Australia have battled wind, rain and a physical Samoan side to get their Oceania U20s Championship campaign off on the right foot with a 43-20 victory at Bond University on Friday night.
The Australians scored seven tries to two but struggled at different times for cohesion and the pattern that head coach Simon Cron would like to see them play with at these titles.
They led 24-10 at the break and continued to work away in the second half to give the final scoreline.
It must be said that the Kiwis looked the much more impressive side on the first night of the championships in the earlier game v Fiji but the Aussies will be much better for the run in the often trying conditions.
Scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan did some good things and was rewarded with a try while loose head prop Harry Johnson-Holmes worked hard throughout the evening.
Angus Scott-Young was another in the middle of a lot of the good things that the Aussies were able to achieve in tough conditions.
RESULT
Oceania U20s Championship
Australia 43
Tries: Ramm, Ikatau, Lonergan, Johnson-Holmes, Scott-Young, Hewat, Maafu
Cons: Lonergan 4
Pens: 0
Samoa 20
Tries: 2
Pens: 2
Cons: 2
Table after Round One
1. New Zealand 5 (+60)
2. Australia 5 (+23)
3. Samoa 0 (-23)
4. Fiji 0 (-60)
TEAM
Australian U20s team to face Samoa U20s
1. Harry Johnson-Holmes, NSW U20s
2. Efi Maafu, Queensland U20s, NSW U20s
3. Harry Chapman, NSW U20s,
4. Harry Hockings, Queensland U20s,
5. Ryan McCauley, NSW U20s
6. Angus Scott-Young, Queensland U20s
7. Liam Wright, Queensland U20s
8. Reece Hewat, Queensland U20s
9. Ryan Lonergan, ACT U20s,
10. Nick Jooste, ACT U20s
11. James Ramm, NSW U20s
12. Tony Hunt, Queensland U20s
13. Len Ikatau, ACT U20s
14. Dylan Riley, Queensland U20s
15. Jayden Ngamanu, Queensland U20s
Reserves
16. Tom Horton, NSW U20s
17. Sama Malolo, Western Force U20s
18. Vaauli Faaumusili, Melbourne Rebels U20s
19. Lachlan Swinton, NSW U20s
20. Darcy Swain, ACT U20s
21. Theo Strang, NSW U20s
22. Jack McGregor, Melbourne Rebels U20s
23. Clay Uyen, Western Force U20s
COMING UP
2017 Oceania Rugby U20s Championship
Round 2, Tuesday May 2
New Zealand vs Samoa, 3pm AEST
Australia vs Fiji, 5pm AEST
Round 3, Saturday May 6
Samoa vs Fiji, 5pm AEST
Australia vs New Zealand, 7pm AEST
