Combined States make history at Australian Schools Championship
July 11, 2009 - 5:52pm
Story by: ARU
Combined States Schools made history at Knox Grammar School in Sydney today when they booked a place in the final of the 2009 Australian Schools Rugby Union Championship.
After defeating NSW I on Thursday, the young Combined States team, comprising the best Schoolboy Rugby players from the non-traditional Rugby states of Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania, needed to defeat Queensland II on the third day of competition today to clinch a finals berth for the first time.
Dominating at the breakdown they managed to achieve that holding on to edge out Queensland II 17-15, with Aquinas College flyhalf Kyle Godwin contributing 12 points through a try, two conversions and a penalty goal.
Combined States other points came through a try to Sam Yakopo from Carey Baptist Grammar in Victoria.
The history forging Combined States side will now go on to meet pre-tournament favourites Queensland I in the final at Knox Grammar on Monday, with the young maroons overcoming NSW II 34-15, despite having scrumhalf Ruka Hanlon sent off, 8 minutes into the second half.
NSW II were very competitive but couldn’t resist the sustained intensity of the Queensland I attacks.
For Queensland I Ipswich Grammar inside centre Kirisome Auva’a scored two tries while flyhalf Rohan Saifoloi from Brisbane State High School was accurate with the boot landing four conversions, a penalty goal and a field goal.
Queensland I are the only team Combined States have not beaten in their six-year history and that will be another hoodoo the pre-tournament outsiders will be striving to break on Monday.
In the non-competition match NSW I showed they were still a force to be reckoned with as Kings School winger Scott Ferris picked up a double as the young blues defeated ACT, 45 -12.
St Aloysius centre Tom Kingston and Illawarra Sports High School winger Damien Cook were also among the tryscorers bringing their try tally for the tournament even with Ferris on three.
The full schedule of matches on Monday July 13th, the final day of the tournament, sees Queensland II v ACT at 9.30am and an all New South Wales clash between NSW I and NSW II at 11.15am in the redraws.
While in the Championship Final at 1pm Combined States meet Queensland I.
Australian Schools Championship Day 3
Results
Game 7 (non-comp)
New South Wales I 45 (Scott Ferris 2, Hugh Roach, Tom Kingston, Damien Cook, Erik Moss, Jacob Woodhouse tries, Damien Cook 5 con) defeated ACT 12 (Tim Knight, Clinton Dale tries, John Field con).
Game 8 – Pool A
Combined States 17 (Sam Yakopo, Kyle Goodwin tries, Kyle Goodwin 2 con 1 PG)
defeated Queensland II 15 (Dion Taumata, Liam Law tries, George Morseu 1 con 1 PG)
Game 9 – Pool B
Queensland I 34 (Kirisome Auva’a 2, Ross Marais, Curtis Browning, tries, Rohan Saifoli 4 con 1 PG 1 FG) defeated New South Wales II 15 (Tevita Felikitau-Fetuani, Ethan Ford tries Liam Walker 1 con 1 PG).
Final Standings
Pool A
Combined States 8
New South Wales I 6
Queensland II 1
Pool B
Queensland I 10
New South Wales II 4
ACT 0
Matches for Monday 13th July at Knox Grammar School
Knox College, Pacific Highway, Wahroonga
Redraw 1 9:30 am Queensland II v ACT
Redraw 2 11:15 am New South Wales I v New South Wales II
Championship Final 1:00 pm Combined States v Queensland I
(Photos courtesy of Melba Studios : www.melbastudios.com.au)
