The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) has announced the Australian under-20 squad that will travel to Italy in June to contest the IRB Junior World Championships.
The Junior World Championships is the top international under 20’s competition and has taken place annually since the IRB restructured international junior rugby in 2008.
The competition consist of the twelve best teams from around the world, all vying not only to win, but to avoid relegation to the eight-team IRB Junior World Trophy (a “second division” tournament for developing rugby nations). This year’s tournament, taking place in Italy, will be contested by the following teams:
Pool A:
Argentina
Italy (hosts)
New Zealand
Wales
Pool B:
Australia
France
Tonga
Fiji
Pool C:
England
Scotland
South Africa
Ireland
Since its inception the tournament has been dominated by New Zealand, who has won every previous edition. England and Australia have constituted their main rivals, with the former contesting the final in the first two editions and the latter facing off against the boys-in-black in the final of last year’s tourney.
The Australian under 20’s side is coached by David Nucifora (who is seen as a possibly successor for Robbie Deans) and no doubt hopes to go one better in 2011.
The tournament is certainly very exciting for its participants, and undoubtedly serves a vital purpose in providing young players with a chance to not only represent their country, but also develop leadership skills (if handed the captaincy) and get used to the touring experience that is such a vital aspect of rugby union (particularly in the Southern Hemisphere).
However, having said all that, one has to question the wisdom of sending players who have already become contributing members of their Super Rugby teams.
The recently announced team of twenty-six (26) is made up of Queensland (11), Waratahs (seven), Brumbies (five), Western Force (two) and Melbourne Rebels (one):
Forwards:
Paul Alo-Emile (Western Force)
Jarrad Butler (Reds Academy)
Blake Enever (Reds Academy)
Colby Faingaa (Brumbies)
Liam Gill (Reds)
Michael Hooper (Brumby Runners)
Luke Jones (Rebels Rising)
Tim Mitcher (Brumby Runners)
Greg Peterson (Junior Waratahs)
JP Predaud (Brumby Runners)
Eddie Quirk (Reds)
Hugh Roach (Reds)
Siliva Siliva (Western Force Academy)
Scott Sio (Waratahs Academy)
Backs:
James Ambrosini (Brumby Runners)
Eddie Bredenhann (Waraths Academy)
Joel Faulkner (Reds Academy)
Tom Kingston (Waraths Academy)
Tevita Kuridrani (Reds Academy)
Apo Latunipulu (Waratahs Academy)
Matt Lucas (Reds Academy)
Simon Morahan (Reds Academy)
Rohan Saifoloi (Waraths Academy)
Dom Shipperley (Reds)
Kimami Sitauti (Reds)
Ben Volavola (Waratahs Academy)
Whilst it is unsurprising that Queensland and New South Wales contribute far more to the junior program, the major concern lies in the fact that these two teams are also our best finals aspirants this year, and both sides are currently struggling under the weight of mounting injuries.
The current rules with respect to deciding who has priority (ARU versus the state union), requires that an eligible player must have started on at least four occasions before May. This is a rather strict rule that will mean Dom Shipperley will be leaving the Reds, despite being a key member of the current Reds set up with wingers Rod Davies and Peter Hynes on the injured list.
Compounding the contradiction, James O’Connor – arguably our best new talent to emerge since the restructuring of the tournament – has never participated. Instead, senior coach Robbie Deans deemed it more important for him to play for the senior Wallabies during the in-bound June internationals in 2009, rather than participate in the under 20’s carnival taking place at that time.
Whilst undoubtedly O’Connor has developed at a faster pace due to this “fast-tracking”, one has to question if players like Shipperley wouldn’t also progress at a much faster rate by playing Super Rugby instead of this tournament.
This is especially so for Reds and Waratahs players, who could yet feature in a finals match.
Damo
Guest
James saw Shipperly tonight against blues - I thought he looked like a tall OConnor. He may one day be comparable. He is well coached and well disciplined to attack .
