WA SCHOOLBOYS NAMED FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

[The InnFORCEr]

WESTERN FORCE MEDIA RELEASE
Monday, 15 June 2015


The Western Australian squad has been named to contest the National Schoolboys Championships at Sydney’s St Ignatius’ College starting on Monday, 29 June.

The squad features 10 members from the victorious WA Under 17 team that won last year’s Junior Gold Cup against Victoria, while eight players – Isaac Cavo, Nicholas Jooste, Lorenzo Mario, Taine Oakley, Leighton Short, Chad Ross, Sosifa Likio, Sy Waiti – are returning, having been members of the 2014 WA Schoolboys side.

Aranmore Catholic College is the best represented school with four players.

The National Schoolboys Championships provides a prime opportunity for the State’s best schoolboy talent to showcase their skills, with several Western Force players representing the Western Australian Schoolboys in past tournaments. Zack Holmes and Dane Haylett-Petty (both 2007); Kyle Godwin (2008 and 2009); Oliver Hoskins (2009 and 2010); Luke Burton, Brad Lacey, Ross Haylett-Petty, Kane Koteka, (all 2010 and 2011), have all progressed from the representative side to sign senior contracts with Force.

The National Schoolboys Championships will run from Monday, 29 June to Saturday, 4 July.

2015 Western Australian Schoolboys
Zachary Branca Chisholm Catholic College
Isaac Cavu Prendiville Catholic College
Jack Daynes Aranmore Catholic College
Hendrik Dewet Wesley College
Eli Greaves Aranmore Catholic College
Nicholas Jooste Hale School
Victor John Harris Irene McCormack Catholic College
Tamba Lebbie Trinity College
Sosifa Likio Warnbro SHS
Lorenzo Mario Cyril Jackson
Brody Macaskill Aranmore Catholic College
Kitione Nairube Darling Range Sports College
Taine Oakley Trinity College
Rory O’Sullivan Scotch College
Kade Pearce Aranmore Catholic College
Chad Ross Canning College
Aaron Ruru Foundation Christian College
Leighton Short Melville SHS
Evan Stafford Wesley College
Taine Timoko Ocean Reef SHS
Bitner Junior Tumanuvao Warnbro SHS
Sy Waiti Halls Head Community College
Blake Woodward Trinity College

Manager Michael Pearce
Coach Grant Oakley
Assistant Coach David Wells
Physiotherapist Kelly Macleod
Sam Siequien

National Schoolboy Championships - Draw
St Ignatius’ College, Riverview, Sydney

DAY 1 – Monday, 29 June - QLD II v WA
DAY 3 – Wednesday, 1 July – WA v NSW I
DAY 4 – Thursday, 2 July – VIC v WA
DAY 6 – Saturday, 4 July – Division I – Finals
Pool A 4th v Pool B 4th
Pool A 3rd v Pool B 3rd

[Ecky]

If Hale is leading the PSA (as usual), and Wesley is next (I think), the how come Hale has only one rep? Wesley has two and Trinity has 3?

Are there a bunch of players unavailable?

Not begrudging those selected; in fact many congrats to one & all. Just an observation.

[Ralto]

If Hale is leading the PSA (as usual), and Wesley is next (I think), the how come Hale has only one rep? Wesley has two and Trinity has 3?

Hale has two, the other is Ennui (he's french I think).

[James]

2 players in the squad from the WA U20s. Lorenzo Mario (prop) and Nick Jooste (fly-half). They should go well.

[NTT]

Mostly club players Ecky. Its not such a PSA only state side anymore, more a WA U/18s.

[Alison]

Hale has two, the other is Ennui (he's french I think).

Interesting surname! Hehehe ;-)

[JimR]

Mostly club players Ecky. Its not such a PSA only state side anymore, more a WA U/18s.

