Australia U20 v New Zealand 12 May 2024

[Tazzmania]

Australia U20s to play New Zealand at Sunshine Coast Stadium on Sunday 12 May, 3:30pm AEST

Starters

1 Jack Barrett (Waratahs)
2 Ottavio Tuipulotu (Rebels)
3 Nick Bloomfield (Reds)
4 Toby Macpherson (Brumbies – captain)
5 Harvey Cordukes (Brumbies)
6 Aden Ekanayake (Waratahs)
7 Dane Sawers (Force)
8 Jack Harley (Brumbies)
9 Doug Philipson (Force)
10 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips (Reds)
11 Will McCulloch (Reds)
12 Ronan Leahy (Force – vice captain)
13 Divad Palu (Rebels)
14 Xavier Rubens (Reds)
15 Angus Staniforth (Brumbies)
Finishers

16. Bryn Edwards (Waratahs)
17. Lington Ieli (Brumbies)
18. Tevita Alatini (Brumbies)
19. Ben Daniels (Reds)
20. Ben Di Staso (Waratahs)
21. Hwi Sharples (Waratahs)
22. Joey Fowler (Rebels)
23. Boston Fakafanua (Force)

[Tazzmania]

Congratulations to the three Force Academy Players starting and Boston on a potential debut

[Burgs]

Interested to see Staniforth moved to Fullback.
All five from the Force will have Capped, which is great and I doubt a given.
Congratulations to Leahy starting every match and Philipson for two starts and a Bench.
A massive match, but a win is achievable.

[Burgs]

Harry McLaughlin-Phillips headlines Australia U20s side to face New Zealand

Fri, May 10, 2024, 3:00 PM
Lachlan Grey

Australia U20s coach Nathan Grey has named Queensland Reds playmaker Harry McLaughlin-Phillips in his starting line up to tackle New Zealand on Sunday. McLaughlin-Phillips' inclusion is one of eight changes to the starting XV that faced South Africa on Tuesday night.

Catch all the action from TRC U20 LIVE and exclusive on Stan Sport.

Captain Toby Macpherson and vice-captain Ronan Leahy once again reprise their starting roles at lock and inside centre alongside front row trio Jack Barrett, Ottavio Tuipulotu and Nick Bloomfield.

Lock Harvey Cordukes pairs with Brumbies teammate Macpherson in the engine room with Aden Ekanayake returning to partner Dane Sawers and Jack Harley in the back row.

Force halfback Doug Philipson will steer the ship alongside McLaughlin-Phillips with Rebels centre Divad Palu elevated to the starting XV outside Leahy.

Queensland duo Will McCulloch and Xavier Rubens return to the match-day squad as starting wingers while Brumbies flyer Angus Staniforth shifts to fullback.

Bryn Edwards, Lington Ieli and Tevita Alatini offer front row cover with Ben Daniels and Ben Di Staso rounding out the forward finishers.

Force flyer Boston Fakafanua is set to make his first tournament appearance after being named alongside Hwi Sharples and Joey Fowler on the pine.

“It was difficult to choose a side from the 33 players who've been involved in this campaign have worked tirelessly and I'd back any player to step up if required," Grey said. "This tournament has been an excellent opportunity for players to put their hand up and show what they can do in the gold jersey.

"There's been significant improvement between games one and two and we want to step up again in our final game against New Zealand.

"It's our last hit out before the upcoming U20 World Championship and our last game on home soil this year."

Australia will face New Zealand on Sunday 12 May at Sunshine Coast Stadium (3:30pm AEST kick off). The match will be shown live and exclusive on Stan Sport.

Australia U20s to play South Africa at Sunshine Coast Stadium on Sunday 12 May, 3:30pm AEST

Australia U20s

1. Jack Barrett (Waratahs)
2. Ottavio Tuipulotu (Rebels)
3. Nick Bloomfield (Reds)
4. Toby Macpherson (Brumbies – captain)
5. Harvey Cordukes (Brumbies)
6. Aden Ekanayake (Waratahs)
7. Dane Sawers (Force)
8. Jack Harley (Brumbies)
9. Doug Philipson (Force)
10. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips (Reds)
11. Will McCulloch (Reds)
12. Ronan Leahy (Force – vice captain)
13. Divad Palu (Rebels)
14. Xavier Rubens (Reds)
15. Angus Staniforth (Brumbies)

16. Bryn Edwards (Waratahs)
17. Lington Ieli (Brumbies)
18. Tevita Alatini (Brumbies)
19. Ben Daniels (Reds)
20. Ben Di Staso (Waratahs)
21. Hwi Sharples (Waratahs)
22. Joey Fowler (Rebels)
23. Boston Fakafanua (Force)

[Burgs]

The Baby Boks got up in the earlier match, so a win would have seen Aus take the title, a loss and they come fourth...
Australia go down 25-36.
This is a match they could have won, they weren't "outclassed" as you often see against NZ.
No doubt NZ were the better team on the day, but Aus did themselves no favours with a handful of simple things that went wrong.
A bobbled pass receipt, a couple of 50/50 Penalties against the Scrum, two out on the full from the restart, arguably our best on field (Sawers) scoring a try concussed and having to leave the field early.
That said, probably had our fair share of favourable calls including the first YC.
Fortunately the rain held off for once and it was a fast track, which did help Aus too.
Despite the outcome on the ladder, I think this is a really good platform to go into the World Championship on, though still two matches underdone compared to the Six Nations lads who have a full five match tournament leading in. Maybe in the future can expand this Tournament to six with Fiji and one of Samoa, Tonga, Canada or USA.
Big wraps on all of the Force lads, they all performed really well.
Particular mention to Boston Fakafanua, made a big difference to the momentum when he came on.

