By Matt Findlay; Photo: Karen Watson

Combinations and cohesion loom as the keys to unlocking success at this year’s revamped Australian Schools Championship, with the tournament’s new format and the traditionally small preparation window combining to ensure that.

Fortunately for NSW I coach Lachlan White the side he has at his disposal is full of already-established combinations, in key positions too.

His side is littered with guns from this year’s all-conquering GPS side so there’s already an element of familiarity, but delve a little deeper and that becomes even more apparent considering six of the starting side come from Joey’s.

Angus Houston will start at lock and Henry O’Kane will start on the side of NSW I’s scrum, but through the sky blues’ backline is where the Joey’s connection could really “bear fruit”, as White put it.

Outside returning Riverview halfback Lachlan Albert, Scots winger Jack Mossman and Newington fullback Kaeo Weekes, the entire NSW I backline comes from Joey’s.

Jude Gibbs, who played for Combined States at last year’s tournament, slots in at five-eighth with Joey’s boom centre pairing of Nick Chan and Dan O’Brien directly outside him, while Ben Dowling will flank them on the left wing.

Lou Robinson, also from Joey’s, will run from the bench too.

“Being a tournament environment and in this format you need all 23 players on the same and able to step wherever they need to, so having a good learning environment in place (in preparation) is important but so are those combinations,” White said.

“We’ve got some great combinations too. There’s certainly a strong GPS flavour, they were the strongest association this year and they’ve been rewarded from those good performances.

“Looking at it having those Joey’s boys together at 10, 12 and 13 will be a big help with the short preparation, hopefully that combination will bear fruit, because we’ve got a lot of strike power out wide too.

“We do have the challenge that some of last year’s side who could’ve come back aren’t available because they’re in the (Waratahs’) Gen Blue system, but that’s good in a way because it gives others a chance to step up at this level.”

White also highlighted Albert as one he expects to stand and be counted, the wily scrum-half returning after earning an Australian Schoolboys jumper in 2018.

Naturally White wouldn’t give too much away in terms of gameplay or structures when he spoke with Rugby News, simply saying NSW I’s style will give his troops the best chance to show their skills.

Although in a knockout competition scoring points is obviously crucial, so you’d be forgiven for thinking they’re probably likely to play a running style of rugby.

“We haven’t really focused too much on one particular area but it’s about giving the boys the opportunity to show their skills and potentially make the next level, so we’ll create our plans around that but when the opportunity presents itself we’ll be playing some rugby,” he said.

“We’ve had the support of NSW Rugby (in preparation), with some pro coaches like Daryl Gibson, Shannon Fraser and Andrew Cleverley working with us and supporting us which has been really good.”

NSW I kicks off its title defence against Queensland II in the tournament-opener at Riverview next Tuesday, NSW II faces Queensland I immediately after.

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)