This was one I found recently
There was a silver lining for the Parramatta Eels on Sunday after their trouncing in the National Rugby League semi-final.
Their youth stable appears to be in good shape after inflicting a similar sort of lesson on a Waikato under-18 selection as the North Queensland Cowboys did on the Eels' first-graders.
On their fourth developmental trip to New Zealand, the Junior Eels under-18 squad bashed the Waikato side 52-24 at Flagstaff Park on Sunday.
The Eels now travel to Taranaki and Wellington on a three-match tour.
While they would have hoped their senior team could have whipped the Cowboys, the sweet act of revenge would have somewhat tempered the disappointment on missing the NRL grand final.
In last year's fixture the Mike Tahu-coached side came out victors but this Waikato squad was vastly different after losing players to Australian franchises.
It was also missing new Warrior signing Sam Rapira, who played the day before for Waikato against Canterbury in Christchurch.
Waikato went down 22-28 after leading 14-12 at the break.
Tahu said the physical hit-out against a "pretty big and strong" Eels selection would be the perfect preparation for the national under-18 tournament in Rotorua at Labour Weekend.
