3 WA Boys in Aus U20's

[GAFFA]

Congrats to

Oliver Hoskins
Luke Burton
Brad Lacey

on making the Aus U20's tema for the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship in France later this year!

Full squad here

Allan Alaalatoa NSW West Harbour Prop
Mark Baldwin NSW Randwick Flanker
Curtis Browning QLD University of Queensland (c) Flanker
Luke Burton WA University RC WA Flyhalf/Centre
Jack Dempsey NSW Gordon Flanker
Chris Feauai-Sautia QLD, Souths Centre
Oliver Hoskins WA Cottesloe Prop
Siotome Kavapalu NSW Manly Prop
Samuel Kerevi QLD GPS Old Boys Centre
Phill Kite QLD GPS Old Boys Prop
Brad Lacey WA Wests Scarborough Wing
Silatolu Latu NSW Sydney University Prop
Jake McIntyre NSW Sunnybank Flyhalf
Ben Meehan QLD Sunnybank scrumhalf
Jock Merriman NSW Sydney University scrumhalf
Maile Ngauamo QLD Sunnybank Hooker
Alex Northam NSW Manly Wing
Harry Parker QLD University of Queensland Wing
Matt Philip NSW Sydney University Lock
Jonah Placid QLD Easts Fullback
Andrew Ready QLD Easts Hooker
Ulupano Seuteni QLD Easts Fullback
Patrick Sio NSW Northern Suburbs No 8
Thomas Staniforth ACT Royals Lock
Henry Taefu QLD Sunnybank Centre
Senio Toleafoa NSW West Harbour Lock
Micheal Wells NSW Northern Suburbs Flanker
Waldo Wessels, NSW, Southern Districts scrumhalf

[Alison]

Excellent!

Is Oliver Hoskins the brother of Tobias Hoskins, friend of JOC?

[The InnFORCEr]

Is Thomas any relation to Spanner?

[GAFFA]

Excellent!

Is Oliver Hoskins the brother of Tobias Hoskins, friend of JOC?

Yes

[Pacman]

Great work boys - So stoked for Burto - Lace and of course Hoskins there again. Your families will obviously be super proud right now.

Black and Yellow, Black and Yellow !!!!

[Pacman]

Queensland's Curtis Browning to Captain Australian Under 20s at IRB Junior World Championship

4/18/2013
By ARU Media Unit


The U20s training at Canberra

• Australian U20s squad to feature three Super Rugby players
• ARU National Academy delivers 19 representatives
• Eight members of the Australian U20s 2012 campaign return
• Six 2012 Australian Schoolboys earn selection
• Queensland Reds’ Curtis Browning to skipper his country

Queensland Reds flanker, Curtis Browning, has been appointed captain of Australia’s 28-man Under-20s squad for the IRB Junior World Championship being held in France in June.

This will be Browning’s second year at the Junior World Championship, after he made his U20s debut at last year’s tournament in South Africa.

A shining light of Australia’s 2012 Junior World Championship campaign, Browning was crowned the Australian Under-20s Player of the Year at the annual John Eales Medal evening last November.

Browning’s appointment is just one of a number of stories to arise from the naming of coaches Adrian Thompson and Sean Hedger’s 28-man squad.

Head coach Thompson said selections were heavily influenced by the demanding nature of the tournament, which includes short turnarounds between matches.

“We’ve picked good footy players, but also guys that can cope with the demands of the tournament,” Thompson said.

“The guys have to be very thorough in their off-field preparation and pretty mentally tough. The tournament does take a toll on the players, so we looked for guys that could handle that.”

Thompson said he hoped the players would grasp their opportunity to represent Australia and make the most of it.

“This is a very important tournament for the guys and their development,” Thompson said.

“They have a chance here to represent their country and after the Under 20s, the only opportunity to do that is with the Qantas Wallabies or the Qantas Men’s Sevens, so they need to treat that chance like gold.”

Thomson and Hedger announced the squad following three selection camps, which saw more than 50 players participate over the past few months.

The squad features a broad range of experience, including previous World Championship representatives, Australian Schoolboys, National Academy and Super Rugby players.

All three Super Rugby players hail from the Queensland Reds. Browning has featured with the Super Rugby side after being brought in as injury cover for Beau Robinson, Chris Feauai-Sautia has been a regular member of his side’s 22 this season and Ulupano Seuteni is in his second year as a member of the Reds Extended Playing Squad.

The squad features eight members from last year’s Australian Under 20s, including the three Reds, Allan Alaalatoa, Oliver Hoskins, Silatolu Latu, Jock Merriman and Maile Nguamo.

Several Australian Schoolboys have continued their development pathway, with 2012 touring members Jack Dempsey, Siotome Kavapalu, Jake McIntyre, Matt Philip, Tom Staniforth and Jonah Placid all getting selected for this year’s Australian Under 20s.

In addition, two players with previous international Under-20 experience have been selected for Australia, with Samu Kerevi (Fiji) and Senio Toleafoa (Samoa) both set to represent a second country at the age-grade level.

