The ARU today announced a 26-man squad, including an astonishing 10 players with Super 14 experience, for the inaugural iRB Junior World Championship to be held in Wales in June.

Highlighting an impressive squad are Waratahs regulars Kurtley Beale and Rob Horne, the Reds’ Quade Cooper and Will Genia and the Force’s Sam Wykes and David Pocock.

Underlying the depth of young talent coming through the Australian Rugby ranks, several players are still in contention for Qantas Wallabies and Australia A selection this season, which may impact on the final composition of the Under 20s squad.

Speedsters Alfi Mafi (NSW) and Blair Connor (QLD) have both been called up to their third national team in a year, with the duo having played in the Under 19s World Championship in Belfast in 2007 and also having competed on the Sevens circuit in the current iRB World Series.

Fullback Dane Haylett-Petty’s selection highlights a special week for the 18-year-old who made his Super 14 debut off the bench against the Chiefs in the Force’s dramatic last minute win in Perth on Saturday.

Queensland Reds contracted forwards Ben Daley and Rob Simmons have again been selected after appearing in the Under 19s tournament last year.

Western Force prodigy James O’Connor and the Brumbies’ Afusipa Taumoepeau would have both been selected in the final squad but both are ineligible for the tournament as they are under 18 years of age.

The ARU unsuccessfully applied for dispensation for three players - O’Connor, Taumoepeau and Matt Toomua - from Rule 4.3 of the iRB Tournament Rules on Eligibility which state:

The player shall be born between 1 January 1988 and 31 December 1989.

No player born outside the stipulated period shall be permitted to play in the tournament.

Ford Australian U20’s Coach Brian Melrose, who coached the Western Sydney Rams to the final of the Australian Rugby Championship last year, said the squad comprised of the best young talent in the country.

“It’s a highly competitive squad to get into and now we’re looking forward to our final preparations for the tournament,” said Melrose.

“Of course future selection of the Wallabies and Australia A may have a bearing on the final squad, but we’ve picked the best team available and we intend to be very competitive in Wales.

“Many of the teams at the World Championships will be full of players with provincial experience and playing in these tournaments presents our young players with a great stepping stone on the way to the Wallabies."

The Under 20s tournament comes after the merging of the Under 19 and Under 21 tournaments by the iRB and is seen as a vital rung on the representative ladder towards full Wallabies selection.

The team has a one-day training session on May 12, before their final preparations begin at the AIS in Canberra on May 20.

A shadow squad of 12 players has also been named to cover any injuries or withdrawals prior to the squad’s departure.

Australian Squad for iRB Junior World Championship in Wales
June 6-22
First Name Surname Position State
Albert Anae Prop QLD
Kurtley Beale S14 Flyhalf NSW
Peter Betham Fullback NSW
Nathan Charles Hooker NSW
Blair Connor S14 Wing QLD
Quade Cooper S14 Flyhalf QLD
Ben Coridas Flanker NSW
Ben Daley S14 Prop QLD
Tetera Faulkner Prop ACT
Will Genia S14 Halfback QLD
James Hanson Hooker QLD
Dane Haylett-Petty S14 Fullback WA
Robert Horne S14 Centre NSW
Seilala Lam No.8 ACT
Richard Kingi Flyhalf QLD
Alfi Mafi S14 Centre/Wing NSW
Ben McCalman No.8/Flanker NSW
Tom  Murday Flanker WA
Ratu  Nasiganiyavi Wing NSW
Daniel Palmer Prop NSW
David Pocock S14 Flanker WA
Andrew  Rossiter Flanker QLD
Robert Simmons Lock QLD
Jeremy Sua Halfback NSW
Ben Tapuai Inside Centre QLD
Sam Wykes S14 Lock NSW

S14 – Players with at least one Super 14 cap
Shadow Squad

First Name Surname Position State
Kane  Douglas Lock NSW
Damien  Fitzpatrick Hooker NSW
Mitchell Inman Centre NSW
Rowan Kellam Centre ACT
Sam Latinipulu Flanker NSW
Sitiveni Mafi Flanker  NSW
Patrick McCabe Wing NSW
Jordan  McGregor Flyhalf NSW
Jesse Mogg Fullback QLD
James Slipper Prop QLD
Junior Sovala Wing QLD
Micah  Watene Prop NSW

Coaching staff
Head Coach – Brian Melrose
Assistant Coach – John Manenti
Assistant Coach – Shannon Fraser
Manager – Luca Liussi
Program Coordinator – Manu Sutherland
Medical Coordinator/Doctor – Angus Bathgate
Physiotherapist Coordinator – Luke Rigney
Physiotherapist – Andrew Cooke
S&C Coordinator – Brynley Abad

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