Junior Wallabies side to face Fiji U20

Junior Wallabies side to face Fiji U20, Danie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch, 4.30pm Saturday SAST (12.30am Sunday AEST)

1. Marley Pearce (Western Force, Joondalup Brothers)

2. Liam Bowron (ACT Brumbies, Canberra Royals)

3. Nick Bloomfield (QLD Reds, Easts Tigers)

4. Toby Macpherson (ACT Brumbies, Uni-Norths Owls)

5. Jhy Legg (Western Force, Wests Scarborough) (Late change)

6. Lachlan Hooper (ACT Brumbies, Vikings Rugby)

7. Nick Baker (c) (QLD Reds, GPS Rugby Club)

8. Leafi Heka Talataina (Melbourne Rebels, Endeavour Hills)

9. Klayton Thorn (ACT Brumbies, Gungahlin Eagles)

10. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips (QLD Reds, Souths Magpies)

11. Darby Lancaster (Melbourne Rebels, Eastern Suburbs)

12. David Vaihu (Melbourne Rebels, Wests Bulldogs)

13. Taj Annan (QLD Reds, Souths Magpies)

14. Ronan Leahy (Western Force, Sydney University)

15. Mason Gordon (Melbourne Rebels, Wests Bulldogs)

16. Harrison Usher (QLD Reds, Bond University)

17. Max Craig (QLD Reds, Easts Tigers)

18. Trevor King (QLD Reds, Souths Magpies)

19. Ollie McCrea (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs)

20. Ned Slack-Smith (Western Force, Palmyra Rugby Union Club)

21. Teddy Wilson (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs)

22. Jack Bowen (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs)

23. Henry O'Donnell (NSW Waratahs, Northern Suburbs)

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/junio...championships/

It's a shame Pearce will likely receive a ban. England battered Ireland's scrum, and it is clear our forwards are our strength. We played a bit too loose against Fiji and it cost us in turnovers/breakdown penalties. Need to be tighter.

Lots of backs slipping over on kick returns not great either. I'd be surprised if Ireland don't target that.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by James

It's a shame Pearce will likely receive a ban. England battered Ireland's scrum, and it is clear our forwards are our strength. We played a bit too loose against Fiji and it cost us in turnovers/breakdown penalties. Need to be tighter.

Lots of backs slipping over on kick returns not great either. I'd be surprised if Ireland don't target that.

---

I think Marley will be the unfortunate first victim of the way Super Rugby has approached head contact.

It's pretty fair to say that hit would not have been called red by Super Rugby officials, it could have been anything from nothing to see here to Yellow, but lots of worse contact has been approved.

Expect to see a lot more of this during the World Cups this year.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GIGS20

I think Marley will be the unfortunate first victim of the way Super Rugby has approached head contact.

It's pretty fair to say that hit would not have been called red by Super Rugby officials, it could have been anything from nothing to see here to Yellow, but lots of worse contact has been approved.

---

Maybe.

A pity if so as he was doing well out there until the card.

Junior Wallabies vs. Ireland U20, Paarl Gymnasium, Paarl, 11am SAST (7pm AEST) Thursday

1. Jack Barrett (NSW Waratahs, Randwick)

2. Max Craig (QLD Reds, Easts Tigers)

3. Massimo De Lutiis (ACT Brumbies, Western District Lions)

4. Jhy Legg (Western Force, Wests Scarborough)

5. Daniel Maiava-Tapusoa (Melbourne Rebels, Wests Bulldogs)

6. Lachlan Hooper (ACT Brumbies, Vikings Rugby)

7. Ned Slack-Smith (Western Force, Palmyra Rugby Union Club)

8. John Bryant (QLD Reds, Souths Magpies)

9. Teddy Wilson (c) (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs)

10. Jack Bowen (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs)

11. Darby Lancaster (Melbourne Rebels, Eastern Suburbs)

12. David Vaihu (Melbourne Rebels, Wests Bulldogs)

13. Henry O'Donnell (NSW Waratahs, Northern Suburbs)

14. Tim Ryan (QLD Reds, Brothers Rugby Club)

15. Mason Gordon (Melbourne Rebels, Wests Bulldogs)

Reserves

16. Liam Bowron (ACT Brumbies, Canberra Royals)

17. Harrison Usher (QLD Reds, Bond University)

18. Nick Bloomfield (QLD Reds, Easts Tigers)

19. Toby Macpherson (ACT Brumbies, Uni-Norths Owls)

20. Leafi Heka Talataina (Melbourne Rebels, Endeavour Hills)

21. Klayton Thorn (ACT Brumbies, Gungahlin Eagles)

22. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips (QLD Reds, Souths Magpies)

23. Taj Annan (QLD Reds, Souths Magpies)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tazzmania

Junior Wallabies vs. Ireland U20, Paarl Gymnasium, Paarl, 11am SAST (7pm AEST) Thursday

