The Irish Schoolboys Rugby team remains undefeated with two matches to go in their seven-match tour, after accounting for NSW Schools by 14-5 at Cranbrook School yesterday.

It was the toughest match yet for Ireland. However they played the best Rugby of their tour to date, and are peaking nicely in time for the matches against Australia 'A' and Australia.

NSW were gallant in defeat and had some chances on the day, but only got over the line in the final minute of the match.

Ireland scored their first try after 11 minutes when captain Diarmuid Laffan crashed over from an attacking scrum close to the NSW line, with the conversion giving them a 7-0 lead.

Their second try came after relentless pressure, with a penalty try awarded when NSW were unable to stop a driving maul.

Although NSW were able to make several line breaks to set up potential scoring opportunities, the outstanding Irish defence was always able to cover up, until NSW winger Leon Bott snatched a try in injury time.

Irish Schools 14 (Diarmuid Laffan try; penalty try; Conor Gildea 2
conversions) defeated NSW Schools 5 (Leon Bott try)

Elsewhere, the selection of the Australian Schools and Australia 'A' teams to face the undefeated Irish Schoolboys has highlighted the growth of Rugby in the non-traditional Rugby states, with an unprecedented five players from Western Australia, Victoria and the Northern Territory named in the two starting lineups.

Will Brock from Trinity College in WA has been named at blindside flanker for Australian Schools, while Christian Lealiifano from Peter Lalor Secondary College in Victoria will start at flyhalf.

It is the first time that more than one player from outside NSW, QLD or ACT has been selected in the Australian Schoolboys team.

Two Victorians (prop John Ulugia and scrumhalf Tom Tusitala) and a Northern Territorian (flanker Joseph Egan) have also been chosen in the starting side for Australia 'A', and are still a chance to be selected as reserves for the Australian Schools team.

Australia 'A' will play Irish Schools at the Kings School at Parramatta this Sunday, after which the bench for the Australian team will be selected. The Test between Australia and Ireland will take place on Thursday 26 August at Vikings Rugby Park at Tuggeranong.

Other interesting stories in the team selections include:

* Twin brothers Saia and Anthony Faingaa from St Edmunds College in Canberra have been selected in the Australian team.

* Returning to the Australian side from last year are Saia Fiangaa, Richard Stanford, Leon Bott and Pekahou Cowan (Pekahou also played in the Australian Under 19s at the World Championships in South Africa).

* Pauliasi Taumoepeau has been named at Number 8 for Australia. He captained the NSW Schools against Ireland yesterday, following in the footsteps of his two older brothers who have also captained NSW Schools.

* Josh Holmes is the younger brother of Luke Holmes who played Australian Schoolboys in 2001 and Australian Under 21s in 2004.

Australian Schools to play Irish Schools
Viking Park, Tuggeranong, ACT August 2004
Kick Off 12.30 pm

1 Jeremy Tilse St Josephs College NSW
2 Saia Faingaa St Edmunds College ACT
3 Pekahou Cowan Narrabeen Sports High School NSW
4 Richard Stanford The Scots College NSW
5 Michael Dan St Josephs College NSW
6 Will Brock Trinity College WA
7 Beau Robinson St Stanislaus College NSW
8 Pauliasi Taumoepeau St Josephs College NSW
9 Josh Holmes Barrenjoey High NSW
10 Christian Lealiifano Peter Lalor Secondary College VIC

11 Caleb Brown The Southport School QLD
12 Anthony Faingaa St Edmunds College ACT
13 Alec Bishop Nowra High School NSW
14 Leon Bott Lurnea High School NSW
15 Nicholas Woolf St Josephs College NSW

Australia 'A' Schools to play Irish Schools
The Kings School, Parramatta NSW

1 John Ulugia Chisholm TAFE VIC
2 Nathan Nicol St Josephs College NSW
3 Samuel Cummins St Laurences College QLD
4 Adrien Clements Hurlstone Agricultural High School NSW

5 Sam Rutherford Waverley College NSW
6 Joseph Egan Casuarina Senior College NT
7 Jono Jenkins St Ignatius College NSW
8 Josh Afu Brisbane State High School QLD
9 Tom Tusitala Carwatha College VIC
10 Daniel Kelly St Ignatius College NSW
11 Ben Bates St Josephs College NSW
12 Charlie Fetoai Brisbane State High School QLD
13 Jesse Leota Chifley College Mt Druitt NSW
14 Brett Stapleton Toowoomba Grammar School QLD
15 Shaun Foley Waverley College NSW
16 Toby Fawson The Southport School QLD
17 Bill Johnston Alstonville High School NSW
18 Robert McMicken The Scots College NSW
19 Patrick Maille Balgowlah Boys High NSW
20 Benjamin Blakely Shoalhaven High School NSW
21 Kieran Lander Downlands College QLD
22 Alex Tallon Marist College Ashgrove QLD
23 Brando Vaaulu Brisbane State High QLD

IRISH SCHOOLS TOUR 2004
Sunday 1 August Irish Schools 79 defeated NSW Country 0
Wednesday 4 August Irish Schools 30 defeated QLD Chairman's XV 19
Saturday 7 August Irish Schools 24 defeated QLD Schools 11
Wednesday 11 August Irish Schools 27 defeated NSW CHS 22
Sunday 15 August Irish Schools 14 defeated NSW Schools 5
Sunday 22 August v Australia 'A' at The Kings School Parramatta, 2:00pm
Thursday 26 August v Australia at Vikings Rugby Park, Tuggeranong, 12:30 pm