By Matt Findlay; Photo: Karen Watson

NSW I and II faced off in an incredible Australian Schools Championship decider last year and for the former side’s coach Lachlan White, that’s “absolutely” the overall goal in the 2019 edition, which kicks off at Riverview next Tuesday.

Last week NSW selectors named two bumper sides for this year’s revamped national championship, which is essentially being played a knockout tournament.

“It is a bit different this year, if you win you go onto the winners’ side of the draw and if you lose you go onto the losers’ side of the draw, so it’s important to hit the ground running for both (NSW) sides,” White said.

“It’s interesting, the new format, it changes your way of thinking a little bit because in the past you’d play everyone in your pool and you knew you’d usually have a game that might not challenge you as much, but that’s not the case this year.”

Naturally, although he wants to see NSW II earn a decider berth, White still wants his side to hoist the trophy again.

“Of course, going back-to-back is the goal for us, I’d love that,” he said.

NSW I kicks off its title defence against Queensland II in the tournament-opener and White said he’s certain his side is capable of starting fast and then going on to win that much-coveted second consecutive title.

“Definitely, I think so. The selectors have backed me to take this team to nationals and I’m backing them with the team they’ve given me,” he said.

NSW II faces Queensland I immediately after and while that will present the second-string side with a massive challenge, White said he knows they’ll be as well prepared as possible under the tutelage of Dean Hargreaves.

“They’ll be very well-coached, they’ve got the harder game first up in Queensland I so they obviously have to hit the ground running and Dean’s got them really well prepared. We know they’ll be good competition if we meet them in the final,” White said.

NSW I: 1 Adrian Brown (Barker/CAS I), 2 Thomas Maka (Newington/GPS II), 3 Dylan Saunders (Windsor/CHS I), 4 Dally Bird (Riverview/GPS I), 5 Angus Houston (Joey’s/GPS I), 6 Henry O’Kane (Joey’s/GPS I), 7 Zac Barnabas (St Augustine’s/ISA I), 8 Tom Gratwicke (Knox/CAS I), 9 Lachlan Albert (Riverview/GPS I), 10 Jude Gibbs (Joey’s/GPS I), 11 Ben Dowling (Joey’s/GPS II), 12 Nick Chan (Joey’s/GPS I), 13 Dan O’Brien (Joey’s/GPS I), 14 Jack Mossman (Scots/GPS I), 15 Kaeo Weekes (Newington/GPS II), 16 Lou Robinson (Joey’s/GPS II), 17 Dean Begetis (Newington/GPS II), 18 Will Kablau (Knox/CAS II), 19 Alex Rice (Waverley/CAS II), 20 Dan Breden (Knox/CAS I), 21 Cam Trengove (St Stanislaus’/ISA I), 22 Tevita Vei (Newington/GPS II), 23 Ben Gallacher (St Augustine’s/ISA I)

NSW II (1-23): 1 Angus Websdale (Joey’s/GPS I), 2 Enrique Groebler (Knox/CAS II), 3 Oliver Hannan (Riverview/GPS II), 4 Jordan Cameron (Barker/CAS I), 5 Miles Amatosero (Waverley/CAS I), 6 Thomas Bedingfield (Scots/GPS I), 7 Nicholas Russell (Epping Boys’/CHS I), 8 Langi Gleeson (St Augustine’s/ISA I), 9 Tas Smith (Cranbrook/CAS I), 10 Flynn Angles-Corke (Oakhill/ISA I), 11 Lucas Vass (Barker/CAS II), 12 Sam Rechner (Knox/CAS I), 13 George Clark (Riverview/GPS II), 14 Sam Kanaan (Joey’s/GPS II), 15 Max D’Agostino (Waverley/CAS I), 16 Dakota Pritchard (Westfields/CHS I), 17 Will Smith (Kinross/ISA I), 18 Dane Wilson (Barker/CAS II), 19 Tom Douglas (St Augustine’s/ISA I), 20 Boston Kerapa (Hunter Sports/CHS I), 21 Charlie Adams (Scots/GPS II), 22 Ronald Volkman (Waverley/CAS I), 23 Bill Delaney (Riverview/GPS II)

2019 Australian Schools Championship

Pool A: NSW I, QLD II, ACT, Barbarians (BB)

Pool B: QLD I, NSW II, Victoria (VIC), Combined States (CS)

Tuesday, July 9

1 – 10am – NSW I v QLD II

2 – 11.30am – QLD I v NSW II

3 – 1pm – ACT v BB
4 – 2.30pm – VIC v CS

Wednesday, July 10

Rest day

Thursday, July 11

5 – 10am – Winner 1 v winner 3

6 – 11.30am – Winner 2 v winner 4

7 – 1pm – Loser 1 v loser 3

8 – 2.30pm – Loser 2 v loser 4

Friday, July 12

Rest day

Saturday, July 13

9 – 8.45am – Loser 7 v loser 8

10 – 10am – Winner 7 v winner 8

11 – 11.15am – Loser 5 v loser 6 (bronze medal)

12 – 12.30pm – Winner 5 v winner 6 (gold medal)