1. Jack Barrett (NSW Waratahs, Randwick)

2. Max Craig (QLD Reds, Easts Tigers)

3. Massimo De Lutiis (ACT Brumbies, Western District Lions)

4. Jhy Legg (Western Force, Wests Scarborough)

5. Daniel Maiava-Tapusoa (Melbourne Rebels, Wests Bulldogs)

6. Lachlan Hooper (ACT Brumbies, Vikings Rugby)

7. Ned Slack-Smith (Western Force, Palmyra Rugby Union Club)

8. John Bryant (QLD Reds, Souths Magpies)

9. Teddy Wilson (c) (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs)

10. Jack Bowen (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs)

11. Darby Lancaster (Melbourne Rebels, Eastern Suburbs)

12. David Vaihu (Melbourne Rebels, Wests Bulldogs)

13. Henry O'Donnell (NSW Waratahs, Northern Suburbs)

14. Tim Ryan (QLD Reds, Brothers Rugby Club)

15. Mason Gordon (Melbourne Rebels, Wests Bulldogs)

Reserves

16. Liam Bowron (ACT Brumbies, Canberra Royals)

17. Harrison Usher (QLD Reds, Bond University)

18. Nick Bloomfield (QLD Reds, Easts Tigers)

19. Toby Macpherson (ACT Brumbies, Uni-Norths Owls)

20. Leafi Heka Talataina (Melbourne Rebels, Endeavour Hills)

21. Klayton Thorn (ACT Brumbies, Gungahlin Eagles)

22. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips (QLD Reds, Souths Magpies)

23. Taj Annan (QLD Reds, Souths Magpies)

---

Shame for Ronan, after a couple of early blips I thought he had a pretty solid match against Fiji.

Pearce copped three games. Presumably free to play the final game if he hasn't been sent home.

Junior Wallabies embracing champion Ireland challenge as prop Pearce cops suspension
Thu, Jun 29, 2023, 7:43 AM
Nathan Williamson


Junior Wallabies coach Nathan Grey is welcoming the challenge of playing heavyweights Ireland as they look to build off their opening-round win at the U20 World Championships.

Thursday's clash will be the first since the 2019 event the Australians will face a Northern Hemisphere opponent, with none better than the Irish.

Catch the Junior Wallabies take on Ireland U20s LIVE on Stan Sport. Start your Free Sport Trial Now

Richie Murphy's side have won back-to-back U20 Six Nations, sweeping through the tournament undefeated.

They are yet to win the U20s World Championships, finishing second in 2006, however loom as one of the favourites despite their 34-all draw to England.

"We certainly have a healthy respect for Ireland. They've been dominant in that tournament for a couple of years now so we're very aware of the threats they pose," Grey told reporters.

"We're also very conscious of how we want to play and comfortable with how we want to play and back ourselves in terms of applying pressure to them.

"We're really looking forward to the contest."

Captain Teddy Wilson is one of the more experienced players in the squad, however, facing the Irish will be a new challenge for the scrum-half, already bracing for a set-piece-heavy game.

"I went on one school tour to England when I was young and it was just the basics like their kicking skills are really good," he recalled when asked about his experience facing Northern Hemisphere sides.

"Obviously haven't played against them a lot but they base their game off that set-piece dominance...we need to set patient with our kick battles and fronting up in the set-piece. The boys have been doing really well at scrum and lineout time so if we can continue to bring that on Thursday, we'll do well."

The Junior Wallabies will be without prop Marley Pearce for the rest of the group stages of the U20 Championships.

It comes after the Western Force prop was suspended for two games for a high shot during their win over Fiji.

Pearce was initially issued a yellow card in the 53rd minute, which was subsequently upgraded to a red by the TMO.

World Rugby's independent Disciplinary Committee found it to be a mid-range sanction, with Pearce's clean record and his completion of the World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme reducing it from six to two weeks.

"The Committee, having considered the player’s submissions and reviewed all available evidence, found that the red card threshold had been met," they said in a statement.

"The Committee noted that the offence carries a mandatory mid-range sanction (six matches) and having considered the mitigating factors reduced the sanction by the maximum mitigation of 50 per cent."

Junior Wallabies coach Nathan Grey spoke before the decision was handed down but had already prepared for the worse case scenario, with Waratah Jack Barrett named to start in Thursday's match against Six Nations and Grand Slam champions Ireland.

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/junior...n-grey-2023627

5pm today WST U20's Wallabies v Ireland on Stan

Junior Wallabies rue missed chances in wet against powerful Irish
Thu, Jun 29, 2023, 8:40 PM
Jim Tucker


Two missed five-pointers erased the value of a brilliant 75m strike by the Junior Wallabies when they fell to Ireland at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship.

The young Aussies led 10-3 midway through the first half before the superior pack power of the Irish bulldozed a deserved 30-10 victory in South Africa.

