Suncorp Australian Schoolboys Ready for Ballymore Battle with England

Suncorp Australian Schoolboys Ready for Ballymore Battle with England

August 17, 2007 - 4:02pm
Story by: ARU

The Australian Schools Rugby Union has today announced their team play England Under 18 in a one-off Test at Ballymore this Sunday.

The match, kicking off at 2.15pm, will be held as a curtain raiser to the Mazda Australian Rugby Championship clash between the Ballymore Tornadoes and the visiting Sydney Fleet.

The Australian Schoolboys system has long been a nurturing ground for future representative stars with many of last year’s squad, including Andrew Barrett, Quade Cooper and Kurtley Beale, now plying their trade with Super 14 and Mazda ARC teams.

The current 23-man squad contains only two players, Ben Tapuai and Robert Horne, from the Suncorp Australian Schoolboys squad which toured Fiji and New Zealand late last year.

Westfields Sports High in NSW and the Gold Coast’s Southport School each have three representatives, while Brisbane State HS, St Edmunds College (ACT), Nudgee College, St Joseph’s College (Hunters Hill) and Anglican Church Grammar have two players in the squad.

St Joseph’s College hooker Damien Fitzpatrick will captain the Australians.

England Under 18, undefeated after three warm-up games, including a last-gasp 17-16 victory over Australia A on the Gold Coast on Wednesday, will be looking to avenge their 24-16 defeat to Australia in Gloucester (UK) in 2005.

Tickets are available through Ticket Master.

Australian Schools Team to play England Under 18’s(TNT Test Series)
2.15pm, Sunday 19 August, Ballymore

1 Kesomi Lolotonga St Edmund's College, ACT
2 Damien Fitzpatrick (c) St Joseph's College, NSW
3 James Slipper The Southport School, QLD
4 Sitiveni Mafi Westfields Sports High, NSW
5 David McDuling St Ignatius' College, NSW
6 Timothy MacNamara St Edmund's College, ACT
7 Samisoni Latunipulu Endeavour Sports High, NSW
8 Talalelei Gray St Kevin's College,VIC
9 Brent Hamlin Brisbane State High, QLD
10 Matt To'omua Brisbane State High, QLD
11 Joseph Tomane Nudgee College, QLD
12 Ben Tapuai* The Southport School, QLD
13 Robert Horne* GRC Senior College Oatley, NSW
14 Afusipa Taumoepeau St Joseph's College, NSW
15 Aidan Toua Anglican Church Grammar, QLD
16 James Willan The Southport School, QLD
17 Nick Seymour Brisbane Grammar School, QLD
18 Lamarn Ma’a Westfields Sports High, NSW
19 Jake Schatz Anglican Church Grammar, QLD
20 Jesse Parahi Kincumber HS, NSW
21 Shanin Proctor Westfields Sports High, NSW
22 James O’Connor Nudgee College, QLD
23 Cameron Mitchell The Kings School, NSW

* Member of 2006 Australian Schoolboys Squad

Team Management

Pat Langtry Coach – St Edmund’s College ACT
Graeme Dedrick Manager – The Scots College NSW
Andrew Elliott Assistant Manager – Waverley College NSW
Geoff Melville Assistant Coach – St Stanislaus’ College NSW
Paul Carozza Skills Coach QLD
Andrew Ryan Physiotherapist NSW
Dr Michael McLean Medical Officer QLD

Australian schoolboys down England

Sunday, August 19, 2007

A late, long-range try to winger Afusipa Taumoepeau gave the Australian Schoolboys a hard-fought 11-3 win over England Under 18s at Ballymore today.

An 80-metre team try in the tense encounter played in steady rain inflicted England's first defeat of their four-match tour.

Taumoepeau, from Sydney's St Joseph's College, put the finishing touches on a thrilling counter-attack with four minutes left in the good-quality junior Test.

Reserve back Cameron Mitchell sparked the break in finding fullback James O'Connor who got into space before looping an overhead pass inside to centre Ben Tapuai who linked with Mitchell before he found the winger.

Australia's other points came courtesy of two penalty goals to Brumbies contracted Brisbane State High five-eighth Matt Toomua.

Despite dominating territory and possession, Australia led just 3-0 at half-time.

The brave tourists tied the scores through a penalty to flyhalf Robert Miller in the second half before Toomua kicked Australia ahead again.

AAP

Wouldn't they have won 6-3 even without the late long-range try that GAVE the win to the Aussies?

2/10 for grammar....typical journo!!!

(Good reporting though Burgs!)