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Reds centre headlines Australia U20 side for fifth-place semi-final
By Finn Morton
Dre Pakeho hasn’t played for the Australia U20 at the World Rugby U20 Championship yet, but that will change in the early hours of Monday morning after the Queensland Reds centre was named to start in the fifth-place semi-final against Italy.
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Pakeho has been sidelined with an injury but returns in time for a clash with the Azzurri, which follows Australia’s agonising defeat to England in their final pool game. Australia are now challenging for places in the fifth to eighth-place bracket.
Coach Chris Whitaker has partnered Pakeho up with Malakye Enasio from the ACT Brumbies in the centres. GPS Rugby Club product James Martens will combine with Joey Fowler as the team’s key game-drivers in the halves.
Round out the backline are wingers Shane Wilcox and Cooper Walters, and fullback Sid Harvey. Harvey debuted for the Australia Sevens side on the HSBC SVNS Series last December and has built off those experiences, consistently one of the Australia U20’s best throughout the year.
In the forwards, Nathaniel Tiitii will pack down alongside fellow NSW Waratahs product Edwin Langi, while Ollier Barrett completes the front row as the starting hooker. The two locks are Joe Mangelsdorf and captain Eamon Doyle, both from the Waratahs.
Eli Langi starts at blindside flanker, with Australia Sevens ace Aden Ekanayake at openside, and Toby Brial will wear the No. 8 jersey. There are four Brumbies players, two Reds representatives and two Waratahs prospects on the bench.
This match at Verona’s Payanini Center will kick off in the early hours of Monday morning for those watching from Australia. It will get underway at 4:30 am AEST or 8.30 pm on Sunday evening local time.
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Australia U20 team to take on Italy U20
1. Nathaniel Tiitii (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs)
2. Ollie Barrett (Western Force, Associates RUFC)
3. Edwin Langi (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs)
4. Joe Mangelsdorf (NSW Waratahs, Sydney University)
5. Eamon Doyle (c) (NSW Waratahs, Sydney University)
6. Eli Langi (ACT Brumbies, Tuggeranong Vikings)
7. Aden Ekanayake (Australia Sevens)
8. Toby Brial (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs)
9. James Martens (Queensland Reds, GPS Rugby Club)
10. Joey Fowler (NSW Waratahs, Sydney University)
11. Shane Wilcox (ACT Brumbies, Tuggeranong Vikings)
12. Malakye Enasio (ACT Brumbies, Gungahlin Eagles)
13. Dre Pakeho (Queensland Reds, Brothers)
14. Cooper Watters (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs)
15. Sid Harvey (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs)
Replacements
16. Lipina Ata (ACT Brumbies, Gungahlin Eagles)
17. Lotu Vunipola (NSW Waratahs, Sydney University)
18. Trevor King (Queensland Reds, Souths)
19. Ollie Aylmer (ACT Brumbies, Gordon)
20. Beau Morrison (ACT Brumbies, Sydney University)
21. Hwi Sharples (NSW Waratahs, Sydney University)
22. Joe Dillon (ACT Brumbies, Canberra Royals)
23. Xavier Rubens (Queensland Reds, Souths)