An action packed part of the season, Brumbies representatives have had mixed results these past few weeks, with Aussie underage sides excelling, but ACT junior sides struggling for form.
AUSSIE 18’S FINISH STUNNING NZ SWEEP
The Australian Schools and U18’s side, led by Brumbies coach Peter Hewat, with five Brumbies representatives, completed an incredible tour of New Zealand by beating the Kiwi schools side 18-14, breaking a seven-year drought against our old rivals across the ditch.
Four Brumbies started the crunch clash in Hamilton, Tom Hooper and Zeph Tuinona the forwards, Lachie Albert and Reesjan Pasitoa the backs, with Tony Alofipo backing up as a finisher.
Pasitoa kicked eight of the Aussies tally, his partnership with Albert around the park something for Brumbies fans to be excited about for the future.
Catch the highlights below.
19’S STRUGGLE FOR FORM AT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
After impressing in preseason and in their first Championship fixture, the Brumbies U19’s have struggled for form in their past two fixtures at the Australian Institute of Sport.
Though the youngsters have played some stunning rugby at times and scored a handful of great tries in their clashes against the two Sydney sides, on both occasions, the result has eluded the Brumbies.
Round 2
Brumbies 13
Sydney 43
Round 3
Brumbies 26
NSW Country 35
TUPOU DAZZLES FOR AUSSIE BAABAAS
St. Edmunds College flyer Junior Tupou stunned Samoa Schools with a brilliant brace of tries in the Aussie BaaBaas thrilling 31-23 victory.
Down four points in the first half, Tupou scored two of the best individual efforts you’ll ever see in quick succession, leading to the famous win.
Queanbeyan Whites coach Dan Hawke alongside Gungahlin Eagle's Ben McGee took charge of the side, check out this unique behind the scenes mini-doc on the BaaBaas preparations.
ACT FINISH FOURTH AT U16 TOURNAMENT
The ACT U16 team were defeated in the third-place play-off at the recent U16 championships. falling 41-0 to NSW II in their final match after finishing second in their pool to eventual runner’s-up, NSW IAfter a disappointing start to the competition in Round 1 when competition favourites NSW I inflicted a 47-5 defeat on the locals, the ACT hit back in Round 2 with a narrow 13-10 win over Queensland White.
Thomas Carey, who had scored the solitary try in defeat on the tournament’s Opening Day, was again on the scoresheet, claiming his second try in two matches.
Carey was joined by Ben Keogh as both the home side, and their opponents bagged two tries each.The killer points though belonged to Jeb Smith who cracked home a penalty that, eventually, was to be the difference between two evenly matched sides after eighty minutes of enthralling and absorbing rugby.
The side was back in action on the Thursday after a much-deserved rest day and hot the ground running in their vital early morning kick-off against Western Australia, who went into the match with an almost identical record to the ACT.
There was only one team in control of the game from the outset as the local team out-gunned their opponents to run in three tries to lead 19-0. The Western Australians though are made of stern stuff and hot back to close the gap but, the young guns held their nerve to claim a 31-29 success in a thriller.
Keogh claimed his second try of the tournament in the win, with Baden Godfrey, William Boundy, Joshua Weir and Joshua Hardy also grabbing five-pointers. Hardy kicked a crucial conversion, along with a brace of kicks from Smith.
Junior Rugby Championships 2019
RESULTS
Round 1: NSW I 47 ACT 5 (T: Carey)
Round 2: ACT 13 (T: Carey, Keogh, P: Smith) Queensland 10
Round 3: ACT 31 (T: Godfrey, Boundy, Keogh, Weir, Hardy, C: Smith (2), Hardy) Western Australia 29
Play-Off: ACT 0 NSW II 41
POINTS
10 – Thomas CAREY (2t), Ben KEOGH (2t)
7 – Joshua HARDY (1t, 1c), Jeb SMITH (2c, 1p)
5 – William BOUNDY (1t), Baden GODFREY (1t), Joshua WEIR (1t)