[Burgs]

Australia fall to New Zealand in final round of inaugural TRC U20

Sun, May 12, 2024, 4:00 PM
Lachlan Grey

Australia U20s have gone down to New Zealand in their final game of the inaugural TRC U20 tournament.

Queenslander Will McCulloch shone for the hosts with a second half double but it wasn't enough as the visitors rallied late to emerge 36-25 victors and claim the title.

Re-live all the action from TRC U20 on Stan Sport. Australia drew first blood via a Harry McLaughlin-Phillips penalty in the fourth minute to lead 3-0. McLaughlin-Phillips remained a prominent figure early doors, forcing a ruck turnover to shut down a promising New Zealand attack while Angus Staniforth and Xavier Rubens created chances downfield.

However the visitors defended their line grimly and would go on to post the first try at Sunshine Coast Stadium with winger Stanley Solomon racing 40m to score down the left touch line after 17 minutes.

Australia struck back with another McLaughlin-Phillips penalty following a powerful scrum in the 30th minute but it was New Zealand with the last laugh before oranges as Solomon plucked an intercept and raced away for his second try to put his side ahead 12-5 at halftime.

The visitors struck again shortly after the break via halfback Dylan Pledger, who followed a Xavi Taele line break and backed up under the sticks to stretch New Zealand’s advantage 19-5.

Australia needed a spark and found it in flanker Dane Sawers, who burrowed over after 49 minutes following strong build-up from the hosts’ rolling maul.

Sawers’ try lit the fire for winger McCulloch, who laid on two tries in five blistering minutes down the left touchline to put Australia ahead 25-19.

The visitors hit back through hooker Manumaua Letiu with Rico Simpson’s conversion retaking the lead for New Zealand in the 70th minute.

A yellow card to lock (?think it was #10) Andrew Smith left New Zealand down a man for the final flurry but the Baby Blacks were undeterred, kicking a 72nd minute penalty to go up 29-25 before Taele scored his second try in the dying minutes.

Post-game, Australia skipper Toby Macpherson rued an inability to convert pressure to points.

"Proud of the boys effort but disappointed we didn't take our opportunities out there," Macpherson told rugby.com.au

"We just couldn't get that last pass. We created enough opportunities to lift that trophy and going into South Africa, that's going to be our work on."

[Burgs]

Force youngster Leahy named in U20 Team of the Tournament

Tue, May 14, 2024, 10:26 AM
Ben Somerford

Westen Force back Ronan Leahy has been named in the U20 Rugby Championship Team of the Tournament after three strong showing with Australia’s U20s on the Sunshine Coast.

The 19-year-old, who plays his club rugby with UWA Rugby Club, started all three games for Australia at inside-centre and played all 240 minutes.

Leahy’s performances earned him selection in the Team of the Tournament by Opta Index.

Australia won one game – 24-19 over South Africa – and suffered two defeats to winners New Zealand (36-25) and Argentina (25-6) in the May tournament.

Force quintet Leahy, Dane Sawers, Boston Fakafanua, Doug Philipson and Kauri Tipene-Grace were all called into Australia’s 31-player squad for the tournament.

Leahy, who scored two tries in the Force’s two pre-season games, was named vice-captain.

Kalamunda forward Sawers was among the elite for carries, finishing third overall with 9.0 per game.

The honour for Leahy, comes after two other talented Force stars of the future, Sammy Wood and Hera-Barb Malcom Heke, made their Wallaroos debuts on Saturday.

[Tazzmania]

Well deserved for Leahy.

I thought Dane Sawers looked really good and is developing well, future back up for Carlo.

Philipson looks sharp, with a good head on him and cocky just what you want from a scrumhalf.

Tipene -Grace did not get much time but looked for work and a good work in progress.

First time I have watched Fakafanua closely, you cannot but like this kid. He could be something special, cannot wait to see how he develops.

[WFDom]

How do we get Leahy involved more with the squad and not risk losing him?!
If he keeps getting the accolades and isn’t getting a look in here there’s a chance he will stray

[Burgs]

How do we get Leahy involved more with the squad and not risk losing him?!
If he keeps getting the accolades and isn’t getting a look in here there’s a chance he will stray

I think we need to be looking to off-season tours on top of the Cheetahs etc.
All of them need to be getting match miles in the legs.

[GIGS20]

I think we need to be looking to off-season tours on top of the Cheetahs etc.
All of them need to be getting match miles in the legs.

also hope that he doesn't listen to the shills telling him he can get big minutes at franchise X when he's young enough to still want his minutes managed to ensure appropriate development.

[Tazzmania]

also hope that he doesn't listen to the shills telling him he can get big minutes at franchise X when he's young enough to still want his minutes managed to ensure appropriate development.

I am a huge fan of Leahy and have spoken with him a number of times. He is a determined youngster who packed up straight from school to head west to get an opportunity. It is up to the Academy coaches to enable him to understand that that the best way forward for him is to be managed correctly, and that the gap between u20/Club and Super rugby is vast.

He is a Sydney kid, not a WA kid and we have just been lucky that he chose us to have his first bash at higher level rugby.

He would be an ideal NRC candidate, but as we do not have that hopefully we can create opportunities at that intermediate level without exposing him too soon to the rigours of Super rugby.

.

[brokendown gunfighter]

I am a huge fan of Leahy and have spoken with him a number of times. He is a determined youngster who packed up straight from school to head west to get an opportunity. It is up to the Academy coaches to enable him to understand that that the best way forward for him is to be managed correctly, and that the gap between u20/Club and Super rugby is vast.

He is a Sydney kid, not a WA kid and we have just been lucky that he chose us to have his first bash at higher level rugby.

He would be an ideal NRC candidate, but as we do not have that hopefully we can create opportunities at that intermediate level without exposing him too soon to the rigours of Super rugby.

.

patience grasshopper