2018 New Zealand Schools

[Bovidae]

If we compare the common opponent Tonga Schools:
NZ Schools won 54-0
Aust Schools won 53-10 (Tonga scored a late try)

[Stargazer]

Thursday, last week, NZ Māori U18 beat NZ Barbarians Schools 21 - 20.
On Monday, Fiji Schools beat NZ Barbarians Schools 15 - 10.
Today, NZ Māori U18 beat Fiji Schools 20 - 15.

Hopefully, the best players of the whole group that was invited to attend camp a few weeks ago have been selected for NZ Schools (and hopefully they don't get beaten by Aussie Schools tomorrow), but these three results seems to suggest the selection process is not good enough. The NZ Māori U18 selectors could only pick players, who weren't invited to camp but they've performed better than NZ Barbarians Schools.

[98blueandgold]

Should be a close match, thought Australia looked better then they have for a few years. I think key will be us taking our chances and not playing high tempo rugby all the time. At times we need to plug the corner and consolidate rather than throw miracle balls, this Aussie team will capitalise on those. Then again they are just kids.

[Stargazer]

Match report and highlights video of the NZ Maori U18 v Fiji Schools game: https://www.collegesportmedia.co.nz/rugby-union/nz-maori-u18s-beat-fiji-u18s

[Stargazer]

Australian Schools v NZ Schools

Livestream: http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2018/10/04/2018-schools-tri-nations-final-day

Kick-off 8.00pm.

[Tim]

@stargazer Cheers!

[Stargazer]

Great to see our boys win the first line-out and scrum.

[Stargazer]

Rivez Reihana misses the first penalty kick (short).

[Stargazer]

This would have been a much easier kick, but they opt to go for the line-out. Oh, and it's close, but our TH prop ends up in touch.

[Stargazer]

Aussie line-out not straight and we get a scrum close to the Aussie try line. Aussies give away a penalty and it's another scrum.

[Stargazer]

Try Saula Mau under the sticks!

Reihana converts the try. 7-0 NZ

[Stargazer]

Both teams under a warning for backchat and "helping the ref" officiate.

Game is now mostly played in the NZ half. Not what we'd like to see.

[Stargazer]

Pfew, Aussies knock on close to the NZ try line.

[Stargazer]

God, I hate it when all backs come running to the pack to pat them on the back or head after a won scrum.

[KiwiMurph]

@stargazer showing team spirit....how dare they....

[antipodean]

Good reversal of the penalty.

[Stargazer]

@kiwimurph Haha, yeah, well there are other ways ...

[Stargazer]

Half time already. That went fast. Only 7 - 0 to NZ.

[98blueandgold]

Nz tight 5 really dominating game but Aussie hanging in there with poor NZ ball control. NZ halves need to control game better, slow it down.
Our biggest issue however is attitude, got the Reiko syndrome at mo, all talk and not backing up, almost cost us at end of half. That attitude is playing into Aussie hands.

[Bovidae]

@98blueandgold Yep, Funaki's kicking has been poor.