Catch the Junior Wallabies take on Ireland U20s LIVE on Stan Sport. Start your Free Sport Trial Now

The rain and mud in Paarl were far from ideal conditions for a Junior Wallabies outfit which wanted to back their attacking flair.

By contrast, the Irish revelled in the familiar conditions and their three second half tries were all scored through industrious work by forwards close to the tryline.

Junior Wallabies captain Teddy Wilson lamented inconsistency after his side was in striking range when down just 11-10 at half-time.

“Obviously, it’s a pretty disappointing result. The Irish were strong in the second half,” halfback Wilson said.

“The first half was solid from the boys but you’ve got to be solid for 80 minutes not just 40.”

The fallout from the loss means the Junior Wallabies are at long odds to make the semi-finals even if they beat England in their final Pool B clash on Tuesday.

The young Aussies made a positive start in the wet. Prop Massimo De Lutiis made three ball-carries in the opening 90 seconds as the Aussies found some instant rhythm.

The game was only two minutes old when flyhalf Jack Bowen scooted right from an attacking ruck and found winger Tim Ryan with an arcing cutout pass.

Ryan got across the line but the Irish cover defence made sure his boots clipped the touchline in that slippery corner of the field.

Ryan stayed involved when a superb chase in scramble defence saved a try when another Bowen cutout ball was intercepted and returned 65m.

The Junior Wallabies scored a terrific try off turnover ball at the 26-minute mark. Bowen spread the ball on his own quarter-line.

Centre David Vaihu made the telling break by eluding three defenders. He passed in-field to Wilson who found centre Henry O’Donnell in support for the run to the tryline.

A powerful Australian scrum had earned a tighthead early in the match but any advantage in that area dissolved when scrum rock De Lutiis was forced off injured just before half-time. As the second half rolled on, the Aussie pack was dismantled by the scrum of the Six Nations Under-20s champions.

Vaihu was Australia’s backline standout. O’Donnell was good too until possession started to dry up and chances did too.

A turning point arrived early in the second half when Wilson directed a strong backline attack to the right off a scrum. The play brought Darby Lancaster in from the blind wing and Mason Gordon in from fullback.

An overlap was created but Ryan spilt the final pass 15m out. Instead of regaining the lead and momentum, the Junior Wallabies backpedalled with back-to-back flaws at set piece.

A big Irish scrum and a third crooked lineout throw from hooker Max Craig compounded into the field position for Irish forward Brian Gleeson to plunge over after a 5m attacking lineout.

The Australians were still in it at 18-10 down at the hour mark but the Irish finished far the stronger with their superior organisation.

Backrower Daniel Maiava and lock Jhy Legg had positive moments for the forwards.

Junior Wallabies coach Nathan Grey was honest in his post-match appraisal.

"I think our inability to handle their set piece in the second half was a bit disappointing and with that comes the (lapses in) discipline around penalties," Grey said.

Grey is looking forward to the game against England, who crushed Fiji 53-7 and had far less trouble with the islanders than the Australians did in their pool opener.

"We can't control what happens in the other games but, for us, the important thing is the performance we put in against England."

Wilson too is looking to measure Australia's status on more than whether they reach the semi-finals or not.

"Obviously, it's going to be tough to go through but the boys still have the belief they can do well against England and get a win."

New Zealand's heavy 35-14 loss to France was another clear indicator that the northern hemisphere nations are dominant at Under-20s level. It was only emphasised by Italy's stunning 34-26 upset of hosts South Africa in the wet.

Ireland Under-20s 30 (G McCarthy, B Gleeson, J Nicholson, D Mangan try; S Prendergast con, 2 pen goal, J Oliver con) bt Australia Under-20s 10 (H O’Donnell try; J Bowen con, pen goal)

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/junior...-irish-2023629

Jye Legg had a decent hit out, but looked to succumb to a serious lower leg injury, probably ankle and had to be helped off the field.

Ned Slack Smith was leading the tackle count towards the end of the match, before he had to also be helped off the field, with what appeared to be concussion due to an advancing Irish player lowering himself into Neds tackle and a head clash resulted.

Wish both boys a speedy recovery.

Junior Wallabies scrum got monstered by Ireland and the line out wasn't much better. A lot to sort out before next Tuesdays game against England.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by todd4

Junior Wallabies scrum got monstered by Ireland and the line out wasn't much better. A lot to sort out before next Tuesdays game against England.

---

To be fair, I thought they went pretty well in the first 20-30 minutes until Massimo De Lutiis went off.
Even got a tighthead, when usually we "celebrate" parity against NH packs.
With Marley unavailable and De Lutiis off, we were down to our third pick Loosehead.

Rohan Leahy has been selected to start on the wing against England tomorrow.

Not considered for selection:

Jhy Legg (ankle injury)
Ned Slack Smith (Concussion)
Marley Pearce (Suspended)