Australian U18s team named to play NZ, Stars, results from trial v Australians schools, Zach Fittler

Updated: Australian U18s rugby coach Shannon Fraser has named his team to take on their first New Zealand opponent on Wednesday. So who made the cut? TEAM LIST

Action in the Australian Schools v Australian U18s gold squad match. Picture: Anthony Edgar

Australian U18s rugby coach Shannon Fraser has named his team to take on their first New Zealand opponent on Wednesday and has rewarded good recent form in namig his team.

Australia will take on the New Zealand Barbarians at 11am AEST on Wednesday in the first of two matches against the rising stars of rugby from across the ditch.

After this match the Australia U18s, named last week after a series of trials and matches, will play against New Zealand Schools at FMG Stadium on October 6..

The team for the match against the Barbarians is:

1. Kingsley Uys - The Southport School, 2. John Grenfell - Nudgee College, 3. Edwin Langi - Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club, 4. Will Ross - Padua College, 5. Isaac Fonua - The King’s School,6. Eli Langi - Brisbane State High School, 7. Tom Robinson (c) - UQ Rugby Club, 8. Heinz Lemoto - The Scots College, 9. Angus Grover - St Igantius College, Riverview 10. Jonty Fowler - St Joseph’s College, 11. Heamasi Makasini - Newington College, 12. Josh Takai - Brothers Rugby Club, 13. Frankie Goldsbrough (vc) - Easts Rugby Club, 14. Tom Howard - Marist College Ashgrove, 15. Rex Bassingthwaite - The Shore School,

16. Ewald Kruger - GPS Rugby Club, 17. Nick Hill - Barker College, 18. Jonah Rangiwai - The Southport School, 19. Avery Thomson - GPS Rugby Club, 20. Luca Cleverley - Newington College, 21. Sam Blank - St Augustine’s College, 22. Finn Mackay - St Laurence’s College 23. Zach Fittler - The Scots Colleg.

An Australian schools player scoring against Australian U18 squad players on Thursday. Picture: Anthony Edgar

FRIDAY: Just days after signing with the NSW Waratahs, Zach Fittler will be presented with his first Australian jersey as part of the U18s heading to New Zealand for a two-game series.

Head coach Shannon Fraser, who described Fittler, the son of NRL legend Brad, as “so; lid” in his two appearances in Thursday’s trials, unveiled his 26 strong squad on Friday.

The squad leaves on Monday for matches against the New Zealand Barbarians at St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton on October 2 and the New Zealand Schools at FMG Stadium on October 26.

There are a number of players in the squad who, like Fittler, have also show promise in rugby league including Heamasi Makasini, Isaac Fonua and Rex Bassingthwaite.

Fraser said he was impressed with the way his ended squad battled for the top 26 positions and said the touring team is “highly motivated;;.

“Competition for spots was undeniably fierce and there are many talented players with long rugby careers ahead of them who unfortunately missed out on this occasion,’’ he said.

The Australian U18 rugby squads comprises Angus Grover - St Ignatius College, Riverview, Avery Thomson - GPS Rugby Club, Edwin Langi - Eastern Suburbs, Eli Langi - Brisbane State High School, Ewald Kruger - GPS Rugby Club, Finn Mackay - St Laurence’s College, Frankie Goldsbrough - Easts Rugby Club, Hayden Lavercombe - The King’s School, Heamasi Makasini - Newington College, Heinz Lemoto - The Scots College, Isaac Fonua - The King’s School, John Grenfell - Nudgee College, Jonah Rangiwai - The Southport School. Jonty Fowler - St Joseph’s College, Josh Takai - Brothers Rugby Club, Kingsley Uys - The Southport School, Luca Cleverley - Newington College, Nick Conway - Nudgee College, Nick Hill - Barker College, Rex Bassingthwaite - The Shore School, Sam Blank - St Augustine’s College, TJ Talaileva - Barker College, Tom Howard - Marist College, Tom Robinson - UQ Rugby Club, Will Ross - Padua College, Zach Fittler - The Scots College.

THURSDAY: There were try blitzes, blistering runs and some snappy footwork as Australia’s top U18s players fought for an airline ticket to New Zealand for a two-match series against their trans-Tasman rugby rivals in October.

The Australian U18s development team, including Zach Fittler, son of NRL legend Brad who was in the stands looking on, was split into two side with the Australian schools team – flying to Fiji on Friday – the third involved in the trials.