Hi NTT

Interesting to read your comment. We are moving to Perth (from South Africa) early next year. My boy is 12 y/o and rugby mad. I am worried about getting him into a school which plays rugby union, we certainly will not be able to afford the likes of the PSA schools when we first move. It is even more tricky to try and live close to these schools on our budget.

I have heard that the clubs are very active in Perth and this is where a lot of the talent is nurtured. Any comments would be appreciated as in SA the rugby culture is almost exclusively bred at school level (no school playing clubs)? What are the better clubs for his level? We would most probably be starting out NOR, Joondalup area.

[Delphy]

Hi JimR,

As NTT says, PSA schools are not the core of WA rugby that they once were.

Hale (PSA) has had a good rugby programme and has dominated the Redmond Cup for years but has typically not been particularly well represented in the WA age teams. The school which has dominated rep teams is Aranmore Catholic College which runs a rugby scholarship programme. Even without scholarship the fees are about 1/3 of the cost of PSA.

I don't have any great knowledge of Aranmore as an educational institution (see school ranking here http://bettereducation.com.au/results/WA/all.aspx) so won't comment on that aspect. You can make your own enquiries in that regard.

In terms of clubs, the area you are looking at is well served, with Wanneroo and Joondalup both having strong juniors programs.

If your boy is talented, you should keep an eye out for Regionals trials. These start at U14's, but exceptional boys a year younger have been known to be selected. Selected boys play in the State Championships, which have a grand total of 2 teams - North v South. The Championships double as selection trials for State teams.

Welcome to Perth Rugby. We are family here in the true sense. We snark and feud, and there are members who no one wants to mention, but generally it is a supportive and friendly community.

[GIGS20]

Delphy's on the money.

If you don't want to go to Aranmore, the competition they play in is (arguably....since I have PSA roots) the strongest schools comp in WA, but in reality the club scene is where it's at.

My example would be Aaron Ruru, Named for Foundation Christian College. I used to teach at FCC and still know people there. They don't have a rugby team at all, they don't have the numbers. They would struggle to find 23 boys in a single year level, since they are a 2 stream school. They are also a soccer school, so finding 23 players willing to turn out for rugby would be a virtually impossible task.

Last I heard Aaron was playing his rugby for Mandurah Pirates. So the Schoolboy tag is really only a tip of the hat to the bigger schools rugby programs in NSW and Qld.

But yeah, play rugby for Aranmore and you're sure to be in a good programe. Other names which have turned up in Finals over the years are Darling Range and Thornlie, both of which would be too far from Joondalup to seriously contemplate.

[JimR]

Thank you Delphy and GIGS20 for your replies. Thank you for the warm welcome, I look forward to hearing and sharing Perth rugby stories.

It's good to hear that the club rugby scene is alive and well in Perth, it takes a bit of pressure off in trying to get into a school that has a good rugby programme. In addition, as well as giving the young one a chance to play his favorite sport, it should also hopefully afford the missus and I a chance to socialise and integrate within the community more easily. Its early days yet for us, we will be landing for good in early 2017. Fortunately this gives me a chance to start shouting for the Force!

[GIGS20]

Why wait till 2017, the Force could do with as many loud voices as it can get!

[Ralto]

Hi NTT

I am worried about getting him into a school which plays rugby union.

Not too sure what that means ?

You don't need to attend one of the PSA schools in order to play rugby, there are other independent schools with rugby teams, I'm pretty sure Prendiville, St Marks and Mater Dei all had rugby (at some stage).

[JimR]

Not to sure myself!

I have no idea about the in's and out's of the Perth school rugby scene, hence my queries. I did have a look at the websites of most of the far north schools and non (that I could find) seem to have active rugby programmes. Certainly no public schools anyway.

Anyway luckily it seems I am overthinking this too much and there is a healthy club scene at junior level that he can easily integrate into. Hopefully he will be happy and most importantly just have good old fashioned fun on the field.

GIGS20, I have secretly been shouting for the Force (only not against my beloved Lions they also need every man woman and child to stand up and shout for them!)