Twelve Super Rugby squad members included in Wallabies U20 team
The Junior Wallabies squad has been named for the 2019 Oceania U20s Championship and boasts several Super Rugby up-and-comers, including Queensland Reds utility Isaac Lucas.
The 32-man squad will head into camp on the Gold Coast in the lead-up to the Championship at Bond University, with their first match against Japan kicking off on April 26.
Junior Wallabies Head Coach Jason Gilmore has confirmed twelve contracted Super Rugby players including Queenslanders Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson and Jack Hardy, who is currently on the Reds tour of South Africa.
The Queensland group will link up with NSW rivals Angus Bell, Ben Donaldson, Will Harris, Pat Tafa and Will Harrison.
Junior Wallabies stalwarts Esei Ha’angana, Trevor Hosea and Semisi Tupou will be flying the flag for the Melbourne Rebels while Qantas Australian Men’s Sevens speedster Triston Reilly has been released from Tim Walsh’s Sevens squad for the U20s Championship.
Junior Wallabies Head Coach Jason Gilmore said: “We’re looking forward to the matches that lay ahead, we’re taking in a strong, well prepared squad it's now a matter of getting onto the field.
“We’ve got 9 members of the 2018 World Championship squad back again in the fold, so they will be leading some of our newer members in the group.
“The whole squad have put in the work to earn their spot so it’s now a matter of maintaining this work ethic as we head into camp,” Gilmore said.
The Junior Wallabies finished second at last year’s championship after going down to New Zealand 43-28 in the final.
Oceania U20s Championship squad:
Oliver Barden (NSW)
Angus Bell (NSW)
Darcy Breen (NSW)
Joe Cotton (QLD)
Ben Donaldson (NSW)
Max Douglas (NSW)
Esei Ha’angana (VIC)
Jack Hardy (QLD)
Will Harris (NSW)
Will Harrison (NSW)
Trevor Hosea (VIC)
Tom Kibble (QLD)
Nathan Lawson (NSW)
Noah Lolesio (ACT)
Lachlan Lonergan (ACT)
Isaac Lucas (QLD)
Michael McDonald (WA)
Fraser McReight (QLD)
Josh Nasser (QLD)
Mark Nawaqanitawase (NSW)
Kye Oates (QLD)
Bryon Ralston (QLD)
Triston Reilly (AU7s)
Henry Robertson (NSW)
Egan Siggs (QLD)
Patrick Tafa (NSW)
Sione Tui (VIC)
Semisi Tupou (VIC)
Liam Usher (QLD)
Joey Walton (NSW)
Harry Wilson (QLD)
Michael Wood (QLD)
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You forget this is Rassie Erasmus who is still holding the Springbok keys. Even with Felix Jones orchestrating a really tight RWC SF last year. It still wasn't enough to get England past their particular Springbok Monkey in world cups. The reason is FJ was going off of what they did in 2019 not necessarily adapting to current Springboks. So yes, Australia can get passed England because let's be honest, England have a one track strategy, Springboks do not. Even with rush defense I wouldn't be surprised if Rassie continually tweaks it. Also bear in mind Rassie is happy to sacrifice a few mid year and inter World Cup matches to pin point how opposition plays and how to again tweak strategies to get his Springboks in peak performance for the next World Cup. As much as most teams like to win games in front of them and try to win everything, Rassie always makes sure to learn and train for the greatest showdown International Rugby has to offer. Tbh, most people remember World Cup wins and ignore intermediate losses as a result but will remember also WC losses, Ireland, even if they won games in the interim. So even if games are won against the Springboks, it's likely Rassie is just getting a feel for how opposition is moving and adapt accordingly…in time.
Go to commentsDanny don't care. He pretends to care but he don't. He says all this stuff to justify his reasoning but no one can claim that legitimately. He knew exactly what he was doing and wondered if his old team mate would overlook it, which he did. Ref has got to be sidelined or properly trained. It's one thing for refs to move up the ranks but if it was me I would require refs to either have played in different clubs or not at all having the temptation to bias in high stakes games like this. This has got to be stamped out. But then again World Rugby is so destroying the game of rugby in an attempt to be more “safe” and “concussion free”. What they are doing is making it more infuriating for the fans and more difficult for the refs to officiate evenly and consistently. It's fast become Australian Rules football. If guys don't want concussions, they should have played chess. Stop complaining you oldies of the game. When they played the game was vastly heavier hitting than it is now but of course they can't see that.
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