Club rugby Colts 1: Form players revealed as finals’ fever looms
Club rugby Colts 1: Who are the form players heading into Rd 17? The list includes a Norths try scoring maestro, a mobile big man from Brothers, a classy conductor from Easts and a Wests scrumhalf always one step ahead.
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Arguably the best schoolboy flyhalf in the nation will make his Colts 1 Under-20s debut for the Souths Magpies when round 17 of the competition unfolds this Saturday.
Seventeen-year-old St Laurence’s College senior Finn Mackay will start in the No.10 jersey when Souths travel down the coast to face Bond University, with coach Cian O’Connor resting primary playmaker Will Nason.
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CLUB RUGBY COLTS 1 KEY PLAYERS IN ROAD TO FINALS
‘He is just impressive,” concluded O’Connor.
“Since he joined us he has shown confidence in his own ability.
“He has come in and taken control of everything he needs to control.”
Mackay, the Australian Under-16s flyhalf and AIC First XV rugby premiership winner last year, had previously been playing in Colts 2s to get acclimated playing against bigger bodies and this week gets his chance to push Bond University further away from finals contention.
In recent years O’Connor has had at his disposal Queensland Reds spark plug Harry McLaughlin Phillips, the Under-20s Player of the Year in 2022 who is still age-eligible for Colts, Queensland Reds Under-19s flyhalf Nason and now Mackay, the Queensland Reds Under-16s goalkicking whiz.
“They are all different,” O’Connor said.
“Harry had that attacking ability, relaxed and smart... Will has that kicking game and is quite tough defensively... Finn has a very good kicking game and a nice long passing game.
“For a young guy he just seems to have time. He doesn’t get rattled,” O’Connor said in praise of his third Reds Academy flyhalf in the last three seasons.
O’Connor has named a bumper starting XV for the clash against the Bullsharks, with the forward pack bolstered by some of the biggest boys in club rugby.
Nick Sturdy, Cooper Hoare and Liam Theron have been named in the front row, Sam Hanna and Cadell Rees are the locks, Kaleb Akaroa and Tom O’Callaghan the flankers and Australian Under-20 select Dom Thygesen is back at No.8.
Ahead of round 17, catch up on who has been setting high standards with the form players of the competition highlighted below.
FORM PLAYERS AHEAD OF ROUND 17
EASTS V WESTS
Noah Rauluni (Easts)
Easts flanker Noah Rauluni produced countless big plays in turning point moments to ensure a 26-21 win over Bond University last Saturday.
The Nudgee old boy breakaway has been in a fine vein of form since joining the side after playing in the Meninga Cup competition earlier this year.
Jackson Moloney (Easts)
Villanova College product Moloney has been mounting momentum backing up a good game with an even better showing.
Now Easts’ first choice No.8, Moloney has dived over for a couple tries in the last month and has also created for his teammates by taking the ball from the back of the scrum.
Archie Wilson (Easts)
A big reason why Easts started slow this year was because their second year flyhalf Archie Wilson was sidelined with an ankle injury.
Back fully fit with over months worth of play under his belt, the classy Churchie GPS First XV premiership winner is playing freely with confidence.
His ballplaying has been mesmerising at times.
Campbell King (Wests)
Wests captain Campbell King has been consistent all season long and somehow has levelled up even more over last few weeks.
The goalkicking sniper contributed 15 points off his right boot alone in the Bulldogs 50-22 win over Brothers last weekend (seven-from-eight), put Carder Liddiard in for a try with a cross field kick and challenged Brothers’ edge defenders with his running game.
He has form under him that is for sure.
James Martens (Wests)
The scorer of two superb tries on the weekend, the quick thinking Martens always offers something whether he plays one half or a full game.
Against Brothers, he caught defenders napping twice to score tries and his passing game was on point as always.
He has had a cracking 12 months of rugby, the BBC old boy translating his stellar First XV schoolboy rugby form into a fine debut season at Wests where he has played plenty of Hospital Cup footy.
Liam McGregor (Wests)
McGregor has quietly been moving mountains for the Bulldogs.
Last weekend he proved all-muscle when shedding two tackles and scoring to put a canyon between Brothers and Wests and has made next to no mistakes over the last month.
UNIVERSITY V SUNNYBANK
Alofaifo Sula (Sunnybank)
It was only a matter of time before Alofaifo Sula made an impact in Colts 1.
Earlier this year Sula was a tryscoring left centre for the Souths Logan Magpies Meninga Cup Under-19s side - a team no mug can just walk into.
