Schools Selection XV beat NSW Gen Blues Juniors in rugby showdown

Some players had contested less than 10 games all season so there was plenty to play for when a Schools Selection XV took on the NSW Gen Blues Juniors on Sunday

Action in the match between the Gen Blues Junior and a Schools Selection side.

There were times they feared they wouldn’t get a game in all season but the rising stars of rugby got to show their wares in a under 18s showdown in Sydney on Sunday.

A Schools Selection XV lead by Dally Bird (Riverview) scored every one of their points in an actione-packed first half of the match at Dacyville in which they downed a Gen Blues Junior side 17-0.

Malachi Hawkes (Trinity Grammar) crashed over in the ninth minute to open the scoring for the side comprised of some of the top schoolboy rugby talent in the state.

Action in the match between the Gen Blues Junior and a Schools Selection side.

Angus Blackmore (The Kings School) caught a lucky bounce after the Juniors fullback spilt a bomb to extend the Schools lead in the 11th minute with Teddy Wilson (The Kings School) converting.

Ethan King (Waverley College) finished off an impressive rolling maul for the Schools selection side to score again before halftime.

Neither of the teams were able to break through in a defensive second half.

Vereniki Naureure, a young flyer from Fiji, is now living at Coffs Harbour.

Vereniki Naureure, a young flyer who grew up in Fiji and is now living and playing in Coffs Harbour at the Snappers club, said it was exciting to play a good quality game of rugby.

“It was great and we were pretty fired up because we were playing a lot of 18-year-olds,’’ said the 17-year-old from Bishop Druitt College, who played in the Junior side.

One of the standouts for the Schools side was The Kings School’s George Poolman.

“It was massive to be out there,’’ said the 18-year-old from Hunters Hill, who completed his HSC a week ago.

“We missed a lot of games this sea on. We got a couple of trials in then five games in the GPS comp. So to play in this and today, it was great.’’

The Schools Selection side dominated the scoring.

“We knew they would be pretty good, they are bigger and we knew they would be tough.

“But we had a really good camaraderie and Dally (Bird) is a great captain.’’

The recent games for the top young talent in the state came about via a collaboration between Ben Gregory, President of NSW Junior Rugby, and NSW Gen Blues’s Andrew Cleverley after many young rugby players has their season interrupted by coronavirus.

Young rugby union talent Dally Bird captained the Schools side. Pic: Supplied

The game on Sunday was the culmination of this and followed on from a Gen Blue camp for more than 50 players in October where a Schools Selection XV was chosen.

Trials were organised for the selection of Sydney and Country Gen Blue teams who then played for spot in the NSW Juniors team a week ago.

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