Aus U20s are full of S14 experience
Two players with senior Wallabies experience headline coach David Nucifora’s Australian U20 squad which is expected to be highly competitive at the IRB Junior World Championships in Argentina in June.
Wallabies tourists, Brumbies flyhalf Matt Toomua and Reds wing Luke Morahan are key inclusions in the 26-man squad which will kick off its campaign with a pool match against Scotland in Santa Fe on Saturday June 5 before matches against Tonga in Parana (June 9) and South Africa in Santa Fe (June 13).
Eight players in the squad have tasted top-tier Rugby during the 2010 Super 14 season with Brumbies young-guns Colby Faingaa, Michael Hooper and Robbie Coleman earning selection, while Reds flank Jake Schatz, Western Force lock Luke Jones and scrumhalf Justin Turner have also been given the nod.
Several Australian Sevens representatives, who have proved their pedigree on the IRB Sevens World Series circuit this year, have also made the grade with Queensland quartet – loose forward Ed Quirk, flank Liam Gill, wing Kimami Sitauti and centre Dominic Shipperley receiving the call up into Nucifora’s squad.
Nucifora will also draw on the invaluable experience of six players who were included on last year’s Australian schoolboys tour to the UK and Ireland.
After a disappointing result at last year’s championships in Japan, where Australia fell to South Africa 32-5 in the playoff for third, hopes are high this side will have the skill and execution to end New Zealand’s two-year reign as world champions.
Coleman, Schatz, Toomua and Nic White are the only players to return from the class of 2009 for a second tilt at the U20 world title.
Should Australia progress through their pool matches they will play a semifinal on June 17 with the final scheduled for June 21 at Estadio El Coloso del Parque in Rosario.
The 26-man Australian U20 squad will assemble at the AIS in Canberra on May 21 and will later relocate to Sydney before to departing for Buenos Aires on May 31.
Australian U20 squad:
Forwards: Cruze Ah-Nau, Paul Alo-Emile, Phoenix Battye, Colby Faingaa, Liam Gill, Michael Hooper, Luke Jones, Salesi Manu, Gregory Peterson, Edward Quirk, Sam Roberson, Siliva Siliva, Scott Sio, Jake Schatz.
Backs: Tim Bennetts, Robbie Coleman, Greg Jeloudev, Jonathon Lance, Cameron Mitchell, Dominic Shipperley, Kimami Sitauti, Aidan Toua, Matt Toomua, Luke Morahan, Justin Turner, Nic White.
