Queensland Reds v ACT Brumbies U16 and U19 National Championships
The Queensland Reds U16 and U19 teams got the ball rolling in the National Championships with convcing wins over the ACT Brumbies in Canberra. See the Team of the Day and Match reports here.
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The Queensland Reds U16s and U19s outdid themselves at Viking park in Canberra, both securing convincing wins over the ACT Brumbies on Sunday.
After both teams were dealt losses in round 1 against the New South Wales Waratahs, round three was their chance for revenge.
And they got what they came for, the U16s winning 34-16 while the U19s made a 40-3 statement.
Catch up on all the try scorers, difference makers and side steppers from the days play below with our match reports and Team of the Day.
Team of the Day (ACT and QLD)
1. Nick Bloomfield (Reds U19s)
2. Ewald Kruger (Reds U16s) and Liam Bowron (Brumbies U19s)
3. Princeton Ioane (Reds U16s)
4. Sam Bertram (Brumbies U19s)
5. Avery Thomson (Reds U16s)
6. Baden Godfrey (Brumbies U19s)
7. Stuart Tualima (Reds U19s)
8. John Bryant (Reds U19s)
9. Sam Farrar (Reds U19s) and Ben Keogh (Brumbies U19s)
10. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips (Reds U19s) and Charlie O’Connell (Reds U16s)
11. Prestyn Laine-Setu (Reds U16s)
12. Ben Kafer (Brumbies U19s)
13. Tim Ryan (Reds U19s)
14. Will McCulloch (Reds U19s)
15. Austin Anderson (Brumbies U19s)
MATCH WRAPS
QLD Reds U16 v ACT Brumbies U16:
The Queensland Reds U16s have got their National Championships campaign up-and-running with a gusty 34-16 win over the ACT Brumbies.
The Reds were given a big boost off the bench by flyhalf Tuave Leofa, centre Chace Oates, damaging front rowers Ewald Kruger and Princeton Ioane but it was their resilience to stay in it when down a man on two occasions that won them the game.
The game management and kicking of flyhalf Charlie O’Connell, size advantage and ball-running from flankers Billy Wellard and Amare Milford and lineout efforts by Avery Thomson and Will Pascoe set the foundation for their round 3 victory.
It was first half effort plays that made the difference for the visitors.
The best of the best came in the 23rd minute and it was none other than blindside flanker Amare Milford, who mustered up a brilliant try saving tackle to take the Brumbies halfback into touch just before the line.
Charlie O’Connell also covered a lot of ground to give Milford a helping hand but the powerful No.6 had it covered with a huge hit.
This tackle was one of three tone-setters.
Headgeared centre Prestyn Laine-Setu pulled off a brilliant lifting tackle to dump his rival centre into the soaking wet grass. After that, Lock Avery Thomson countered an enormous amount of momentum with a sensational tackle on the ball to dislodge it from the ball carriers grasp.
But, it was sneaky halfback Samuel Watson who stamped his mark on the match with an intercept try down the blind side.
Watson had two players to mark but an excellent one handed grab saw him dash away and extend the lead at 8-0 following an early O’Connell penalty goal.
Brumbies flyhalf Sam Chapman stole the show just before the break with a masterful cross field kick to winger Denzel Veikune who was lurking unmarked on the right edge.
Veikune finished it off to make it 8 apiece but Chapman insisted his side lead at the break.
40m out, Chapman nailed his second penalty goal of the day to send the Brumbies up 11-8 after Reds No.8 giant John Grenfall was given a yellow card.
The Reds could not have had a better start to the second half with an early try. Especially with Grenfall in the bin, their second time of the game down a man, having lost centre Ryan Heaton for 10 minutes early in the game.
Laine-Setu, a name you will be hearing more of in the GPS First XV schoolboy rugby competition next season, was the one to regain the lead at 15-11 for the boys in Maroon.
O’Connell, Laine-Setu’s teammate at Nudgee College, found him spearing through on his left and jeez did he have some work to do, bumping off two defenders and out-muscling the third and fourth to plant the ball down.
The Queenslanders looked an entirely new team with Grenfall back on the field and supersub prop Princeton Ioane, who added all the energy in the world when coming on in the 45th minute.