Australian coach Shannon Fraser, who will reveal his touring team late Friday, said new Waratahs signing Fittler was “solid’.

“Brad ran out in the second and third game as a No. 12 and No. 13 and was solid,’’ he said.

“He has grown in confidence in the week here. He out a solid performance today.’’

Selectors will today name a 26-strong squad off the performances of young guns in the trials in Canberra on Thursday.

Numerous players put their hand in the air to be selected in the touring team hopeful of beating both a New Zealand Barbarians side next week then a New Zealand Schools team.

Stars, standouts and result wrap from the three-game trial series in Canberra below.

Action in the Australian Schools v Australian U18s gold squad match. Picture: Anthony Edgar

In the first game of the day in chilly conditions and on a slick pitch, Australia Gold (U18s) came out with intent to score an emphatic 38-7 victory over their Australian Schools rivals.

Heinz Lemoto scored a try in both halves with halfback Angus Grover the first to put points on the board in the opening minutes when he dived over in the right corner.

Lemoto then scored the first of his two with a flying Rex Bassingthwaighte scoring Gold’s third and Heamasi Makasini the fourth before halftime.

Brad Fittler watching on in Canberra. Picture: Anthony Edgar

Lemoto scored against after the break with Schools putting their first points on the board from Nat Thompson.

Gold took the match 38-7 with a sixth try with Jonty Fowler another standout with his boot.

In the second game, Australia Gold backed up for a 12-5 win over Australia Green in an entertaining match-up.

Makasini was back on the scorers list with Tom Goldie also going over and Fowler doing the kicking.

One of the stars of the Waratahs U16s campaign last year, Tom Hartman, also scored.

Australia schools scoring in game one. Picture: Anthony Edgar

In the final match of the day, Fittler made his big presence felt in the battle between Australia Green and Australian Schools.

The two sides were locked at 7-7 early in the match thanks to tries from Nat Gallagher and TJ Talaileva.

Schools flyer Blake Miller broke the deadlock for Schools just before halftime with some gutsy defence in the second half helping deliver Schools an important win ahead of the first of two matches against Fijian Schoolboys in Fiji on Saturday.

Fraser said Lomoto was a standout early on the day.

“He was strong and had some nice involvement and Rex Bassingthwaighte had some classy touches at the back

“And our halfback Angus Grover controlled things really well.’’

 

Action in the Australian Schools v Australian U18s gold squad match. Picture: Anthony Edgar

MORE RUGBY

Waratahs U16s on a mission

Waratahs U15s stars of future

New Subbies rivalry

Waratahs U16s on fire

SJRU grand final wrap

AUSTRALIA U18 RUGBY DEVELOPMENT SQUAD:

Angus Grover – St Ignatius College, Riverview, Avery Thomson – GPS Rugby Club, Bennett Armistead – Nudgee College, Blaze Moana – The Southport School, Charlie Poynton – Barker College, Dylan Bretton – Wests Rugby Club, Edwin Langi – Eastern Suburbs, Eli Langi – Brisbane State High School, Ewald Kruger – GPS Rugby Club, Finn Mackay – St Laurence’s College, Frankie Goldsbrough – Easts Rugby Club. Hayden Lavercombe – The King’s School, Heamasi Makasini – Newington College, Heinz Lemoto – The Scots College, Isaac Fonua – The King’s School, Jacob Johnson – Nudgee College.

Jay McKenzie – The Scots College, John Grenfell – Nudgee College, Jonty Fowler – St Joseph’s College, Josh Takai – Brothers Rugby Club, Kingsley Uys – The Southport School, Leo Jaques – The Scots College, Lewis Wilson – St Augustine’s College, Louis Fenwicke – The King’s School, Luca Cleverley – Newington College, Marshall Le Maitre – The Shore School, Nathaniel Thomas – Barker College, Nick Conway – Nudgee College.

Nick Hill – Barker College, Noah Rylands – St Augustine’s College, Rex Bassingthwaite – The Shore School, Sam Blank – St Augustine’s College, TJ Talaileva – Barker College, Toby Brial – The Scots College, Tom Goldie – The Southport School, Tom Hartman – St Ignatius College, Riverview, Tom Howard – Marist College, Tom Robinson – UQ Rugby Club, Will Ross – Padua College, Zach Fittler – The Scots College.

MORE FROM AMANDA LULHAM HERE

Originally published as Australian U18s team named to play NZ, Stars, results from trial v Australians schools, Zach Fittler