Who made the TAS First XV schoolboy rugby union Team of the Year?
Who has made the TAS First XV rugby Team of the Year? It includes players from all eight teams in the schoolboy competition.
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To celebrate another amazing schoolboy season of rugby union, we name our TAS First XV Team of the Year.
The squad, which includes reserves, has six members of the premiership winning St Columban’s side who defeated last year’s premiers Ormiston College in the grand final last Saturday.
TAS RUGBY PICTURE GALLERY CELEBRATING THE SEASON
Apart from our Team of the Year, we also list our black book talents of the Year alongside the blue collar workers of 2023.
THE TEAM
15. Liam Payne (St Paul’s)
Payne is a Mr Natural, a good all around sportsman who on the rugby field has that x-factor about him. He can effortlessly find the try line from 40m out, either by engineering space himself, or finishing a chance created by a teammate. His last second winning try effort against WestMAC will remain folklore at St Paul’s – but that brilliance was not a one off.
14. Eli Ortiz (St Columban’s)
The athletic Ortiz was a shining light who rose to power against Ormiston in round seven and in the grand final.
He is damaging when the ears are pinned back and there aren’t many safer options for a clearance than him.
TAS MOST IMPROVED PLAYERS REVEALED
13. Kingbenjamin Swirling (JPC)
A Mack truck we have chosen in the centres, big bopper Swirling had a season of dreams.
After an injury sidelined him in 2022, Swirling helped JPC in all areas of the game.
He kicks goals, kicks for touch, taps-and-goes, creates chances and is destructive in any position.
12. Bailey Murphy (Canterbury College)
Murphy had another excellent year after showing glimpses of x-factor in 2022.
What we didn’t know was how much x-factor he had – it is now clear he has more than a smattering.
A sniper off the tee, Murphy always had his hand in adding points to the scoreboard.
11. Sam Hoolihan (St Columban’s)
Hoolihan is a big match whiz whose brilliance in the latter stages of the season was the reason St Columban’s won the premiership.
He is a jinking runner, tough, quick and he has a great fend too.
10. Angus McConville (CHAC)
A nice five-eight who captains Cannon Hill Anglican College, he built up considerably during the off-season after playing light in 2022. He is a tallish No. 10 with nice passing, but also with the capacity to straighten the attack and run crash ball if his outside supports are well defended.
9. Lucas Wood (Ormiston)
Wood makes our Team of the Year for the second straight year after doing everything and more for his side. He kicked goals, passed crisply, ran the ball, tackled the biggest blokes on the field and was a calm figure helping captain Angus Melville lead the group.
He’s the size of a traditional halfback but has a Lions Heart.
We hope to see him playing club rugby.
8. Jack Henry (Canterbury)
Was Henry the best player in the entire competition? He sure looked like it.
Making the Team of the Year again, Henry’s leadership was as good as it gets.
A leader whose words and actions inspired teammates, Canterbury College school captain Henry emptied the tank every week but not once did he play like he was fatigued.
Take a bow.
RELATED LINKS
MEGA GALLERY – TAS RUGBY PICTURE GALLERY
ROUND 4 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK; ROAD AHEAD
7. Devlyn Nel (St Columban’s)
A vital piece of the St Columban’s side, No. 8 Nel never backed down, never stopped working and never made a mistake.
OK maybe he made a couple but if he did he made up for it straight away – in the breakdown, with a line break or with a try.
He could play in the backline if he wanted to.
6. Angus Melville (Ormison)
Captain courageous indeed.
Ormiston had themselves a big boy in Melville, who along with Renier Welgemoed, deserve overtime bonuses so impressive were they this season.
A very talented player, Melville played every bit of the season and will be sorely missed by Ormiston in 2024.
RELATED LINKS
TAS ROUND 3 REPORT – ST PAUL’S AMAZING WIN
TAS RUGBY ROUND 2 TEAM OF THE WEEK
TAS RUGBY ROUND 1 REPORT, TEAM OF THE WEEK
TAS RUGBY PLAYERS TO WATCH THIS SEASON
5. Nate Levitt (JPC)
From the sidelines you could see workhorse Levitt eating metres through the middle. And if that wasn’t enough to notice him then his luscious mullet had to be.
A prime mover in the JPC forward pack, Levitt carried the load of one and a half men.
4. Toby Vinton (St Columban’s)
A tall timber who rounds out the forward pack very nicely.
Vinton won lineouts, was a staple in the St Columban’s rolling maul and was busy as a bee from round one through to the final.
3. Lachlan Grace (St Columban’s)
The unsung hero in St Columban’s premiership campaign is this Third Year player right here.
He picked up a few tries throughout the year and was a major factor in his team’s success.
His experience – invaluable.
2. Alby Lyons (St Columban’s)
You didn’t have to watch the game to know if Alby Lyons was doing his thing – all you needed was the crowd.
