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With the JWC just around the corner in France, RugbyPass looks at five standout candidates to keep an eye on from Australia. The JWC has launched a number of careers since its inception in 2008 and this year will be no different.
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Isaac Lucas – Flyhalf
Isaac Lucas is the younger brother of Brumbies halfback Matt Lucas and Queensland Reds halfback Ben Lucas. His other brother Tom also plays for the Australian Sevens team. To say rugby is in the genes is an understatement, and the word is Isaac is the best prospect of them all.
The flyhalf has all the skills to excel at the Junior World Cup, with natural attacking flair to boot. His footwork gives him a different edge at 10 but his passing and kicking can control a game and organise structure. He will battle fellow Queenslander Lawson Creighton for the 10 jersey but Lucas could also fill a second playmaker/distributor role at 12.
Len Ikitau – Centre
Ikitau was a superb schoolboy centre in 2016 for Brisbane Boys College but missed out that year on selection in the Australian schools. He was born in Australia but grew up in New Zealand, surprisingly making him an All Blacks supporter. That will have to change soon as he pursues a career towards a Wallabies jersey.
He makes great backdoor reads in defence and can put on a vicious shot – reminiscent of the way Malakai Fekitoa’s rush defence would close down play on the edge for the Highlanders. The classy centre has shifty footwork to square defenders and breakaway speed to run around them. A chance to trial with the ACT Brumbies in pre-season brought him down to Canberra where he will pursue a Super Rugby contract.
Australia’s other centre options Jordan Petaia (Reds) and Semisi Tupou (Rebels) are also quality options having already played Super Rugby but a breakout JWC campaign could definitely put Ikitau on the map.
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Rob Valetini – Number 8/Blindside
Returning loose forward Rob Valetini is primed to make a big impact on the JWC stage, having played in last year’s tournament.
The Melbourne-raised product played in the domestic NRC at just 17-years old while a schoolboy. The opportunity came up to move to the Brumbies on an EPS contract after school. They liked what potential they saw and signed him to a two-year full time Super Rugby contract in 2017.
He suffered an injury in Round 1 of Super Rugby against the Sunwolves and after months on the sidelines, Valetini will have a point to prove.
Update: Valetini suffered a second medial ligament tear recently and will no longer be apart of the World Rugby under-20’s championship campaign for Australia.
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Fraser McReight – Openside
McReight is a Brisbane schoolboy product who is a prototype openside fetcher with a high work rate.
He started against New Zealand at 7 in the Oceania warm-up games indicating he is highly regarded by the selectors. He could be an integral piece for Australia in defence and at the breakdown. He won’t win awards for flashy play but will provide issues for the opposition. He is outstanding over the ball and could be a defensive trump card for Australia.
Trevor Hosea – Lock
Trevor Hosea is a special athlete who stands at a towering 2.02m and is 110kg. The dynamic lock can be used as a quasi-loose forward and cause damage on the fringes as a runner.
He was a standout for the Australian Schoolboys in the test last year and was picked up by the Melbourne Rebels while still at school. Despite attending Brisbane Boys College, he is local Victorian product who moved north to further his studies at a prominent rugby school.
He could pack down alongside Angus Blythe, another giant teenager to form a formidable second row for Australia.
Comments on RugbyPass
No surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to comments