Super Rugby U19s: Best players, top scorers from every team ahead of grand final
The Brumbies and Waratahs clash in the 2023 Super Rugby decider on Sunday but neither team has a player topping a major stats list. Best players, scorers at the end of the regular season.
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The ACT Brumbies and NSW Waratahs will battle it out in the 2023 Super Rugby grand final in Canberra on Sunday but interestingly neither team has a player topping a major stats list.
At the end of the regular season it is a Queensland Reds player who has ended up as the top point scorer across the four games each Academy side played and a Western Foce gun as the season’s top try scorer.
Reds teen Riley Bierton heads the points list with three tries and 13 conversions.
Western Forces’s Dylan Bronlund was the top try scorer after fopur games of Super Rugby 19s with six.
But the season stats give an insight into which players are likely to stand up and out in the season decider which is being tipped to be a closely fought affair.
Waratah Archie Saunders has ended the season as the second highest try scorer with his haul of five.
Teammate Nacani Batidravu finished in equal fourth with three tries - the same amount scorers by Brumbies young gun Angusa Staniforth who was their top try scorer.
Brumby Cullen Gray, with 13 conversions, a try and penalty kick, is second on the points list.
Waratah Oliver Scmunde is the fourth highest pointscorer and the third most prolific converter with his nine conversions and one penalty goal.
Showing the depth of both squads, the Tahs had 14 different try scorers this seaosn while the ACT Brumbies had 15.
Brumbies trio Shane Wilcox, Lleyton Tautau and Tino Tavana all scored two tries each.
Waratahs quartet Arnie Tancred, Jullien Caillol, Phil Talaileva and Bryn Edward also scored two each across the four games.
The top point scorer for the Melbourne Rebels was Komi Lester-Tuitea with two tries.
Kauri Tipene-Grace was another standout for Western Force with his three tries this season.
WARATAHS PULL OF SEASON COMEBACK TO MAKE GRAND FINAL
EARLIER: The Waratahs U19s produced when it mattered most with rock solid defence and five different try scorers combining to deliver the side a grand final spot in the season decider of the Super Rugby U19s competition for the second year running.
It was a game of two halves for the Waratahs with three tries scored in the first half and stellar defence and two from players coming off the bench in the second producing the 32-5 victory in Sydney.
The win will send them to Canberra on Sunday for a second shot at the only team to beat them this year - the ACT Brumbies.
The Waratahs needed to win the match to advance into the grand final of the Super Rugby U19s competition but Western Force were determined not to make it easy for the Blues.
It took 20 minutes for the first points of the match to be scored with Archie Saunders finally penetrating to score the first of his two tries for the Waratahs at Forshaw Park in Sydney’s south.
Fly half Oliver Schmude was then rewarded for being one of the best men on field for the Tahs in the first half with his converted try putting his side up 12-0 just prior to halftime.
The Waratahs then snuck another try in before the whistle off the hard work of the forward pack with Bryn Edwards picking up the points.
The seconds half was a torrid affair with the Waratahs defence hanging tough and critical to the side holding onto their halftime lead.
Western Force’s Rueben Baker come off the bench to score his teams first and only try 67 minutes into the game with Tahs duo William Kennedy and Will Guilfoyle retaliating soon after.
Saunders then scored his second to help the Waratahs to their confidence boosting 32-5 victory.
The Waratahs last year beat the Queensland Reds to win this competition but lost their first game of season 2023 against the Brumbies to be on the back foot from the start.
They now have the chance to avenge this loss in Canberra on Sunday.
The Dan Parkes coached Waratahs will now head down the highway to Canberra to meet the ACT Brumbies in the season decider on Sunday.
Earlier in the day the Waratahs U16 completed their season with a fourth straight victory and will start next weekend’s grand final as favourites to defend their crown.
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