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The Junior Wallabies got bogged down by Ireland and the dreadful weather conditions in Paarl last Thursday, but skipper Teddy Wilson at least came away from the rain-battered venue up the road from Cape Town with his head held high for the calibre of his own individual performance.
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He was pivotal in helping his team secure a 10-3 lead before they were reeled in and surpassed by Ireland to lose 10-30, an effort that the No9 received kudos from head coach Nathan Grey.
The muddy U20s World Cup match took place with Wilson being watched by his dad David, the 1999 Rugby World Cup winner with the Wallabies, who had arrived in South Africa last Tuesday to see Teddy, the Waratahs Super Rugby Pacific squad player, take an interesting step forward in his international career.
RugbyPass met Teddy at the Junior Wallabies team hotel in Cape Town for a quickfire Q&A. Included in his answers is his modest claim that he needs to work on his pass. He also names the All Blacks player he idolised growing up, and the Frenchman he would love to one day meet:
THE BASICS
Born: February 25, 2003;
Joined Australia age-grade: This is my third year in the squad, so 2021 was my first year in the U20s;
Club: NSW Waratahs;
Position: Scrum-half;
Boots: Asics Menace;
Gumshield: I don’t actually wear one. Not at the moment. Lost mine a couple of weeks ago.
Headgear: Don’t wear one;
School: The King’s School, Paramatta.
RATE YOURSELF (out of 100)
Passing: Geez, lot of work to do. Say 60 or 70;
Pace: 70 as well;
Tackling: I like my tackling, I’d say 75.
THE PAST
My favourite Australia player of all time is… Quade Cooper or Will Genia.
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Favourite try I have ever scored is… Playing for my club Eastern Suburbs back home. One of those would be my best, against Gordon actually. Tough game, came down to the wire and I scored in front of our home crowd on the hill which was a good try.
A rugby memory that makes me smile is… Winning my school comp three years ago in 2020. Playing with my mates at school and winning that comp was special.
One piece of advice I would give to my younger self is… In terms of rugby, just practice the basics a lot more. A very influential part of the game is your catch-pass, your kicking, so doing all those basic core skills a lot more at a young age helps you a lot today.
My best subject in school was… It would have been timber, woodwork.
The first player who made me fall in love with rugby is… TJ Perenara from the All Blacks. He was my idol when I was growing up.
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Growing up, my position was… Half-back.
The coach who has most impacted my game is… I’d say my dad. He has coached me a lot. He used to play rugby and has always been there for me, giving me advice after games and stuff.
THE PRESENT
My favourite rising rugby player is… Max Jorgensen.
My best attribute on the field is… My running game at half-back. That’s probably the best.
One thing I’m doing to improve my education is… I am at uni at the moment, studying for a bachelor of business.
My favourite YouTuber is… Good Good, it’s a golfing channel.
My hardest working teammate is… Jack Bowen.
My most skilful teammate is… David Vaihu is very, very silky, good feet.
My favourite training drill is… Just 15 on 15, team stuff against each other.
My favourite music artist is… Bruno Mars.
THE FUTURE
A player who could go all the way is… In our team, Jack Bowen, our 10. He is a good player.
If I could play with anyone, I would like to play with… Probably Beaduen Barrett.
I will be happy with my career if I… Reach my potential, if I succeed and reach my goals, I’ll be happy with myself.
I want to make a difference… With my playing ability in Australia. I want Australian rugby to do well, so if I can help that through my ability that would be good. But also off the field, being a good example for the younger generation coming through.
One thing I want to add to my game is… I am to be able to travel the world through my game, be able to go to different places, meet different people, see new things. That would be great.
If I could get a degree in anything I would choose… Business, that’s what I am studying at the moment.
I would be a better player if I… Get my core skills better, passing, kicking.
If I could play in any other country, I would play in… The French comp, Toulon. Toulon or maybe Leicester, one of those teams.
One person I want to meet is… Antoine Dupont from the French team.
One trophy I would love to win is… The Rugby World Cup right now, U20s.
Comments on RugbyPass
Excellent game management in the last 15 or so minutes to close it out. Aussie got a bit panicky.
1 Go to commentsWhile all this is going on… I’ve been thinking more about the NFL draft system and how to make the commercial elements of the game more sustainable for SA teams who precariously live on the fringe of these developments. SA teams play in Europe now, and are welcome, because there’s a novelty to it. SA certainly doesn’t bring the bucks (like a Japan would to SR) but they bring eyes to it. But if they don’t perform (because they don’t have the money like the big clubs) - it’s easy come easy go… I think there is an element of strategic drafting going on in SA. Where the best players (assets) are sort of distributed amongst the major teams. It’s why we’re seeing Moodie at the Bulls for example and not at his homegrown Western Province. 20-30 years ago, it was all about playing for your province of birth. That has clearly changed in the modern era. Maybe Moodie couldn’t stay in the cape because at the time the Stormers were broke? Or had too many good players to fit him in? Kistchoff’s sabbatical to Ireland and back had financial benefits. Now they can afford him again (I would guess). What I am getting at is - I think SA Rugby needs to have a very strong strategy around how teams equitably share good youth players out of the youth structures. That is SA’s strong point - a good supply of good players out of our schools and varsities. It doesn’t need to be the spectacle we see out of the states, but a system where SA teams and SA rugby decide on where to draft youth, how to fund this and how to make it that it were possible for a team like the Cheetahs (for example) to end up with a team of young stars and win! This is the investment and thinking that needs to be happening at grassroots to sustain the monster meanwhile being created at the top.
