The National Under 16 Championships kicked off on Monday at St Ignatius College, Riverview with eight division one and four division two teams battling it out over four days of competition.
Last year’s division one winners Sydney Juniors kicked off their title defence on Monday with a hard fought 15-13 victory over Western Australia and then backed up yesterday to overcome a determined NSW Country 36-30.
Despite winning both of their games, Sydney Juniors sit second in division one’s Pool B after Queensland Red asserted their dominance over NSW Country on Monday running out 72-3 winners and claiming an additional bonus point for their 13 try effort.
The Queensland side then backed up their opening performance with another bonus point win running out 19-point victors over Western Australia 31-12.
Meanwhile, Queensland White sit atop Pool A after securing two bonus points in both their opening games. The Queensland side ran out 33-25 winners over Victoria on Monday and then backed up yesterday to claim a slightly more comfortable 22-6 win over the Brumbies.
NSW Schools managed to secure the bonus point in their first game against the Brumbies running in eight tries to rack up a 48-19 win, however Schools were unable to cross for their fourth against Victoria yesterday, managing just three tries in their 19-8 win.
In division two South Australia made the best possible start to their title defence running in four tries to two to claim the bonus point and run out 37-10 victors over Northern Territory.
The South Australians won’t have it all their own way in division two after the National Indigenous side showed they’ll be a force to reckon with crossing 11 times to one in their 67-7 win over Tasmania.
The National Indigenous team, who recently completed a six day tour to New Zealand where they trained with a number of Wallabies in the build-up to the National Championships, celebrated their win last night by attending the annual Deadly Awards at the Sydney Opera House.
The team spent the evening celebrating the achievements of Indigenous Australian’s in the fields of Education, Health, Sports and the Arts.
A number of the side had the chance to walk the red carpet, brushing shoulders with some of Australia’s great Indigenous talent including the iconic Evonne Goolagong Cawley who was awarded the 2011 Ella Award for Lifetime Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sport.
Qantas Wallabies fullback, Kurtley Beale, was also nominated for a Deadly in the category of Best Male Sports Person of the Year, unfortunately Beale missed out on the Deadly to basketball sensation, Patrick Mills.
The 12 teams have today enjoyed a lay day at the National Under 16 Championships with the tournament set it get back underway tomorrow from 9:30am when Western Australia take on NSW Country.
A complete wrap of try scorers, standings, half-time and full-time scores as well the draw for the final two days of competition can be found below.
Day 1 Results and Scores:
NSW Schools (48) v Brumbies (19)
NSW Schools 48: Tries – Ben Stacy 2, Adrian DeLore 2, Andrew Deegan, Oliver Pople, Andrew Kellaway, Oliver Takiveikata; Conv – Joey Lussick 2, Hayden Cochrane 2.
ACT Brumbies: Tries – Jake McCook, Harry Burey, Naude Mynhardt; Conv – Naude Mynhardt 2.
Half Time: NSW Schools 29 – ACT Brumbies 5.
Sydney Juniors (15) v Western Australia (13)
Sydney Juniors 15: Tries – Harry Jones 2, Matthew Crafts;
Western Australia 13: Tries – Tristan Schneider; Conv – Alex Oakley; Pen Goals – Alex Oakley 2.
Half time: Sydney Juniors 5 – Western Australia 3.
QLD Red (72) v NSW Country (3)
QLD Red 72: Tries – Jack Tuttle 2, Aaron Pleash, Brad Wilkin, Pat Ivey, Duncan Paia’aua, Wilson Bennet, Brannagh Corcoran, Jonah Placid, Henry Fitzgerald, Junior Taefu, Nitinili Fielea; Conv – Duncan Paia’aua 3, Jake Tuttle 2, Mack Mason.
NSW Country 3: Pen Goals – Nic Andrews.
Half time: QLD Red 36 – NSW Country 3.
QLD White (33) v Victoria (25)
QLD White 33: Tries – Brayden Torpy 2, Stuart Bougoure, Conrad Quick, James Dalgleish; Conv – Adam Gauder 2, Landon Hayes 2.
Victoria 25: Tries – Patolo Toeta, Isaac Seeto, Nathan Mitchener; Conv – Patolo Toeta 2; Pen Goals – Patolo Toeta 2.
Half time: Victoria 20 – QLD White 7.
Day 2 Results and Scores:
Northern Territory (10) v South Australia (37)
Northern Territory 10: Tries – Rusty Tisdell, Michael Nathan.
South Australia 37: Tries – Jake McLennan 3, Kieran Hellaby, Chris Hodgson, Sam Nery; Conv – Lincoln Ormsby 2; Pen Goals – Lincoln Ormsby.
Half time: South Australia 25 – Northern Territory 5.
Sydney Juniors (36) v NSW Country (30)
Sydney Juniors 36: Tries – Malakai Afele 2, Christian Kagissis 2, Jack McCalman, Ben Cotton; Conv – Jamison Clark 3.
NSW Country 30: Tries – Luke Papworth 2, Cameron McNamara, Damien Fleming; Conv – Nic Andrews 2; Pen Goals – Nic Andrews 2.
Half time: Sydney Juniors 22 – NSW Country 8.
Tasmania (7) v National Indigenous (67)
Tasmania 7: Tries – Cameron Seal; Conv – John Dunbar.
National Indigenous 67: Tries – David Green 3, Josh Bowyer 2, Jamaine Crossley, Braden Carney, Carlin Anderson, Zachery Johnson, Jacob Gagai, Jaidon Schafer; Conv – Carlin Anderson 6.
Half time: National Indigenous 24 – Tasmania 7.
QLD White (22) v Brumbies (6)
QLD White 22: Tries – Alex West 2, Lachlan Roe, Seb Georgiou; Conv – Brayden Torpy.
Brumbies 6: Pen Goals – Ashley Meek 2.
Half time: QLD White 17 – Brumbies 3.
QLD Red (31) v Western Australia (12)
QLD Red 31: Tries – Jonah Placid 2, Mack Mason, Wilson Bennet, Brannagh Corcoran; Conv – Mack Mason 2, Duncan Paia’aua.
Western Australia 12: Tries – Shane Gillham, Cody Coe-Baker; Conv – Alex Oakley.
Half time: QLD Red 14 – Western Australia 7.
NSW Schools (19) v Victoria (8)
NSW Schools 19: Tries – Tepai Moeroa, Andrew Kellaway, Adrian DeLore; Conv – Hayden Cochrane, Joey Lussick.
Victoria 8: Tries – Daniel Roberts try; Pen Goal – Puna Kajer.
Half time: NSW Schools 7 – Victoria 3.
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