Waratahs U18s players to watch in first battle with Queensland Reds after unusual preparation, squad

They have had the mail over their Queensland rivals for years but now the Waratahs U18s have enlisted some usually help to keep their winning run intact this weekend - women. SQUAD named

Brock Prideaux in action in a training match against Easts colts players last week.

They have had the mail over their rivals in Queenland for the past three years but now the Waratahs U18s have enlisted some unusual help to keep their winning run in intact this weekend

When Cyclone Alfred postponed their first game against the Reds U18s last weekend, the Waratahs didn't have to look far for some top quality opposition to train against.

Based at the Waratahs headquarters, coach Angus Sinclair enlisted the Waratahs women’s team, the defending Super Rugby W champions, to give his side a tough non-contact workout to bring them up to speed for the opening match of their annual two game series on Saturday in Queensland.

“It was 15 on 15 on a full size field against someone other than ourselves so that was great,’’ Sinclair said.

“The majority of the boys are in the Academy so have been going since last November and they were getting pretty hungry to play a game.’’

Justice Taumoeapeau playing against the Easts Colts last weekend. Picture: Julian Andrews.

Sinclair then followed this with a hard session against Easts 1st and 2nd Colts - some a year or two older than his young charges - in what he believes will be a key preparation for his side in Saturday’s match and the delayed opening game in Sydney later this month.

There is plenty of interest in the Waratahs U18s squad which boast a number of teenagers already identified as stars of the game in the future

“A lot of the forwards are back from last year and it's a pretty big dominant pack,’’ Sinclair said.

Jarryd King in action in one of the training matches ahead of the battle with the Reds U18s this weekend. Picture: Julian Andrews.

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“A few of them have been in the Australian U16s, Australian U18s or Australian schoolboys.

“There’s Hasani (Bloomfield, prop), Olli (Smith), Justice (Taumoeapeau), Ed Baxter was captain of the schoolboys, TJ (Talaileva), Hayden Lavercombe, Isaiah Sheck.

“It’s a really strong pack and we would expect them to set a big platform.’’

Other players to watch in the U18s space are Jonty Fowler, who has been playing up with the Waratahs U20 and turning plenty of heads, and Harrison Dene.

“They were the Australian nine and 10 last year so you would expect them to drag us round the park pretty well,’’ Sinclair said.

The match is being played at Ballymore on Saturday afternoon ahead of the Waratahs U20 and Reds U20s battle.

NSW WARATAHS U18S TO TAKE ON REDS U18S

1 LOOSEHEAD PROP Hayden Lavercombe FR, 2 HOOKER Oliver Smith FR, 3 TIGHTHEAD PROP Isaiah Sheck FR, 4 LEFT LOCK Ed Kasprowicz, 5 RIGHT LOCK Ed Baxter, 6 LEFT FLANKER TJ Talaileva, 7 RIGHT FLANKER Jarvis Orr, 8 NUMBER EIGHT Justice Taumoepeau, 9 SCRUMHALF Angus Grover ( C ), 10 FLY-HALF Jonty Fowler, 11 LEFT WING Brock Prideaux, 12 INSIDE CENTRE Matthew Gough, 13 OUTSIDE CENTRE Jarryd King, 14 RIGHT WING Max Dunn, 15 FULLBACK Max Palmasani.

REPLACEMENTS: 16 Hasani Bloomfield FR, 17 Keegan Daly, 18 Tyson Burden FR, 19 Noah Rylands, 20 Tahj Smith, 21 Flynn Farrell, 22 Harrison Dene, 23 Ben Sawyer, 24 Dylan Simmons

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Originally published as Waratahs U18s players to watch in first battle with Queensland Reds after unusual preparation, squad