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Qantas Wallabies head talent-rich Under 20 squad
May 04, 2010 - 10:13am
Story by: ARU
Luke Morahan is one of two players in the Australian Under 20s squad who has Qantas Wallabies experience
Two players with senior Qantas Wallabies experience headline coach David Nucifora’s Australian Under 20s squad which is expected to be highly competitive at the IRB Junior World Championships in Argentina in June.
Qantas Wallabies Spring Tourists, Brumbies flyhalf Matt Toomua and Queensland Reds winger Luke Morahan are key inclusions in the 26-man squad which will kick off its campaign with a pool match against Scotland in Santa Fe on Saturday 5 June before matches against Tonga in Parana (9 June) and South Africa in Santa Fe (13 June).
Eight players in the squad have tasted top-tier Rugby during the 2010 Investec Bank Super 14 season with Brumbies young-guns Colby Faingaa, Michael Hooper and Robbie Coleman earning selection, while Queensland Reds backrower Jake Schatz, Western Force lock Luke Jones and halfback Justin Turner have also been given the nod.
Several Australian Sevens representatives, who have proved their pedigree on the IRB Sevens World Series circuit this year, have also made the grade with Queensland quartet - backrower Ed Quirk, flanker Liam Gill, winger Kimami Sitauti and outside back Dominic Shipperley receiving the call up into Nucifora’s squad.
Nucifora will also draw on the invaluable experience of six players who were included on last year’s Australian Schoolboys tour to the UK and Ireland.
After a disappointing result at last year’s championships in Japan,where Australia fell to South Africa 32-5 in the playoff for third, hopes are high this side will have the skill and execution to end New Zealand’s two-year reign as world champions.
Coleman, Schatz, Toomua and Nic White are the only players to return from the class of 2009 for a second tilt at the under 20s world title.
Should Australia progress through their pool matches they will play a semi-final on 17 June with the final scheduled for 21 June at Estadio El Coloso del Parque in Rosario.
The 26-man Australian Under 20 squad will assemble at the Sydney Academy of Sport in Narrabeen on 21 May before departing for Buenos Aires on May 26.
Australian U20 squad:
Forwards: Cruze Ah-Nau (WA), Paul Alo-Emile (QLD), Phoenix Battye (ACT), Colby Faingaa (ACT), Liam Gill (QLD), Michael Hooper (ACT), Luke Jones (WA), Salesi Manu (NSW), Gregory Peterson (NSW), Edward Quirk (QLD), Sam Roberson (NSW), Siliva Siliva (WA), Scott Sio (NSW), Jake Schatz (QLD).
Backs: Tim Bennetts (NSW), Robbie Coleman (ACT), Greg Jeloudev (NSW), Jonathon Lance (QLD), Cameron Mitchell (NSW), Dominic Shipperley (QLD), Kimami Sitauti (QLD), Aidan Toua (QLD), Matt Toomua (ACT), Luke Morahan (QLD), Justin Turner (WA), Nic White (ACT).
http://www.rugby.com.au/news/under_2.../section/21893