He had his supporters, and boy were they loud whenever the hooker rose to the occasion and swung momentum.
A lineout throwing ace, Lyons had to have given his teammates confidence just by being out there.
1. Harrison Dhu (Ormiston)
How nice it would have been for the Ormiston forwards to be led by this guy, who was match hardened this year after enjoying the premiership success of last year.
A big improver, the influential Dhu liked the physical battle, loved contesting the breakdown and loved running the ball even more.
Reserves:
Bruce Joiner (WestMAC)
You would not see a more versatile player in the competition. He moved from fanker to halfback this year, yet still jumped in the lineout and conrolled that aspect of the game as captain.
My word can he box kick.
Daniel Body (Ormiston)
Body’s imposing figure was a handful for opponents and his teammates could always count on him to get them past the advantage line.
The crash ball was designed for him.
Renier Welgemoed (Ormiston)
If you have Welgemoed coming off the bench then you are in the safest of hands.
A defensive brute, Welgemoed loved flatlining his rivals this year.
Tymothy Palupe and Dylan You (Canterbury College)
These two front rowers come as a packaged deal off the bench. You, the ironman of the Canterbury forward pack, and Palupe, a never-say-die hooker who has great acceleration off the mark.
Isaiah Chan-Foon (St Johns)
A big, mobile prop, Chan-Foon was to the forefront of St John’s recovery from a forfeit ridden 2022 season. The big bloke must surely have given his teammates inspiration the way he aggressively carried the ball, or the manner in which he confronted a ball runner. Down they went, like a ton of bricks, if Chan-Foon got hold of them.
Isaac Mellish (CHAC)
Bolstering the front row bench unit would be Mellish, a gutsy young hooker who played well above his weight this year.
Back for more in 2024.
DJ Gray (JPC)
The prince of fullbacks with blinding acceleration and power for days.
A Year 10 student, Gray attacks strongly, has great hands and can make a cover tackle.
Very exciting.
Jamie Critchley (JPC)
Critchley is a wonderful utility player to have off the bench. He can slot into positions 10 through 15 and still deliver.
A very vocal inside centre.
BLACK BOOK TALENTS FOR THE FUTURE
Cooper Howie (St John’s)
Howie was a raw No. 8, all vim and vigour, who was one of his team’s primary ball runners. He was an effort player who would have been even more effective if he had lowered his body height when carrying the ball, but regardless he did very well.
Sam Fothergill (WestMAC)
The WestMAC fullback had some class touches, but was also very reliable at the back.
Kasey Camilleri (St Paul’s)
The Saints captain Camilleri was a skilled five-eight or inside centre, and it was his combination with Liam Payne that resulted in St Paul’s last-gasp win over WestMAC.
Joseph Brooks (JPC)
Brooks was one of the most dominant tight heads in the competition and as the season progressed he just got better and better.
BLUE COLLAR WORKERS
Lachie Timms (CHAC)
Timms was a strong player for Cannon Hill Anglican College who worked hard to try and get his side parity, both defensively and with carrying the ball.
Mitch Merrit (St Paul’s)
Breakaway Merrett was a man for all seasons, a tackling machine who went all game long.
Tanner Baker (St Paul’s)
The No. 8 position was hotly contested in our Team of the Year but there’s a spot here for the hardworking Baker who had a couple outstanding games this year.
He wasn’t alone, prop Reinhard Fick and flanker Callum Campbell his accomplices.
Connor Purvey (WestMAC)
Flanker Purvey was another honest toiler who played a big role in WestMAC’s continuing development as a TAS rugby force.
Sam West (Ormiston)
The headgeared fullback was quite the player. Small but strong, West sliced through the line more often than not.
Riley O’Brien (Ormiston)
O’Brien was a lineout destructor, rolling maul menace and an aggressive customer at lock.
Played his role to perfection.
Jack Addley (Canterbury)
The king of rushing up in defence, Addley was dominant in defence and relentless in attack with his straight line running moving Canterbury up field.
Luca Gardiner (Ormiston)
Gardiner enjoyed a starting role in the No. 6 jersey this year, saving Ormiston’s more than once with his clean up work on defence.
Caleb Ritchie (St Columban’s)
Ritchie reads the game very well although he would’ve loved more ball, his goal kicking and line speed was great.
Stephen Brown (Canterbury College)
Brown must have had double his dose off Weet-Bix on Saturday because he played like a man possessed.
The lock ran hard and fast at the defence and instead of slowing down into contact he sped up.
Bailey Atkins and Noah McLachlan (St Columban’s)
These saints flankers were the reason they had the season they did. Unsung heroes, Atkins and McLachlan went about their job quietly and did it very well.
Dylan Penniket (Ormiston)
Penniket had been a prolific try scorer across the last two seasons of TAS First XV rugby.
He really hit his straps towards the back end of the season after a slow start that the speedy winger quickly made up for.
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