The Australia U18 side will head to New Zealand full of confidence after a 62-19 win over Australian Schoolboys at Knox Grammar School
Fullback Jack Plamondon was the standout for the Australia U18 outfit as the Riverview product continues his breakout season at the school level.
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Plamondon burst through the Schoolboys at will in the first half, scoring a hat-trick to give them a 31-7 lead at the break.
The fullback crossed for the opener after a powerful burst from prop Isaiah Sheck left the Schoolboys team scrambling.
The Schoolboys responded through an excellent solo effort from Lane Edmonds to win the ruck turnover and score straight from the kick-off.
But Plamondon had his second after excellent hands put vice captain Taione Taka through a hole. Taka, who had restored the advantage for Dale Roberson’s side earlier, surged over halfway and found his support runners in Izak Holmes and Aidan Wunsch, delivering for the fullback in the corner.
He completed the hat-trick in the 31st minute after fending off two and sprinting away from the cover defence.
Some ill-advised decision-making from the Schooboys side allowed James Smith to bounce for the commanding lead at the break.
As the replacements came on for both sides, the Australia U18’s lead widened.
Finn Hannon, 2025 Australia U16 skipper, had an immediate impact to set up scrum-half Flynn Farrell for the opening try of the second half.
Cooper Murray’s intercept shortly afterwards extended the lead and when prop Mark Falaniko-Peterson burst away, the half century had been cracked.
Davi Nemer Rodrigues stemmed the bleeding for the Schoolboys, standing out alongside Rokko Walker and Will Taylor.
But winger Wunsch capped off the victory with a well deserved try as both teams turn their attention to their tour of New Zealand.
"It was a really good hit-out, the Australian Schools put us under pressure but we found out a bit about ourselves with lots of positives and plenty to work on," Australia U18 coach Roberson said.
"We know the challenge of going to New Zealand and playing two really good teams, so we'll keep building and hopefully go over there and do a job.”
The Australia U18 will play NZ Barbarians on Wednesday, followed by the Schoolboys taking on NZ Schools.
The two teams will flip opposition on Sunday, giving the Aussie U18s the chance for four straight wins over NZ Schools.
Australia U18 62 (Tries: Plamondon 3, Farrell, Murray, Taka, Falaniko-Peterson, Wunsch, Luke, J. Smith; Cons: Ruthven 4/7, Hannon 2/2, J. Smith 0/1) def Australia Schoolboys 19 (Tries: Edmonds, Pavic, Nemer Rodrigues; Cons: Walker 2/2, Jury 1/1)
