Sydney University Football Club has two representatives in the Australian squad for next month’s World Under 20 Rugby Union Championship to be played in Italy.
Hooker Folau Fainga’a and prop Matt Sandell, an Australian Schoolboy representative last year, were named in the 28-man squad at the end of the end of the recent Oceania Junior Rugby Championship contested at Bond University on the Gold Coast.
The Australians reached the final of the Oceania tournament only to lose 46-29 to New Zealand.
Australian Under 20 Head Coach Adrian Thompson said it was a tough loss to the Junior All Blacks.
“The good thing is I think we always go into World Cups underprepared and we normally run into one of the games along the way,” he said. “Now we know what to expect we have some time to fix it.
“This will be the most prepared Australian side by the time we get to the World Championship. We have a few weeks now to get it sorted.”
The squad includes two Australian Sevens representatives and five Super rugby players.
“The return of our Super Rugby players adds key leadership and experience and we have strong depth across the squad,” Thompson said.
The Australian side will reconvene at the Sydney Academy of Sport, Narrabeen to finalise preparations from Saturday 16 May, ahead of a May 25 departure for Italy.
Having placed fifth in the 2014 tournament Australia has drawn last year’s runners up South Africa, alongside host nation Italy and Samoa in a tough Pool B. Their first match will be against Samoa on Tuesday, June 2.
Meanwhile, SUFC’s Australian Sevens representatives Ed Jenkins and Greg Jeloudev might have to take the long road to the 2016 Rio de Janiero Olympic Games after Australia’s disappointing finish at the Glasgow Sevens last week.
With one more leg of the World Series to be played, in England on May 16-17, the Australians are in seventh place. The top four teams in the World Series gain automatic entry to the Olympic Games, along with the host nation Brazil.
Australia might have to secure a berth through a regional Oceania Rugby qualification tournament to be played in Auckland on November 14-15.
The Australians finished seventh at the Glasgow tournament after a quarter final loss to the US and a Plate Final loss to South Africa on the final day.
They are now 16 points behind fourth-placed England in the standings. Fiji head the World Series on 147 points, with South Africa (142), New Zealand (139) and England (117) making up the top four. Australia are on 101 points.
