NZ Schools Rugby 2025
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I watched the game between the Australian U18s and Australia Schoolboys. It wasn’t a particularly close game, as you can tell by the scoreline.
Remarkably, the Australia U18s blew multiple gilt-edges chances so the scoreline could’ve easily been even more ugly. Then again, it’s hard to take much from this game because the talent disparity was quite substantial. Australian Schoolboys had a decent scrum and some talented players (the tighthead Daly, the lock Finegan and the number 8 Rylands) but you can’t say they were a good side.
The Australia U18s almost completely changed their side at halftime, so most players got good minutes to show the coaches what they got. In the first half, the standouts for the U18s, in my view, were Treyvon Pritchard, the 12, who kicks, passes and runs well. And Ed Kasprowicz, the 2m-ish lock, who looks like a handful at lineout time.
During the second half, Angus Grover, the halfback, continues to look like the real deal. I’d expect him to start against NZ Schools and his contest with Marco Miln should be a good one. Dylan Simmons, the loose forward, was also very impressive, showing both physicality through the middle and genuine pace out wide. Risati, the young, much-hyped playmaker, also had some slicing runs through the Aussie Schoolboys’ defence. The Australia U18s have pace pretty much throughout their entire team.
As far as the upcoming series with NZS is concerned, I’d have the Australian U18s as comfortable favourites. I don’t think there’s necessarily a talent gap but the Australian U18s look much clearer on their individual roles in defence and attack, whereas the NZ Schools’ players often looked disconnected when shooting up in defence and unsure when attacking through their backline.
I’m also not sure the NZS defence has the right priorities for playing the Australian U18s: their focus seems to be on bringing line speed but the Australia U18s won’t mind keeping the ball close around the ruck in response. The latter have an abundance of big carriers and clever game managers, so the first job for their opposition should be to deny them quick ball at the ruck. NZ Schools, unfortunately, seemed barely interested in contesting the breakdown against the NZ Barbarian U18s, which doesn’t bode particularly well.
That said, there’s obviously talent in the NZ Schools’ team so hopefully they’ve been able to use these past two weeks to get some cohesion into the side. Should be an interesting series.
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I'm not expecting NZS to win either based on what I watched live. Generally, all the NZ teams conceded far too many points which wasn't just down to better attack. When the NZS team last toured Aust they had difference makers like Mathis but I don't see any of those in the 2025 version.
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@Bovidae said in NZ Schools Rugby 2025:
All Blacks YouTube.
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Defence clearly optional for both teams here.
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@KiwiMurph said in NZ Schools Rugby 2025:
Wasn't there a story where NZ tried to move to NZ U18s model as opposed to NZ Schools and got push back?
Wonder if it might get more steam after this?
I was just thinking the same. What would a combined Schools plus Barbarians side + Mika look like? 40 points better?
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I've just watched this game now. That 2nd half defence was embarrassing. Tito and co are out of their depth as coaches.
There needs to be some changes for game 2, but I doubt the result will be any different. I'd like to see Viljoen start at 1st 5 as Taylor was disappointing. Change the midfield too, especially Su'a.
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@SouthernMann said in NZ Schools Rugby 2025:
I was just thinking the same. What would a combined Schools plus Barbarians side + Mika look like? 40 points better?
Last year's Māori U18 team would beat this NZ Schools team too. I didn't think that the 2025 Barbarian U18s were as strong as the 2024 cohort either but there were some players who would clearly strengthen a NZ U18 team, particularly in the tight five.
It doesn't look like there were many players who have left school in the Aust U18s either. Just better coaching - again.
1 Kingsley Uys - The Southport School
2 Isaac Rauluni - Nudgee College
3 Levi Slater - Nudgee College
4 Isaac Fonua - The King's School
5 William Ross - Padua College
6 Justice Taumoepeau - St Joseph's College
7 Jarvis Orr - Knox Grammar
8 Heinz Lemoto - The Scots College
9 Angus Grover (c) - St Ignatius College, Riverview
10 Finn Mackay - Souths Rugby Club, Brisbane
11 Talen Risati - The King's School
12 Treyvon Pritchard - Anglican Church Grammar School
13 Cyrus Bloomfield - Oakhill College
14 Brody Folkes - St Ignatius College, Riverview
15 Nicholas Conway - Wests Rugby Club, BrisbaneReserves
16 Oliver Smith - The King's School
17 Tito Hamala - Nudgee College
18 Hasani Bloomfield - The King's School
19 Ed Kasprowicz - Sydney University
20 TJ Talaileva - Barker College
21 Chayse Geros - St Augustine's College
22 Archie Mesritz - Nudgee College
23 Rory O'Connor - St Joseph's College -
Are the talent spotters doing a good enough job? When was the last time a player was selected from a smaller School? A player like Carlos Spencer from Waiopehu College or a Jacobsen from Cambridge High School. Are they finding that diamond in the rough?
Some of these players obviously don't come to notice until they make their local rep team at this time of the year. Some might get scholarships but not every talented kid gets that opportunity. Some also leave school early too.
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The better school players tend to gravitate towards a bigger rugby school nowadays, even if for only Y12 and 13. As the coaches nominate players to be considered for the school national rep teams I doubt they (NZR selectors) will look at someone who isn't playing in one of the major competitions. It's different at U19 level where they are playing club rugby irrespective of what school they went to. There are recent examples of both.
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@NTA don’t think you’re right, RA have tidied up the pipeline. Most of these boys would be signed already, and the 1 or 2 that go to league have probably shown enough interest to give them a crack to develop some good will and get them back later (like sualii). And the. Scrapping the giteau law and keeping them involved (like lemoto) will only increase chances of them playing for wallabies. I have a completely opposite outlook, future looks bright for aus
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Plus the age level super competition has more coverage, so I expect more juniors to remain.
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Thats embarrassing, wonder if that will wake NZR up that they need to do something, player retention and upskilling would seem a big issue.