Grenfall had room to wind up on the back of a strong rolling maul and managed to score with pure strength, flanker Billy Wellard, lock Will Pascoe moving the maul forward.
O’Connell added the extras yet again to push ahead 22-11.
O’Connell orchestrated the Reds next five-pointer with a genius dummy-and-go, slicing through the Brumbies defence before firing it out wide to Laine-Setu who put winger Churchie winger Cameron Philip in.
The Brumbies hit back straight away with fullback Joseph Lonergan picking up the scraps in the in-goal area thanks to a neat grubber kick by eyes-up inside centre Emmett Smith. Chapman couldn’t add the extras from the sideline, the Reds still ahead comfortably 27-16 with ten minutes to play.
Brumbies centre Harry Hudson and replacement scrumhalf Grady Woolley fought hard, turning over the ball with a few timely jackals.
The Queenslanders finished the game in style with a penalty try, the referee rewarding hooker Ewald Kruger, lock Avery Thomson and other hardworking forwards for their rolling maul dominance. The visitors came away 34-16 winners.
QLD Reds U19 v ACT Brumbies U19:
The Queensland Reds made a statement with a 40-3 victory over the ACT Brumbies on Sunday, scoring six unanswered tries at Canberra’s Viking Park.
It was a similar story to round 1, the boys in Maroon finding an edge in their two playmakers Harry McLaughlin Phillips and Taj Annan.
To make things worse for the home side, the Reds forward pack was on their game. Centre Tim Ryan and Winger Will McCulloch each scored a double in an inspired 40-point-performance.
Indeed the Brumbies tested the Reds in the first five minutes with possession only metres out from the try line. But, a captains knock from flanker Nick Baker held them out as he made tackle after tackle to deter ball-runners. Lock Lachlan Shaw joined in with a crucial breakdown win to withstand the pressure.
The scrum was a standout for the boys in Maroon. No.8 giant John Bryant was just one cog in a huge Reds forward effort that shone not only in the scrums but in the lineouts and general play.
A bulldozing scrum by the Reds gave flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, a Souths Magpie with a superb left foot step, the perfect opportunity from close range.
McLaughlin-Phillips gave us some deja vu of his round 1 try with a step to beat his first defender and scorching surge to the tryline. Taj Annan added the extras to make it 7-0 after 22 minutes.
Brumbies inside centre Ben Kafer, son of Wallaby Rod Kafer, impressed with his fearless ball running into the defensive line. Reds outside centre Tim Ryan had the answers all afternoon with his line speed.
Ryan is one who has come out of the woodworks in 2022 to be one of the most elusive backs going around Queensland right now.
Brumbies fullback Austin Anderson was a heavy contributor for the home side with his attacking kicks and pressure relieving exits. Scrumhalf Ben Keogh also showed what he’s about with a slippery scoot from the base of the ruck, bumping off and ducking under four defenders to spark the Brumbies best attacking passage of the first half.
Flyhalf Cullen Gray slotted a 40m penalty goal on the half time siren to make it 7-3.
Reds halfback Sam Farrar extended the Reds lead at 14-3 early in the second half after Annan and Brumbies centre Sonny Meleisea each saw yellow. A body-on-the-line tackle by Farrar on No.8 Dylan Challita started a 100m effort by the Reds to score down the other end.
Will McCulloch, Australian Schools winger who seems to do everything right, booted it down field following Farra’s brave defensive effort, regained it and the momentum was enough for the Queenslanders to capitalise on the field position.
The ability of the Reds forward pack to get across the advantage line continued to make it easy for the Reds backs to deal the damage. A strong run by GPS galloper Stuart Tualima drew in defenders to allow Ryan to dive over for a try thanks to a McLaughlin-Phillips pass.
Annan slotted the sideline conversion upon returning to the field, pushing further in front at 21-3.
Annan was the mastermind in charge of the Reds fourth try of the day, drawing in McCulloch’s opposite number and holding up a pop pass so that all the winger had to do was catch the ball and plant it down.
Ryan got his second try in the 79th minute and it was sheer pace that saw him go over. We knew he was quick but not this quick, coming from behind to be the first to plant down the ball he tapped ahead expertly.
Ryan didn’t stop there, putting in a grubber kick for McCulloch in pursuit, who was gifted a lucky bounce to score and settle it at 40-3.
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