wilson, Trevor Hosea, Tom Kibble, Joseph Small, Cullen Ngamanu, Phoenix Hunt, Campbell Parata, Clyde Rapilla, Noah Lolesio, Jordan Petaia, Jangala Bennet, Maxwell Dowd. Reserves: Theo Fourie, Clinton Malolua, John Paul Tominiko, Fred Fewtrell, Joseph Faulalo, Jaz Day, Harry McMahon, Ben Bucknell.
QLD II (1-23)
Prynce Taugaele, Rhys van Nek, Emile Tuimavave, Ryan Gassman, Kurt Kruwinnus, Bailey Tautau, Kohan Herbert, Lachlan Connors, Josh Vuta, Cooper Whiteside, Viliami Lea, Hoani Ford-Stevens, Xavier Soli, Mila Lalotoa, Byron Ralston. Reserves: Nesta Mahina, Tyrell Kopua, Sinilau Wolske, Will Chaffey, Braydon Law, Rhian Stowers, Carter Gordon, Tausaga Foai.
Players to watch
QLD I – Trevor Hosea (Brisbane Boys’ College)
Victorian born lock Trevor Hosea signed a deal with the Melbourne Rebels last year and adds plenty of size and athleticism to the QLD I forward pack.
QLD II – Josh Vetu (Somerset College)
QLD II halfback Josh Vetu returns to the Australian Schools Championship for the third time this year.
ACT
After a strong showing at last year’s championships, ACT had five players picked in the Australian Schoolboys side and two players picked in the Australian Barbarians in 2016, the most they’ve had selected since 1999.
Despite that, ACT seem happy to claim underdog status heading into the tournament.
“The NSW and QLD teams are always hard so we’re definitely the underdogs heading up there,” returning hooker Lachlan Lonergan said.
“We’ve had a few good runs at training so we’re are confident heading up to it.”
ACT (1-23)
Fred Kaihea, Lachlan Lonergan, Zane Hogan, Thomas Iles, Jack Kearns, Lachlan Osborne, Stuart Sellar, Wyll Holland, Seamus Smith, William Goddard, Petau Lefau, Harry Quinlan, Jack Gilmore, Thomas Haddard, Brendan Jimenez. Reserves: Nicholas Katsogiannis, Tuati Chan-Tung, Jean-Vincent de Masson, Zane Marolt, Connor Smith, Joel Atkins, Isaac Crowe, Lincoln Smith.
Player to watch – Lachlan Lonergan (Trinity Christian School)
Brother of Brumbies recruit Ryan, Lachlan Lonergan returns for ACT after being selected in the Australian Schoolboys side last year.
Victoria
Victoria were the surprise package of the tournament last year and beat QLD I comfortably on day one, before finishing fourth overall.
“Clearly the gap between Victoria and the Northern States is closing as boys spend more time in our elite pathways program,” 2016 coach Justin Carroll said.
While the Victorians will be well prepared, they have arguably the toughest draw of the eight sides with match ups against NSW I, QLD II and Combined States.
Victoria (1-23)
Oliver Barden, Chris Mounga, Alex Sa’aga, Jack O’Shaughnessy, Toeleiu Junior Vaeila, Jonathan Lightfoot, Kenneth Leota, Isaac Aedo Kailea, Aukusitino Lalotoa, Angus Edwards, Harry Kolio Ma’o, Paul Faoagali, Navarre Haisila-Lokotui, Haloti Fonua Jnr, Sione Tui. Reserves: Charlie Carte, Emmaunual Maliko, Wallace Purcell, Liae Tuilagi, Benjamin Anau, Alex Samuela, Sam Tuibua, Ti-Qwan Lega.
Player to watch – Sione Tui (St Kevin’s College)
St Kevin’s College fullback Sione Tui played with the Melbourne Rebels U20s side this year as a 17 year old and is a powerful ball runner.
Western Australia
Like Victoria, Western Australia have continued to close the gap on their rivals across the Nullabor in recent years and are expected to be competitive again in 2017.
While they may not have as much depth as the other states, they will have continuity, with eight players selected from one school – Aranmore Catholic College – in the 23 man squad.
In recent years, Dane Haylett-Petty, Kyle Godwin and Richard Hardwick have all played their way from WA Schools into a Wallabies jersey, proving the development pathway is well and truly alive.
Western Australia
Brody MacAskill, Carlo Tizzano, Christian Bavadra, Connor O’Sullivan, Grason Maraka, Harry Daynes, Jackson Pugh, James Gray, John-Martin Stewart, Jordan Grant, Lachlan Hardy, Lapo Bigazzi, Liam Van Der Heyden, Luke Kapene, Marnus Spangenberg, Mayson Hill, Nika Morehu, Reece Anapu, Sam Barsby, Tiago Valentim, Victor Harris, Walker Smith, William Tui.
Player to watch – Brody MacAskill (Aranmore Catholic College)
WA No.8 Brody MacAskill is another player who featured heavily in this year’s Super 20s competition and will captain the side.
Combined States
Made up of 15 players from NSW and 8 players from QLD, Combined States finished third in last year’s championships and will be out to cause an upset or two again in 2017.
Combined States
Charlie Baker, Stuart Brown, Harrison Cannon, Cooper Chambers, Isaac Crone, Brady Dawson, Joel Ellis, Dougal Hicks, Ben Joseph, Emmitt Keepa, Jeremy Kempston, William Kirk, Willy Manu, Will McCormick, Michael Pavlakis, Triston Reilly, James Sidery, Davida Stowers, Bruce Tevaga, Emosi Tuqiri, Harry Turner, Jack Walsh, Jack Winchester.
Player to watch – Emosi Tuqiri (Marist College, Asgrove)
16 year old Emosi Tuqiri is 190cm, 125kg and a cousin of Lote Tuqiri, Tevita Kuridrani and Nemani Nadolo.
His highlights reel has been viewed almost 70,000 times and he’s drawn comparisons to the Tongan Thor.