41 Go to commentsGreat win - but very poor officiating yet again. Even the Aussie commentators slammed the YC decisions.
1 Go to commentsThe game where it felt like RSA was going to lose the most was the England game in my view. Heart in throat after the Farrell drop-goal…Amazing that the boks overcame 3 times in a row…not likely to be repeated ever in my view Also the boys looked emotionally spent in the England game in the 1st half That said, why was World Rugby and Beaumont allowed to stack the pools in England’s favour? Toughest opponents on that side of the draw were Fiji, Argentina (implode central) and Auckland Girls 2nd team
46 Go to commentsOnline trolls - the only ppl who the Crusaders can beat
2 Go to commentsDefinitely some greater nous by the Walleroos and it will take a bit of time for Jo Yapp to have a lasting affect. Canada are a forward dominated physical team and only the top 3 teams can match them, though not so sure about BF’s forwards. Many of Canada’s forwards earn their living in the English PWR, the breeding ground for the Red Roses amazing strength in depth. The next PAC4 matches will be interesting.
1 Go to commentsIs the Club World Cup and the World League, in combination, going to make or break world Rugby? I personally think it’s too much. Established tournaments and competitions’s significance is going to be drowned out by “the new shiney Mall built just down the street”.
41 Go to commentsLoved Carr‘s post match interview. “No, I don’t think so Jean. But thank you.” Good kid. Louw a certain feature for the Boks this year.
1 Go to comments“Where is the challenge to Leinster, Toulouse and La Rochelle likely to come from in future?” Racing 92 ? This has not been a good season for them this year, but they have a very strong squad……players like Woki, Nyakane, Kolisi, Le Roux, Lauret(these two older now), Le Garrec, Fickou, Tuisova, Arundell. With the addition next year of Owen Farrell, that is some firepower to mount a serious challenge ? And with Stuart Lancaster having a year under his belt, things should go better. Northampton will be a year wiser, more streetwise too. And I would expect one or two of the South African sides to mount a more serious challenge, but that would depend on keeping more players at home
41 Go to commentsWow, have to go but can’t leave without saying these thoughts. And carlos might jump in here, but going through the repercussions I had the thought that sole nation representatives would see this tournament as a huge boon. The prestige alone by provide a huge incentive for nations like Argentina to place a fully international club side into one of these tournaments (namely Super Rugby). I don’t know about the money side but if a team like the Jaguares was on the fence about returning I could see this entry as deciding the deal (at least for make up of that side with its eligibility criteria etc). Same goes for Fiji, and the Drua, if there can be found money to invest in bringing more internationals into the side. It’s great work from those involved in European rugby to sacrifice their finals, or more accurately, to open there finals upto 8 other world teams. It creates a great niche and can be used by other parties to add further improvements to the game. Huge change from the way things in the past have stalled. I did not even know that about the French game. Can we not then, for all the posters out there that don’t want to follow NZ and make the game more aerobic, now make a clear decision around with more injuries occur the more tired an athlete is? If France doesn’t have less injuries, then that puts paid to that complaint, and we just need to find out if it is actually more dangerous having ‘bigger’ athletes or not. How long have they had this rule?
41 Go to commentsHaha he does the exact opposite of what you’d expect any receiver to do, Brilliant!
2 Go to commentswell the favourites dont always win and let scott robertson chose his number 8
4 Go to commentsthats great for cam miller and the highlanders the crusaders have got problems within there systems that were proberly covered up astheywere winning when scott robertson was in charge
2 Go to commentsThe last time Plumtree coached the sharks they sucked the same when with the hurricanes now back with the shark Springboro. They still have no game plan
1 Go to commentsan impressive nail biting win for the Blues...but for mine the losing of the game sits with Isaia Walker-Leawere who fumbled balls from kick offs, broken play and then stripped of the ball by Sam Nock in the final minute…
4 Go to commentsAll of the Moderna law changes have been to slow the game down, playing into the hands of SA and the north. Incentivising boring, negative rugby. Brilliant changes. Speed up the game.
20 Go to commentsImagine you kick to the lineout, they give away a free kick, you have a great chance at a scrum, sorry sir you have to tap and go. Ridiculous
20 Go to commentsWhile I believe that the Crusaders do not deserve a spot in the playoffs, every single team would be worried to play them no matter where on the table they are. For example, they have the potential to knock out the Blues at Eden Park. They are the Springboks in Super Rugby in that they know exactly how to play knockout footy and have the pedigree and experience to do it. Something is just not quite right with that team this year. Fakatava is prone to to the odd brain explosion and can kick away good ball in bad positions. His work around the ruck and breakdown is a standout. Is he better than Finlay Christie? I’m not sure. TJ Perenara and Cortez Ratima should get two of the spots in the ABs squad. Aumua has so much potential but the midfield is quite well stocked with Jordie, ALB, Tupaea, and Ioane as well as Billy Proctor who is in top form. Aumua would be battling a spot with Tupaea and Proctor.
2 Go to commentsWhy do some Bok fans get so defensive when people have opinions on how the game should be played? Is it really necessary to take it as a personal attack on SA every time?
20 Go to commentsMost crazy rule is when attacking player has to release but defender does not. Stop the defender doing that by saying hands off. That way fender would not kill the ball. Madness and crazy
80 Go to comments