And what a team the students fielded - fast, powerful, rugby-experienced youths, who demolished a splendid Manly side, 42-5, at Peter Barclay Field, their Islanders supplemented by a small minority of players of European origin.

From the evidence of this snap-shot of the game, Australia's next World Cup team will contain an impressive and formidable majority of players of Islander descent, of Tongan, Fijian and Samoan heritage.

Sydney University appeared unbeatable and perhaps they considered themselves so.

Ignoring their coach's order: "No fancy stuff!", they lacked the discipline of their rivals and were defeated in a semi-final, 17-7, by the Parramatta Two Blues or Western Sydney Academy, who later claimed the NSW State Under-17 title, 17-12, from a strong composite Barbarians team.

The back-to-back Sydney first grade premiership titles Parramatta won in the 70s when Peter Fenton and Paul Dalton were coaches are distant memories, but certainly the region is still producing outstanding prospects such as the 17-year-olds, Gordon Tong and Trey Mooney, who impressed in Sunday's final.

The women's State Under-17s' championship was won by a swift-moving, lightweight Manly team, which eclipsed the Randwick Magic, 22-12.

The NSW sevens championships for youths and young women of Under-17, under-15 and under-13 age groups were contested for three days at Forster Tuncurry club's Peter Barclay Field and Harry Elliott Oval with their adjoining touch football grounds by a world record 95 teams from Sydney and all over NSW.

Throughout the tournament, the Islander presence was marked, the players talented, often brilliant, their basic knowledge of the game and skills outstanding.

Should the Olympic Games sport of sevens rugby be considered "schoolboy stuff", a glimpse of the speed and strong tackling of the 14-minute game would soon change attitudes.

Two length of the field back line runs within a minute of each other make it an exhausting game.

Lads legally under-17 are often as big and heavy as grown men. And they leave bruises.

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The cosmopolitan nature of rugby can be judged from the number of Islander heritage players in the Australian World Cup team presently in Japan.

The Australian front rowers are all men of formidable size and of Islander descent - Sekope Kepu, Tolu Latu, Scott Sio, Allan Alalatoa, Taniela Tupou and Jordan Uelese - while the outside backs, Samu Kerevi and Marika Koroibete, are big, block-busting Fijians.

For generations the scrum has been the domain of big men. The New Zealand All Blacks have been kings of the game for years due to the giants they field in the forwards.

Consider the size of the South African Springboks and the forward packs of the British Isles.

Big men are needed and the Australian hot weather climate basically dictates the size of its inhabitants. So, Islanders are doubly welcome.

The State member for Myall Lakes, Stephen Bromhead, opened the carnival on Saturday, speaking glowingly of the region with its lakes and rivers and coastal attractions, a "great place for work and play."

Presentations were made to the president of the host club, Damian Daczko, and to Lee Sullivan, the driving force behind the formation of the Lower Mid North Coast junior rugby organisation.

Michael Doyle, NSW Rugby's tournament director, and his 15 Waratah employees, allied with the Dolphins rugby club volunteers, led by the "Canteen Queen", Sue Hobbs, worked tirelessly to make the tournament a success.

"Once again a fantastic tournament," Mr Doyle said.

"Thanks to a great country club."

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