The promising Australia U20 vintage we may never get to see
The Australia U20 side were one of the surprise outfits at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina last year, making it all the way to the final.
They ultimately fell to defeat to a strong French side, although it was a highly promising campaign from the Junior Wallabies, whose fortunes at this level had previously been dwindling for a number of years.
They saw off Italy, Ireland and Argentina on their way to a one-point loss to France in the final and contrary to recent seasons when the side have looked outmuscled and outskilled by a number of Tier 1 sides at the competition, it was an Australian team packed with potential contributors at the next level.
Head coach Jason Gilmore put together a training camp squad earlier this year, before the COVID-19 outbreak curtailed the age-grade season, and last year’s runners looked to be in solid shape to compete again for the title in 2020, when the tournament was set to be hosted in Italy.
The quintet of Angus Bell, Will Harris, Carlo Tizzano, Joey Walton and Mark Nawaqanitawase (all Waratahs) return from last season’s squad, although they were retained by the Waratahs ahead of the 2020 Super Rugby season, with all five potentially in the mix for senior selection. Nawaqanitawase was the most involved before the suspension of the season, with the young wing proving to be a handful for Super Rugby defences. Another player that was retained by their club was fly-half Reesjan Pasitoa, with the Brumbies having seen off significant NRL interest to keep him in union and lure him to Canberra out of school.
Pocock's replacement may have just stepped onto the world stage.
– writes @alexshawsport 👨🏻💼 #WorldRugbyU20 #U20s https://t.co/U4558qRcJn
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 4, 2019
The squad was heavily built around the Australian Schoolboys side from 2019 that beat New Zealand, securing Australia a rare double over New Zealand at U18 and U20 level. Pasitoa was one of the leading men in that impressive effort and has since made his senior Brumbies debut at the age of 18.
With strong representation from the Brumbies, Reds and Waratahs, it bodes well for those three franchises moving forward, whilst it also reflects well on rugby in Western Australia, with the RugbyWA academy contributing six players, a stark contrast to just the one offered up by the Melbourne Rebels.
Another notable name in the squad was former Fijian U20 prop Emosi Tuqiri, a cousin of Lote, with the former Marist College Ashgrove captain having been set to bolster the Australian front row alongside Bell, who was arguably the standout loosehead in age-grade rugby last season.
Billy Pollard, a skilful hooker out of the Brumbies academy, would have looked to replace the significant game-breaking ability of the now graduated Lachlan Lonergan, whilst Nick Chan of the Waratahs would have been tasked with replacing Noah Lolesio at inside centre.
Assuming some sort of age-grade rugby goes ahead this year, if the Australian pack can provide Pasitoa with the sort of front-foot ball that they delivered last season, the fly-half does not lack for the ability to spark the Junior Wallaby back line. Do that, and they will be in contention with the traditional big boys of international age-grade should global travel be sanctioned, although failing that, there could be potential for a series with the New Zealand U20 side, as well as their counterparts from the Pacific Islands.
Squad in full:
Lachlan Albert, Brumbies Academy
Reece Anapu, RugbyWA Academy
Angus Bell, Australian Sevens
Hudson Berry, Waratahs Academy
Hugh Bockenham, Waratahs Academy
Charlie Cale, Waratahs Academy
Oliver Callan, RugbyWA Academy
Nick Chan, Waratahs Academy
John Connolly, Waratahs Academy
Ethan Dobbins, Reds Academy
Max Douglas, Waratahs Academy
John Downes, Queensland
Tane Edmed, Waratahs Academy
Fred Fewtrell, Reds Academy
Josh Flook, Reds Academy
Theo Fourie, Queensland
Harrison Fox, Reds Academy
Reno Gerrard, Reds Academy
Tom Haddad, Brumbies Academy
Tom Hooper, Brumbies Academy
Spencer Jeans, Reds Academy
Kristian Jensen, Waratahs Academy
Tom Kibble, Queensland Reds
Tyrell Kopua, Queensland
Jack Lafofafo, Waratahs Academy
Viliami Lea, Queensland
Grayson Makara, RugbyWA Academy
Zane Marolt, Brumbies Academy
Alex Masibaka, RugbyWA Academy
Callum McDonald, Brumbies Academy
Zane Nonggor, Reds Academy
Billy Pollard, Brumbies Academy
Jackson Pugh, RugbyWA Academy
Byron Ralston, RugbyWA Academy
Luke Reimer, Brumbies Academy
Alex Saaga, Rebels Academy
Dion Samuela, Reds Academy
Rory Scott, Brumbies Academy
Lachlan Shelly, Waratahs Academy
Rhian Stowers, Queensland
Phrancis Sula-Siaosi, Queensland
Tiaan Tauakipulu, Waratahs Academy
Sione Taufui, Wartahs Academy
Kalani Thomas, Reds Academy
Zeph Tuinona, Brumbies Academy
Emosi Tuquiri, Reds Academy
Tom Van Der Schyff, Reds Academy
Harry Vella, Reds Academy
Dennis Waight, Brumbies Academy
Jack Walsh, Waratahs Academy
Cooper Whiteside, Queensland
Jeremy Williams, Waratahs Academy
Harry Wilson, Waratahs Academy
Jack Winchester, Reds Academy
Angus Bell, Will Harris, Carlo Tizzano, Joey Walton, Mark Nawaqanitawase and Reesjan Pasitoa selected but retained by clubs.
Watch: Waratahs’ Jed Holloway interview
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments