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The Roar’s coverage of the Australian U18 side in the last week was a welcome addition to the Rugby page.
Without it, I might not have tuned into the live stream along with around 5000 others. Awareness and profile is so important for Rugby in this country.
For the first time since the Joseph Suaalii and Josh Flook-led side defeated the Kiwis in 2019, the young men in gold triumphed.
However, this time, the 38-31 scoreline highlighted a game that was not as close as it suggests.
Australia’s pack dominated its Kiwi counterparts for the entire match, particularly at scrum time. For the first 51 minutes it was one way traffic until New Zealand’s coaching staff were forced into early front row changes.
South African bred Kingsley Uys, along with Nudgee’s John Grenfell and Beasty, Edwin Langi, absolutely monstered the New Zealand front row. It was a remarkable performance, particularly from Uys – it’s easy to forget he is just 16.
He looked a whole lot like Angus Bell in just about every facet of the game. Straight back when packing down, strong leg drive in the carry and the ability to offload. However, his apparent young age was perhaps reflected by some fairly major brain snaps.
At one stage, he was looking to shovel an offload from ten metres off his line around the same time he threw a no look pass. Then at a big moment in the 67th minute, Uys collapsed a maul 20 seconds after a clear first warning. It led to him leaving the field for ten minutes – and a penalty try.
While the exciting prop is like a great ferrari – great to look at and drive, but spinning out of control every now and then, an equal amount of praise should be directed to the engine room of the scrum.
William Ross was less flashy, but tireless at lock. Late in the second half he carried 3 times in less than 60 seconds as the clock wound down. Helooks to be a supremely composed and steady operator – something very valuable with Uys in front of him.
But the best forward – the best player on the park, in fact – was Australian No.8 Heinz Lemoto, who demolished all in front of him, time and time again, in both defence and attack. He spooked the Baby-Blacks when he didn’t have the ball and spooked them when he did.
Lemoto, whose carries set the stage for the win, will surely be in the cross hairs of Rugby League and arms must be thrown around him now, not next year or the season after.
How exciting though? The makings of a high class forward pack looms for Australian rugby – if we can hold onto them.
However, while they are talented in their own right, it’s fair to say that the Australian back line probably kept the game close.
There was immense physicality in their defence which rattled New Zealand, but they were too loose in attack, leading to needless turnovers.
Those turnovers, as well as poor kicking in open play, opened the door to New Zealand who very briefly, in the 78th minute could have got within five points of the Australians if not for a muffed conversion from directly in front.
The standout was the diminutive scrum half, Angus Grover who had a field day sniping around the ruck. Admittedly his job was made easier by the gaping holes his forwards made – but they are only effective if the player thakes the opportunity, and he took his chances and was a real live wire.
Winger Heamasi Makasini, another one who will surely have caught the eye of League, was an ever present physical presence. At one stage, late in the second half, he swatted away opposition players comically before drawing a penalty for a high shot. It was the only way to bring him down.
There were no bad players on the Australian side. Even to be slightly critical, the midfield axis of the flyhalf and centre combinations looked disjointed in attack, but in the breezy, damp conditions their job is harder than most. If the backs had clicked, the game would have been won by three tries, not one.
As for young Zach Fittler, he enjoyed a ten minute cameo off the bench which involved a bollocking run from inside center. He looked more like a shorter Sam Burgess than he did his old man.
Australia U18 have enjoyed a clean sweep in New Zealand in 2024. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)
The reality is, for the first time post-Covid, Australia has beaten its school boy opposition from across the ditch. And they did it with a core group who will be back next year.
This tour is a timely reminder that, when given the chance, Australia produces quality players across the park that can not only measure up to New Zealand – regarded as among the world’s best – but beat them.
However, such quality can only truly deliver if Australian rugby gets on the front foot and signs as many as possible. Australia’s competitive sporting market will see many cast their eyes over this side – and retaining as much as we can is crucial to the future of the game.
With this core group set to stick around though, that gives Australian Rugby plenty of time to protect their assets and make sure they are not lost to League. But the process of signing these boys up must start today.
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