CizzyRascal
Roar Guru
I wonder will anyone be able to defeat the Junior All Blacks this year? They've now gone 3 years without defeat and this years crop with Super Rugby players like Lima Sopaga, Beauden Barrett and Sam Cane look just as formidable. The English look as strong as ever and should do well but this class isn't any better than recent ones so can't see them winning it. Keep an eye out for George Ford who only turned 18 this year, Owen Farrell, the son of League legend Andy, who has helped Saracens to the play-offs and Henry Thomas, who came from nowhere to anchoring the Sale scrum at the tender age for a prop of 19. Wales look to have their best group since the inaugural comp lead by the diminutive yet prodigiously talented Matthew Morgan at first five. The raps coming out on this guy are massive. Harry Robinson, like Ford for England is another who only turned 18 this year. He's played for his region the Blues on the wing and looks a real livewire. Ireland have probably the most talented set of backs they've ever had at this level but are let down by an average set of forwards. Keep an eye on Luke Marshall at inside centre, Andrew Conway in the back three and Craig Gilroy on the wing, who scored 8 tries in his first 8 Magners League games this season. Scotland will be as poor as ever but their 18 year old centre Mark Bennett, who made his debut for Glasgow last week is off to Clermont Auvergne next season.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
Don't know them well enough to put up a side but I do know that the halfback from NSW academy Eddy Bredenhann is something else I watched him about two years ago when he went to Churchie in Brisbane I think then he was about 5'10" and 85 to 90 kg and fast. He must be bigger now. He was quite brilliant the time and I really didn't understand how the Reds let him go (another one that got away). I will be interested to see how he goes, if he lives up to what I think hius potential is he will vie with McGibben next year for the Half spot in the Waratahs side. Anyone else tell us more about him or others
The Bush
Roar Guru
Basing it on previous tournaments is ridiculous, but I guess the only way to do it...
The Bush
Roar Guru
"How can anyone compare Shipperley and JOC?" I'm not, and that's not the point of the article. He was an example of how players have been developed lately without using the tournament. The point of the article is to discuss the current team, and whether some of them wouldn't be better off staying with their Super Teams and playing Super Rugby...
jameswm
Guest
How can anyone compare Shipperley and JOC? Possible back row of Colby Faingaa, Hooper and Quirk. Not a lot of size, but will win you a lot of ball. And Liam Gill too. Crikey. Does anyone know the kids well enough to put up a possible starting XV with comments?
CizzyRascal
Roar Guru
It's based on previous tournaments which doesn't really make sense given the massive turnover in players from year to year for each and every side.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Interesting King, How do they rank the team? Is it solely based on performance in the previous tournaments, or, for example, does the under-20 Six Nations matches count?
The Bush
Roar Guru
Cizzy, Yeah I know, that is nearly a topic in of itself, but probably more worthwhile discussing closer to the tournament actually happening. It's an old conundrum actually*; 1. Is Australia better off because they are almost guaranteeded to make the semi's, and probably as number one (1) or two (1) ranked (and thus play against three (3) or four (4)); OR 2. Are England and South Africa going to benefit from playing not only each other (as outside of us and NZ they are far and away the best teams), but also against Ireland and Scotland, who will both have stronger sides than Fiji, Tonga, Italy or probably Argentina and/or Wales (at least I believe Ireland will). *In that does a team benefit from playing constantly tough games to qualify, and thus is "battle" hardened and playing high intensity, or does this wear them out before they get to the important knock-out stuff.
King of the Gorgonites
Roar Guru
Becauswe Ireland is one of the lowest ranked teams in the competition.
CizzyRascal
Roar Guru
Off topic somewhat, but the pools are really lob-sided. How can Tonga and Fiji be in the same group, while in another, Ireland England and South Africa inhabit the same pool?
CizzyRascal
Roar Guru
I think Deans saw something in O'Connor and thought that keeping him under his own wing was the best thing to do. Anyway, no matter how good he is, he would not have been enough to stop the Junior All Blacks winning the last two comps. Anyway, don't be surprised if some players, like Shipperly, are pulled out of the squad due to Super Rugby commitments.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Cizzy, Whilst full Test rugby obviously comes before U20's, if you'll remember correctly, at the time JOC was picked we were only playing two (2) Tests against Italy and a Test against France. They were not exactly the most vital Tests the Wallabies have contested in the last decade. He still scored three (3) tries on debut if I remember correctly though ;) Obviously Robbie believed it vital that he got enough experience in those games to be a contributing member of the side for the Tri-Nations that year. However, I remember him being basically a failure during the dark days of 2009. Perhaps, with hindsight, he should have been sent to the under-20s tournament. He might have been able to help us get up for one (over NZ). Secondly he could have gained valuable experience in leadership (if given a role). And finally, perhaps it would have given him another year to develop outside of the full Wallabies set-up, especially as there was no Australia A's that year. Of course the other argument, is that he learned from his mistakes in 2009 and became a good contributor in 2010 (albiet moving from fullback to wing). As for players like Shipperly, do you think this tournament will progress him better as a player than starting for the Reds in their final five (5) games, and probably playing in a final? What about the fact that the Reds will now have to dig even deeping to find a replacement? A lot of posters on this site talk about how vital it is for Australia to produce a strong, champion Super Team, so why are we allowing the team with the best shot at it to be so weakened?
CizzyRascal
Roar Guru
Yeah but full Test rugby obviously comes before U20s. I'm guessing a lot of these players are selected for this side as this tournament is seen as an important part of their development and I would agree.