Unlike last year’s team, Australian Sevens players were unavailable for selection due to Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 also taking place in June.

The Australian Under 20s will meet New Zealand, Fiji and Ireland in pool play at the Junior World Championship and Thompson knows how tough the competition will be.

“Ireland had a reasonable 6 Nations, so they’ve had some really good preparation and have played a lot together,” Thompson said.

“New Zealand have won the tournament every year except for last year, so they’re always strong and Fiji finished third in their pool and went on to beat Italy, so it’s certainly a difficult pool.”

The Australian Under-20 squad for the IRB Junior World Championship enters its first preparation camp at Bond University in the first week of May. They will face Papua New Guinea’s national team in a trial on Thursday 2 May at 3:00pm at Bond University.

The IRB Junior World Championship runs 5-23 June in France.

[DinkyDi]

Good news for WA - each year we seem to be adding one more the 20s squad. Good luck in France.

[Sheikh]

Good news for WA - each year we seem to be adding one more the 20s squad. Good luck in France.

So by 2038 we'll supply the entire squad!

[PeterM]

I am not having a pop but the way I read an earlier post it would appear that one of the lads is in the squad because his brother is well connected? I am hoping someone with more knowledge than me can put me right

but well done to the lads representing the country

[GAFFA]

I am not having a pop but the way I read an earlier post it would appear that one of the lads is in the squad because his brother is well connected? I am hoping someone with more knowledge than me can put me right

but well done to the lads representing the country

Ollie is in the team because he is one of the best u20 props in australia nothing to do with his brother being friends with joc
Posted via Mobile Device

[Engage!]

I am not having a pop but the way I read an earlier post it would appear that one of the lads is in the squad because his brother is well connected?]

What a bizzare and misinformed statement to make!

[DinkyDi]

I am not having a pop but the way I read an earlier post it would appear that one of the lads is in the squad because his brother is well connected? I am hoping someone with more knowledge than me can put me right

but well done to the lads representing the country

Ollie Hoskins - Aus U20 2012, Aus U19 2011, Aus School A 2010, Combined States School 2009, Western Force A 2013,12,11 Premier grade 2013,2012,2011, Manly 1st XV (Shute Shield 2012) Force Academy 2007-2013

Hmmm - you might be right - his parents have been paying everyone for the last 7 years.

What a very strange and ill informed comment to make deriding any of the WA lads making a rep team in an Eastern States biased world.

Good luck to all the lads.

[Pacman]

Fairfax NZ News

Highlanders centre Jason Emery and Hurricanes loose forward Ardie Save headline the New Zealand under-20 rugby squad for the junior world championship in France in June.

Chiefs wider training group fullback Joe Webber and two Blues wider training group players, loose forward Joe Edwards and outside back Lolagi Visinia, have also made the 28-man squad.

The squad includes 12 players who played ITM Cup matches last year.

Head coach Chris Boyd said the competition for squad positions had been fierce, with many of the 48 contenders showing they had worked hard on their fitness and technique over the summer.

"I think the squad we have selected has a good balance of hard workers and natural talent," Boyle said as trials wrapped up in Palmerston North.

"This is the culmination of a seven-month programme to identify our potential squad and to develop those players."

Squad:

Forwards: Front rowers: Donald Brighouse (Wellington), Epalahame Faiva (Waikato), Nick Grogan (Manawatu), Alexander Hodgman (Canterbury), Sione Mafileo (North Harbour), Kalafi Pongi (Counties Manukau), Boyd Wiggins (North Harbour); Locks: Scott Barrett (Canterbury), Jackson Hemopo (Otago), Patrick Tuipulotu (Auckland), Christopher Vui (Auckland); Loose Forwards: Adam Burn (Waikato), Joseph Edwards (Auckland), Jordan Manihera (North Harbour), Hadleigh May (Otago), Ardie Savea (Wellington).

Backs: Halfbacks: Tayler Adams (Southland), Sheridan Rangihuna (Hawke's Bay); First five-eighths: Simon Hickey (Auckland), Jade Te Rure (Manawatu); Midfield backs: Michael Collins (Otago), Jason Emery (Manawatu), Fa'asiu Fuatai (Otago), Teihorangi Walden (Otago), Outside backs: Penikolo Latu (Hawke's Bay), Leroy Van Dam (Auckland) , Lolagi Visinia (Auckland), Joseph Webber (Waikato).

Schedule:

Pool B: New Zealand, Ireland, Australia, Fiji.
Wednesday, June 5: NZ v Fiji, Vannes
Sunday, June 9: NZ v Australia, Vannes
Thursday, June 13: NZ v Ireland, Vannes
Tuesday, June 18: Play-off matches including semifinals
Sunday, June 23: Final.

[tdevil]

Luke Burton:
http://youtu.be/fRknyCxHE7o

[DinkyDi]

Luke is a real talent - I hope he gets a shot at showing his wears in France and is not the Token WA lad in the squad, benching for most of the games. Without Nuci involved there is a shot.