After warming his engines in Colts 2, the hot-stepping Sula snared two tries in a brave losing effort against Souths last weekend.
Netani Lesimaikimatuku (Sunnybank)
With every game, Netani Lesimaikimatuku improves that little bit more and is slowly becoming one of the more feared flyhalves in the competition.
An accurate goalkicker with a booming kicking game and deadly left to right step, Lesimaikimatuku is just as much of a threat creating for his teammates as he is taking the line on himself.
Indeed Sunnybank have a promising young backline sure to produce many more highlights when the new season rolls around next April.
Kye Porter (University)
He arrived at the club just after round four after beginning the year running amok in the Meninga Cup competition for the Sunshine Coast Falcons and is hitting his straps at the right time.
The damaging outside centre has been exceptional according to coach Josh Bray, always the “first in the defensive line”.
“He has come out of his shell, he is leading not being a part of it.
Jack Henry (University)
He has form, he has the leadership qualities and he sure has the energy levels to power University into a finals berth.
With captain Pat Sowerby sidelined for much of the season, Henry has stepped up and performed admirably as captain where he is one of the best communicators in the competition.
“He is the heart and soul of our team in terms of energy and communication,” coach Bray said in praise of the Canterbury College 2023 school captain.
“He is really stepping up in that area in the absence of Pat Sowerby.”
BOND UNIVERSITY V SOUTHS
Kaleb Akaroa (Souths)
Marsden SHS 2022 old boy Akaroa has been at the peak of his powers over the last month of competition.
An imposing figure who takes plenty of holding when he gets up a head of steam, Akaroa’s carries from any position have been all-important when Souths are on the back foot.
Tommy O’Callaghan (Souths)
O’Callaghan is like Reds co-captain Liam Wright.
You know exactly what you are going to get from the flanker, and he rarely gives you anything less.
Mr Consistent, flanker O’Callaghan has been first class in just about every game and that must make life much easier for his teammates and coach Cian O’Connor who is often left with a selection headache.
Will Nason (Souths)
Flyhalf Nason has earnt his rest for Saturday’s clash at The Canal.
Souths’ conductor with the full package, Nason has built on last season’s success to be arguably the best flyhalf in the competition.
He is also in a purple patch of form.
Harry Bell and Zeb Misios (Bond University)
Prop Bell and utility forward Misios have been in fine form, and will be at the centre of Bond University’s charge to the finals.
With two must wins looming, the scrummaging of Bell and running game of Misios will be hard to miss.
“He has been pretty important to us up front. Our scrum has been really strong... his presence around the field has been strong and he has scored some good maul tries,” coach Rico Gear said of Bell’s impact as of late.
Misios will be the Bullsharks captain in this Saturday’s blockbuster against Brothers.
Sam Howarth (Bond University)
Bond University’s Kiwi scrumhalf started the season strong and has continued to improve.
The team’s goalkicker and a terrific game manager, Howarth “is a key driver” for all things Under-20s at The Canal.
NORTHS V BROTHERS
Jovid Aveau (Norths)
Clinical Norths tighthead prop Jovid Aveau has scored four of the five tries scored by the Eagles in the past two games.
The team’s front row prime mover, both at scrumtime and in close quarter battle, Aveau is finishing the season in style for big improvers Norths.
Sam Dickie (Norths)
Quicksilver winger Sam Dickie is another player coming off a handful of strong showings, namely his effort in a losing side against GPS last weekend where he was busy and explosive when he got his chance.
A sizzling type with speed to burn, Dickie tore through the midfield on multiple occasions during that game to get Norths out of their half and into enemy territory.
Ben Daniels and Vaiuta Latu (Brothers)
Outstanding in a losing side on Saturday, No.8 Latu has been the most dangerous in his position this season after playing Colts 2 in 2023 as a Year 12 student at St Peters.
The mobile lineout disrupter scored a try on Saturday and made a pair of bustling runs that led to a try scored by left wing Jake Smith.
Vaiuta’s representative lock Ben Daniels was also impressive in a losing side, the Reds Academy lineout ace continuing his purple patch of form in this second round of the season.
Ellis Davies (Brothers)
In a well beaten side, Welsh fullback Davies maintained high energy levels and scored two tries in the final 10 minutes of the game against Wests.
While his radar has not been on off the kicking tee, his support play and kick returns are to be admired.
Josh Takai (Brothers)
A first class communicator in the defensive line, Australian Under-18s selection Takai was well handled in Saturday’s game but leading up to this had been thriving in the Under-20s competition.
An 18-year-old, inside centre Takai had a bit of flair about him and fronts up like a prop when he has to defend.
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