The Queensland President’s XV and Queensland Reds Development squads have been announced ahead of next month’s Queensland Rugby Challenger Series, along with several law innovations for the two-match competition.
Recently crowned Alec Evans medallist and StoreLocal Hospital Cup premiership winner Connor Anderson will join the Reds Development squad, with fellow Wests standout Cooper Whiteside also part of the Reds outfit.
Sam Wallis and Conor Mitchell (UQ), Joey Fittock (Bond University), Paddy James (Brothers), Phransis Sula-Siaosi (Souths), Conor Chittenden (Norths), Taine Riori and Matt Smit (Easts) will also feature for the Queensland Development team in the two-game series.
Presidents XV head coach Simon Craig has selected a strong 24-man squad, with Wests’ Ethan Dobbins, Latu Talakai and Ben Navosailagi named as a three-pronged contingent from the premiership winners.
GPS stalwart Michael Richards has been named in the backrow, while the likes of Eli Pilz (Easts), Tyler Campbell (Bond University), Brad Twidale (UQ), Tom Lucas (Sunnybank) and Tayler Adams (Brothers) will also have the opportunity to test themselves at the next level.
Craig said: “We’re excited about the group we’ve put together.
“All have earned their opportunity with their performances in club Rugby, and we’re looking forward to seeing them come together as a group.
“It’s a great initiative by the QRU to provide these players the opportunity to take the next step in the Queensland Rugby pathway.”
28 of the 50 players selected (56%) have Queensland country roots, including Kye Oates (Darling Downs), Lucas (Central Queensland), Pat Morrey (Far North Queensland), Louis Werchon (Sunshine Coast) and Joey Fittock (Gold Coast).
A number of law innovations for the series have also been confirmed by World Rugby to speed up the game and increase ball-in-play time.
Changes to how the set-piece and ruck is time-managed and officiated will be trialled, as well as improved clarifications to deliberate knock-downs and advantage laws.
The series will kick off at Sunnybank Rugby Union Club on Sunday 9 October, in what shapes as a festival of Representative Rugby for Queensland fans.
The Queensland U16s and U19s teams will face their New South Wales counterparts in the opening round of the newly announced National Championships, while the Queensland U15s team will go up against the Waratahs after last week’s Buildcorp Emerging Reds Cup.
The following weekend will see Easts Rugby Union Club play host to the second and final game of the Challenger Series, with the squad for Queensland’s Japan Tour announced the week after.
Queensland will play sister-state club Panasonic Saitama Wild Knights in Saitama on Friday 4 November, as well as a non-capped warm-up match against the Kubota Spears the week prior. Both matches will be played at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium.
- Alex Smit – Easts – Far North Queensland
- Connor Pritchard – Bond University – Gold Coast
- Ethan Dobbins – Wests
- Jake Upfield – Bond University – Gold Coast
- Jonte Connolly – Brothers – Caboolture
- JP Tominiko – Easts – Gold Coast
- Latu Talakai – Wests
- Levi Samuela – Bond University – Gold Coast
- Maile Ngauamo – GPS
- Michael Richards – GPS
- Pat Morrey – University of Queensland – Far North Queensland
- Rhys Sheriff – Bond University – Gold Coast
- Zac Shepherd – Easts
- Ben Navosailagi – Wests
- Brad Twidale – University of Queensland – Darling Downs
- Dan Boardman – Bond University – Gold Coast
- Eli Pilz – Easts – Sunshine Coast
- Jordan Carriera – Easts
- Kye Oates – University of Queensland – Darling Downs
- Louis Werchon – Brothers – Sunshine Coast
- Meli Dreu – Easts
- Sam Hyne – Brothers
- Tayler Adams – Brothers
- Tom Lucas – Sunnybank – Central Queensland
- Tyler Campbell – Bond University – Gold Coast
- Queensland Reds Development Squad
- Angus Blyth – Bond University – Gold Coast
- Connor Anderson – Wests
- Conor Mitchell – University of Queensland – Sunshine Coast
- Dane Zander – University of Queensland
- George Blake – Bond University – Gold Coast
- Keynan Tauakipulu – Wests
- Matt Faessler – Brothers – Darling Downs
- Phransis Sula-Siaosi – Souths – Gold Coast
- Sam Wallis – University of Queensland
- Sef Fa’agase – University of Queensland – Beaudesert
- Taine Riori – Easts
- Wilson Blyth – Bond University – Gold Coast
- Zane Nonggorr – Bond University – Gold Coast
- Floyd Aubrey – GPS – Cherbourg
- Conor Chittenden – Norths
- Cooper Whiteside – Wests
- Joey Fittock – Bond University – Gold Coast
- Josh Flook – Brothers
- Kalani Thomas – University of Queensland
- Lawson Creighton – Brothers
- Mac Grealy – University of Queensland – Darling Downs
- Matt Smit – Easts – Far North Queensland
- Paddy James – Brothers
- Spencer Jeans – Bond University – Gold Coast
- Tom Lynagh – University of Queensland
- Five-second ruck (strict compliance from use it call)
- 30-second scrum call from when mark is set
- Penalty kicks (60-seconds)/conversions (90-seconds)
- Lineouts 30-seconds from when mark is set
- 30-seconds to restart after conversion
- Infringement against non-compliant team will result in a tap only option Eg. No scrum option
- 1st collapse – re-set if no clear sanction
- 2nd collapse - if no clear sanction, free kick to feeding team (tap only)
- Defending scrumhalf can’t go beyond midline of scrum (tap only)
- Only contested throws to lineout can be adjudicated as not straight
- Only players within the lineout formation can join a maul formed at a lineout (penalty kick)
- Focus on tackler not rolling, must make effort to roll immediately towards sideline
- To be refereed as either a ‘deliberate attempt to catch’, or a ‘deliberate attempt to knock down’ which will result in a penalty kick only
- Three phases and then advantage over (territorial and tactical advantage consideration remains at referees’ discretion)
