Schoolboy talent on display at Ballymore this week
Queensland's best schoolboy rugby talent will be on show at the Xstrata Queensland Schoolboy trials at Ballymore on Thursday, Friday and Sunday (June 26, 27 and 29).
Two teams each from the Combined Secondary Schools (CSS), Association of Independent Colleges (AIC) and Greater Public Schools (GPS) associations will vie for selection in the Queensland Schoolboys 1 and 2 teams.
The two Queensland teams will compete in the Australian Rugby Football Schools National Championships in Canberra July 8-13, where Queensland are the defending champions.
The players involved in the trials include GPS 1 prop Josh Daley, son of former rugby league State of Origin forward Phil Daley and brother of QR Reds prop Ben Daley, GPS 1 fullback Simon Morahan, brother of QAS Reds Academy winger Luke Morahan, Gregory Terrace lock Nic Buchanan, son of former Australian cricket coach John Buchanan, and Sunshine Coast flanker Ben Radmill (CSS 1), voted the player of the Xstrata QRFSU 18 years State Regional Championships earlier this month.
Other players to watch will include St Laurence's College trio, scrumhalf Ben O'Connor, backrower Tom Fowke (both AIC 1) and flyhalf James Ambrosini (AIC 2), Marist Brothers Ashgrove No 8 Tim Southwood (AIC 1), TSS No 8 Jarrad Butler (GPS 1) and former Cairns speedster George Morseau (AIC 1), now with St Peter's Lutheran College in Brisbane.
A number of the CSS players have come from far north Queensland and other regional areas, reflecting the expansion of the game beyond the traditional rugby-playing schools.
Sunday’s trial games will precede the iRB Pacific Nations Cup match between Australia A and Fiji, which kicks off at 2pm.
The Xstrata Queensland Schoolboy trials draw is:
Thursday, June 26 (Ballymore No 1)
4.15pm GPS 2 v AIC 2
5.30pm CSS 2 v AIC 1
6.45pm CSS 1 v GPS 1
Friday, June 27 (Ballymore No 1)
5.10pm AIC 2 v CSS 2
6.20pm GPS 2 v CSS 1
7.30pm AIC 1 v GPS 1
Sunday, June 29 (Ballymore No 2)
9.00am GPS1 v AIC 2
10.00am CSS 2 v GPS 2
11.00am AIC 1v CSS 1
(note: all games 30 min halves)
Teams (from fullback):
AIC 1: Stuart Schneider (St Laurence's College), George Morseau (St Peter's Lutheran College), Cal Waldrom (SLC), Pat Selwood (Marist Ashgrove), Sam Rochester (SLC), Dan Earley (Ash), Ben O’Connor (SLC), Tim Southwood (Ash), Gerhard Fourie (Pad), Tom Fowke (SLC), Ben Henderson (SLC), Luke Johnson (Ash), Ben Laurie (Ash) Mitch Wenck (SLC), Dan Kelly (Villanova). Reserves: Lateru Rupeena (St Edmunds), Nick Baldwin (Iona), Clark Jack (St Patrick's College), Rory Callaghan (Ash), Pat Dale (SLC), Sam Kearney (Villa), Darcy Trindall (SPLC), Brett Mills (SPLC).
AIC 2: Bryce Hegarty (Ash), Jackson Brown (Ash), Rhy Talty (SPC), Mike King (SPLC), Chris Mansell (Iona), James Ambrosini (SLC), Nick Frisby (Ash), Trent Everson (Iona), Alex Treby (Villa), Alexander Healy (SPLC), Nick Lieschke (SLC), Nick Stewart (Iona), Alex Kelly (SLC), Kyle Morris (Ash), Sailopa Falemaka (Ash). Reserves: Josh Skyring (Pad), Jason Cherrett (SPLC), Sione Feiloakitau (SPLC), Eli Mowen (Villa), Gerard Anderson (Iona), Jon Roussetos (Iona), Matthew Norton (Iona), Mitchell Felsman (Iona).
Xstrata Combined Secondary Schools 1: Luke Leeming (Met East), Elliot Hagen (Sunshine Coast), Mitchell Devitt (Wide Bay), Shane Senituli (Met East), Chris Nadalo (Met East), Ben Dobson (Sunshine Coast), Jacob Arden (Wide Bay), Ben Radmill (Sunshine Coast), Aidan Aberg (South Coast), Steven Finigan (South Coast), Dan McGhee (Sunshine Coast), Gareth Banim (Met West), Apaitia Matalau (Northern), Lyall Fidow (Met East), Dalton Duminy (South Coast).
Xstrata Combined Secondary Schools 2: Dylan Taikato (South Coast), Tevita Kurdani (Met West), Fred Tuua (Met North), Jonny Iosefa (South Coast), Chris Naidu (South Coast), Ben Marshall (South Coast), Edward Tafa (Met East), Jason Mackie (South Coast), Aussie Smith (Sunshine Coast), Jonathan Faliniko (Met West), Jason Ferguson (Sunshine Coast) Blake Enever (Sunshine Coast), Paul Eaton (Capricornia), Jack O’Shea (Northern), Ben Webb (Met North).
Xstrata Combined Secondary Schools Reserves: Alex Casey (Met East), Chad Greef (Met East), Craig McVeigh (Darling Downs), Michael Bermingham (Darling Downs), Kerrod Martorella (Peninsula), Ryan Schwartz (Met East), Jake Nash (South Coast), Callum Bartram (Peninsula), Jayden Taylor (Capricornia), Cameron Anderson (Sunshine Coast)
GPS 1: Simon Morahan (TSS), Joel Faulkner (BSHS), Dom Shipperley (NC), Dane Gagai (BBC), Nicky Price (NC), Stefano Hunt (NC), Eddie Breddenhann (ACGS), Jarrad Butler (TSS), Jordan Tuapou (BSHS), Edward Quirk (BSHS), Nic Buchanan (GT), Ted Postal (NC), Josh Daley (TSS), Matt Ika (BSHS), David Feao (BSHS). Reserves: Matthew Wenck (IGS), Paul Alo-Emile (BSHS), Jack Kimmince (TSS), Ashley Breen (TSS), Doug Asiata (IGS), James Cornish (GT), Shane Imo (BSHS), Matt Feaunati (ACGS)
GPS 2: Elih Baillie (NC), Conrad Brown (TSS), Michael Saunders (BGS), Jnr Rasolea (ACGS), Kenneth Robertson (IGS), Teti Teli (IGS), Sam Grasso (NC), Neemiah Tupuse (IGS), Ford Stratham (IGS), Ben Evans (TSS), Rob Rutledge (IGS), Robert Speed (TGS), Robert Middlin (BBC), Charles Freney (GT) Matthew Mafi (NC). Reserves: Kieran Tumata (NC), JP Pradaud (NC), Jon Misiaga (IGS), Ashley Coffey (BSHS), Fraser Waterman (BBC), Tim Rogers (BGS), Alec Jones (TSS), Tom Hawthorne (BSHS)
