National U16, U19 rugby championship: NSW Waratahs Gen Blue v Queensland Reds, Rd 1 stars, Video
VIDEO: NRL legend Brad Fittler’s son has a new nickname and his Gen Blue teammates a reputation as U16 and U19 Waratahs teens opened their rugby championship campaign. Rd 1 standouts.
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Powerhouse teen Zach Fittler barged his way to a new nickname and his Gen Blue teammates into a position of power in the national U16 rugby championships with an extraordinary performance in their opener of the national U16 rugby championships on Sunday.
Fittler, the big, athletic son of NRL great Brad “Freddy’’ Fittler, was one of numerous standouts in the match the NSW Waratah young guns won 32-3 but which coach Paul Cividen said he and his charges will not be “carried away’’ with.
“I don’t want to underestimate this, there is an air of excitement in the group,’’ Cividen said.
“We are very happy with the way they performed but just as excited by the improvement we can take from this.
“That’s exciting. Our patience and execution is something (to work on), there were some opportunities we let slip through our fingers. That’s normal and expected but we want to improve.’’
The rising stars of NSW rugby kept the Queensland Reds try-less in a match which entertained and has likely sent a fright through rival camps.
Fittler, labelled “The Tank’’ by impressed match commentators, was outstanding, with the blockbusting teenager blasting his way through the defence for a memorable second half try.
Fittler, who lives on the northern beaches, attends The Scots College and plays GPS rugby, also plays rugby league, debuting for the Roosters’ under-17 Harold Matthews team earlier this year.
He is also one of the bigger players in his age group, already tipping the scales at over 105 kilos.
“He is a great athlete and a good player,’’ Cividen said.
Sam Blank (NSW Schools (ISA), St Augustine’s) opened the scoring for the youngsters from the NSW with Mitchell Woods going over the second, Ollie Aboud from Sydney Juniors and Randwick scoring the third and Fittler finishing off.
Others standouts in the match included kicking sensational Charlie Poynton (NSW Schools CAS, Barker College), Joe Walsh (Manly Rugby Club, St Augustine’s College), who is returning from injury, and Man of the Match Woods (NSW Schools (ISA), St Patrick’s College).
“We saw glimpses of what we can be,’’ Cividen said.
“It’s very hard to point our individuals, it was a team effort and the boys coming off the bench also did a great job.’’
“Charlie was very dynamic on the edges, we had attacking threats everywhere and defensively. Not allowing in tries is one of the things we are very happy about.
“In defence you have to be one to 23. They need to hunts as a pack.’’
SECOND HALF BLITZ DELIVERS WARATAHS U19 COMEBACK WIN
In the following U19 match between the Waratahs young guns and the Reds, the match looked to have been done and won in the first half with the hosts leading 19-3 at the break.
But a recharged Waratahs came out to turn the match on its head after the break, scoring three tries in the space of 10 minutes to take the lead 22-19.
Jackson Ropate was the first to score with big Clem Halaholo over soon after.
Henry Roberts then put the NSW side into the lead with a third second half try.
A patients Red side retook the lead 26-22 with a fourth try around seven minutes from the final whistle before frontrower Jayden Moujalli from Eastwood rugby saved the day with a another try delivering NSW the 29-26 victory.
NSW WARATAHS U19 V QUEENSLAND REDS U19s
1 Jamie Clark (Sydney University), 2 Albert Alcock (West Harbour), 3 Jayden Moujalli (Eastwood), 4 Oskar Hicks (Sydney University), 5 Fritz Jahnke-Tavana (Southern Districts), 6 Clem Halaholo (Sydney University), 7 Hayden Maher (Randwick), 8 Philip Talaileva (Eastwood), 9 Tom Goddard (Eastwood), 10 Connor McMullen (Eastern Suburbs), 11 Aaron Dimovitch (Randwick), 12 Charlie Worthington (Randwick), 13 Jackson Ropata (Southern Districts), 14 Omar Noureddine (Eastwood), 15 Tom Morrison (Sydney University), 16 Harvey McGregor (Eastern Suburbs), 17 Jack Barrett (St Joseph’s College), 18 Henry Roberts (Sydney University), 19 Sam Allsopp (Sydney University), 20 Jackson Knight (Gordon), 21 Lachie Cruickshank (Warringah), 22 Paulie Manuel (West Harbour), 23 Jack Matthews (Sydney University), 24 Tyee Manson (Sydney University).
NSW Waratahs U16s team v Queensland Reds U16s
1 Daniel Christodoulou (Sydney Juniors, West Harbour), 2 Max Meagher (NSW Schools (CAS), Trinity Grammar School), 3 Edwin Langi (NSW Schools (GPS), The Kings School), 4 Zion Poitaha (NSW Schools (CAS), Waverley College), 5 Toby Brial (NSW Schools (GPS), The Scots College), 6 Oliver Aboud (Sydney Juniors, Randwick), 7 Marshall Le Maitre (NSW Schools (GPS), Shore School), 8 Daniel Meafou (NSW Schools (CCC), Edmund Rice College), 9 Sam Blank (NSW Schools (ISA), St Augustine’s College), 10 Alex Conti (NSW Schools (ISA), St Patrick’s College), 11 Casey McLean (NSW Schools (GPS), Newington College), 12 Joe Walsh (Manly Rugby Club, St Augustine’s College), 13 Tom Watts (NSW Schools (GPS), The Kings School), 14 Charlie Poynton (NSW Schools (CAS), Barker College), 15 Mitchell Woods (NSW Schools (ISA), St Patrick’s College), 16 Luke Muriti (NSW Schools (ISA), Oakhill College), 17 Tyler Byrne (Sydney Juniors, Manly), 18 Harper Strachan (NSW Schools (AICES), Hunter Valley Grammar School), 19 Sam Niulala (Sydney Juniors, Northern Suburbs), 20 Luca Cleverley (Sydney Juniors, Randwick), 21 Darcy Brown (NSW Country, Hunter), 22 Zach Fittler (NSW Schools (GPS), The Scots College), 23 Leo Jaques (NSW Schools (GPS), The Scots College), 24 Connor Dempsey (Sydney Juniors, Northern Suburbs).
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