Round two of Super Rugby U16s and U19s is in the books as teams start to build some form.
The NSW Waratahs made a statement with two convincing wins over the Melbourne Rebels at Box Hill Rugby Club.
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As for the Queensland Reds, they opened their account with a clean sweep over the Force, headlined by a late comeback in the U19s
Rugby.com.au recaps all the action from week two
U16s
The Waratahs have continued their hot start to the U16s competition with a 51-9 win over the Melbourne Rebels.
They controlled the game from the opening whistle, with hooker Charles Ghattas going over for the opener after just five minutes.
The hosts look to keep touch via the boot but the Waratahs had an almost instant response from the restart when Marcellus Iakopo burst through and flicked it to winger Reilly Caswell.
Caswell added his second in the 15th minute when the Lindfield winger crossed untouched.
The centre pairing of Iakopo and captain Onitoni Large proved too tough to handle for the Rebels as they raced away with the game.
Caswell’s third of the half helped the Waratahs take a 32-6 lead at the break before fullback Jai Callaghan produced an early contender for try of the tournament.
The fullback collected the ball on halfway, stepping and swerving past half a dozen Rebels defenders before finishing off the try under the posts.
Even a yellow card to flanker Maddax Fui couldn’t slow the Waratahs down, with tries to replacements Callum Grantham and Matthew Gough sealing the win.
U19s
The NSW Waratahs capped off a dominant day at Box Hill Rugby Club with a 62-5 win over the Melbourne Rebels.
Like the U16s, the Waratahs took the Rebels out of contest early when Billy Dickens found Nacani Batidravu in the corner in the fourth minute, with the winger starting the break.
Captain Jullien Caillol capitalised on a stolen lineout for the Waratahs second, before the Rebels responded through Spencer Ioelu.
However, it was all the Waratahs from here as lock Arnie Tancred responded two minutes later.
Batidravu got his second just before the break to give the visitors a 24-5 lead at half-time.
Flanker Ben Di Staso’s dart from close opened the floodgates for the Waratahs, scoring four in the space of 15 minutes, the highlight being a great run by fullback Riley Langfield finished off by lock Tancred’s second.
Tries to Omar Noureddine and Archie Saunders late in the game brought up the half century as they rebounded from their opening round defeat.
U16s
The Queensland Reds have started the U16s tournament with a thumping 71-14 win over the Western Force.
The hosts started on fire, racing out to a 31-0 lead after just 25 minutes.
Winger Brock Coombes opened their account before a penalty try for a professional foul reduced the Force to 14, allowing the hosts to build the impressive lead.
Flanker Gray O’Neill got a quick-fire double as the Reds took a 38-7 lead into the break.
Whilst the Force scored either side of half-time, it was all the Reds as Coombes crossed for his second to bring up the half century.
Flyhalf Finn Mackay controlled the game superbly as they continued to pile on the points.
Isaac Rauluni proved unstoppable from close as the speed and power of the Reds proved too hard to handle.
Replacements Clay Andrews and Max Romer sealed the win as the Reds cruised to victory.
U19s
The Reds have produced an impressive 35-27 win over the Western Force at Ballymore.
The Force were riding high after their dominant win over the Melbourne Rebels and looked set for a major upset against last year’s finalists thanks to a blistering start.
Flanker Dylan Bronlund continued his red-hot form, scoring the opener after his four-try haul from last week.
Centre Frankie Goldsbrough sought to settle the hosts down with a great individual try, however, the Force came to Brisbane with a point to prove.
Tries to Tian Toufan and Finn Prass suddenly gave the visitors a 15-7 lead, before winger Kauri Tipene-Grace added to the advantage.
Despite the 15-point deficit, the Reds refused to panic as scrum half Tom Manca scored just before the break.
After a tense second half in which both sides couldn’t finish their chances, it took a Ryley Bierton intercept try to spark the game into life.
Bronlund’s sixth try of the competition restored the Force’s lead, only for one late charge from the Reds stealing the game at the end.
It started with a break from William Nason with eight minute to go, with flanker Joseph Liddy kicking off the ground to put the Reds in front.
Nason then went over with two minutes remaining to seal the win, capitalising on a Bronlund intercept gone wrong to step through the defence and ice the game.
