From little players....

Just looking through an old online Australian Schools Rugby Union Newsletter...as you do :redface: ... and came across an interesting team photo.
I think it is of the 2001 Australian A Schools XV to play Samoa, doesn't really matter, they are all Under 17 anyway.
Goes to show that over time quite a few from these early career teams do end up making it to the big time.
The photo is too distorted to bother posting it here. The spelling is un-edited but can see a few they got wrong.

Back Row:
Will Stuart (Toowoomba Grammar Qld), Mafileo Kefu (Brisbane State High School Qld), Luke Foster (Brisbane
Boys’ College Qld), Guy Kennedy (St Edmund’s College ACT), Brendan Delahunty (St Joseph’s College Nudgee
Qld), James Higendorf (The King’s School NSW)
Second Row:
Sione Ahosivi (St Edmund’s College ACT), Ben Hand (The King’s School NSW), Ian Potter (St Joseph’s College
Nudgee Qld), Martin Wilson (The King’s School NSW), Mitchell Chapman (Brisbane Grammar Qld),
Fletcher Moore (Anglican Church Grammar School Qld), Lachlan Radnedge (St Edmund’s College ACT)
First Row:
Matthew Goteau (St Edmund’s College ACT), Christopher Siale (St Patrick’s College, Strathfield NSW),
Cooper Cronk (St Laurence’s College Qld), Gray Viane (Sarah Redfern High School NSW),
Josh Valentine (Singleton High School NSW), Rohan Watson (St Edmund’s College ACT)
Seated:
Mr David Berg (Physio), Vaughan Grey-Kukatai (St Edmund’s College ACT), Mr Chris Taylor (Manager, Scotch
College, Melbourne VIC), Andrew Chapman (Saint Ignatius’College, Riverview NSW), Mr Ian Moyes (Coach,
Barker College NSW), Michael Buchanan (St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace Qld), Mr Pat Langtry (Assistant
Coach, Marist College ACT) Absent: Justin Fitzpatrick (Patrician Brothers, Fairfield NSW)

Same again with this rabble:

Australian Rugby Football School’s Union v NZ 2000

Back Row
Jone Tawaki (Kinross Wolaroi), Mark Gerrard (Narrabeen Sports High), Ben Hand (The King’s School),
Will Caldwell (The King’s School), Luke Doherty (Iona College), Syd Douglas (The Southport School),
Ian Potter (Nudgee College), Lachlan MacKay (S.C.E.C.G.S. Redlands), Peter Waring (Epping Boys High),
Second Row
Anthony Ongolea (Brisbane State High), Cooper Cronk (St Laurence’s College), Andrew Chapman (St Ignatius College),
Luke Foster (Brisbane Boys College), James Hilgendorf (The King’s School), Brendan Delahunty (Nudgee College),
Lei Tomiki (The Scots College), Peter Hynes (Brisbane State High), David Rimmer (Oakhill College),
Josh Valentine (Singleton High),
Front Row
Mr Peter Gledhill (Assistant Coach - Nudgee College), Dallas Carney (The King’s School),
Mr Stuart Meade (Coach – The Cranbrook School), Morgan Turinui (Captain - Waverley College),
Mr David Robertson (Manager – Marist College Ashgrove), Ryan Perkins (Vice Captain – Knox Grammar),
Mr Jeff Chisholm (Assistant Manager – Sydney Grammar), Matthew Kearns (Galston High), Mr Brad Harrison (Physiotherapist)

At the same time, at a reported expense of $300k per Tour, you could argue it isn't really that great a return on investment either...

Australian Rugby Football Schools’ Union

TOUR OF JAPAN, UNITED KINGDON AND IRELAND – DECEMBER 2001

Back Row:
Rodney Blake (Homebush Boys High School NSW), Josh Clements (Hurlstone
Agricultural High School NSW), Hugh McMeniman (St Josephs College Nudgee Qld),
Simon Hockings (Parkes High School NSW), Ian Potter (St Josephs College Nudgee Qld).
Second Row:
Chris Siale (St Patricks College Strathfield NSW), Rowen Pearce
(Parkes High School NSW), Alex Quinlivan (St Ignatius College NSW),
Jarrod Saffy (St Josephs College Hunters Hill NSW), Richard Brown
(St Josephs College Nudgee Qld), Josh Graham (The Southport School Qld),
Saul Lilomaiava (Noble Park Secondary College Vic), Kieran Massey
(Homebush Boys High School NSW), John Collignon (St Edmunds College ACT).
First Row:
Gordon Kome (Punchbowl Boys High School NSW), Junior Hunt
(St Francis College Qld), David Dillon (St Edmunds College ACT),
Joel Slater (Narrabeen Sports High NSW), Drew Mitchell (St Patricks College Qld),
Joseph Tufuga (St Francis College Qld), Ole Avie (The Southport School Qld),
Lei Tomiki (The Scots College NSW), Josh Valentine (Narrabeen Sports High NSW),
Kit Maulio (The Southport School Qld).
Seated:
Mr Brad Harrison (Physiotherapist), Chris Lyons (St Josephs College Nudgee Qld),
Mr Peter Gledhill (St Josephs College Nudgee Qld, Coach),
Mitchell Chapman (Brisbane Grammar School Qld, Tour Captain),
Mr Glen Cronan (St Josephs College Nudgee Qld, Manager),
Jonathon Hoy (Narrabundah College ACT), Mr Patrick Langtry
(St Edmunds College ACT, Assistant Coach) Luke Holmes
(Narrabeen Sports High NSW), Mr John Reed
(Oakhill College NSW, Assistant Manager).

Begs the question though; is any schoolboys team EVER going to better Mark Ellas Invincibles?

As an amazing a team as that would need to be anyway, unfortunately I think not shasta as the modern youth of Rugby is being guided from Schoolboy elite to Under 19 elite by the IRB, so often Schoolboy stars are cherry picked to be Under 19 Bench players.
This was actually flagged in the 2001 newsletter I was reading.
The one saviour of the Schoolboy system is I recall a suggestion, may even be in action, to combine the Under 19 and Under 21 World Championships as an Under 20 World Championship.
I would imagine this would renew the importance of the youngest National team again and see more players eligible again.
But to answer your question directly, I doubt it!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shasta

Begs the question though; is any schoolboys team EVER going to better Mark Ellas Invincibles?

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... and slightly off the subject, but still related, one of Mark Ella's Invincibles was Tony Melrose, whose little brother Brian is the coach of West Sydney Rams. :offtopic:

I'm 99% sure that the Coach of the middle team Stuart Meade of Cranbrook is now Headmaster of Hale as well.