We are still incorrigible optimists and always see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes it’s a positive thing and sometimes it means that we didn’t take the therapy. Joking aside, our senior rugby has been in decline for quite a long time, but now the younger categories are coming, which are numerous in several clubs, where in the next 5 years we will definitely send more than 50 trained players to the seniors, which is a serious number. We have to emphasize again, investing in younger categories is a process that lasts quite a long time, once you stop that process, you will not feel the tremors immediately, but after a few years. The same applies to work with young people, you will receive benefits after 7-8 years.
But don’t forget one fact, Partizan, Rad and BRK Crvena Zvezda worked with the younger categories for quite a long time, and almost all of their senior players were trained in the youth department. That’s why we had many years of rivalry between these three teams. We sincerely hope that another club will emerge with quality from the younger categories in the senior competition. All players on our list are trained players. No exceptions. It is only important to work patiently, diligently and with quality, and the results will come. Hard work always pays off, be sure of that. This is exactly what adorns the players in the third part of the list. By the way, this is the youngest part of our list, so enjoy the analysis of the future of our sport. As we have already stated in the previous parts, the order is random.
Aljoša Avramović
YOB: 1999.
Position: Wing, scrumhalf, flyhalf
Height: 179cm
Weight: 76kg
Ašolja Avramović is one of the most physically fit players in Serbia. An example of how an athlete should train and maintain his form individually. And of course, miraculously, it is always reflected on the field. Aljoša is definitely a player who makes a difference on the field, both in the Serbian Championship and in the National Team. A trained player in the younger categories, a player who has experience playing abroad, where he spent one season in Malta, a key player for us, a decision player.
In the younger categories, he played in the position of demi, where his playing intelligence, very good overview of the game and excellent decision-making came to the fore. In senior rugby, in addition to demi, he also played in the position of opener and winger. Let’s make it clear right away, in any position you put it, you will get an extremely high-quality solution both in defense and in attack. We think that Aljoša is the most lethal on the wing, which he showed in the jersey of Partizan and Serbia. His speed, explosiveness and stability are incredible. If you put him in place of the opener and demi, you will close the lethality in the attack.
He possesses exceptional technique, explosiveness and physical strength. When the action is played for him and when space is left where he can play one-on-one, there is always a danger to the opponent with lightning actions and penetrations. Uses quick changes of direction, uses the buffer effectively, is hard to bring down. Given his excellent technique both with the ball and in contact, he is able to fulfill the criteria of fast play, quick attack, and quality presentation of the ball. He is exceptional in the follow-up, lethal when he receives the ball from the offside into space. He has an excellent tactical shot, which he knows how to use in various ways, as we saw in the match of the Serbian Championship against Rad.
One of the rarely disciplined players in our league, which he uses to the maximum in defense and attack with positioning. When a penalty is played against him, he is first on the back foot and follows the opponent’s play. When the situation is reversed, he is often able to execute a penalty quickly and take advantage of the opponent’s weaker position. The selection of quickly executed penalties is at a high level. In defense, he is excellent, covers space, is confident in positioning and catching the ball in the defensive zone. Good shooter, excellent in defensive ruck. Perhaps the biggest danger that threatens from him is a counterattack. If you have a good system to develop a quick and deadly counterattack, then you are at a great advantage. Just remember the Championship Final game from last year when the izt of good defense and counter attack decided the game.
Danijel Stojanović
2004.
Position: flanker
Hight: 185cm
Weight: 107kg
Danijel Stojanović entered the senior competition with the reputation of one of the best juniors. Not only did he prove his reputation, but he also exceeded expectations. A 17-year-old player can handle experienced senior players equally well, and not only that, but he has a serious role in Rad. This is exactly what characterizes the players who come out of the youth system, they all play at a high level and can immediately take responsibility in their club.
Danijel is a force in defense, an excellent tackler, he has good footwork, thus positioning himself well in every tackle. When he makes a tackle, he attacks the ball very aggressively. He is even more lethal in support of the shooter, because he is in the right place at the right time. Whenever he has the opportunity, he is very often able to push past the opponent’s ruck and win the ball for his team. He’s very quick for his size and explosive, so he’s very competitive.
He has a wide range of weapons in attack. He excels in the open game, has good hands, is always ready for a quick pass and quick play, which his speed allows him to do. A very penetrating player, who always looks for holes in space, carries the ball very safely in the penetration itself. Since he is stout and strong, he is difficult to bring down if he breaks through the defensive line. He uses the buffer and changes direction quickly, which is very impressive for a scrum player.
An excellent lifting technique in the car, where his specialty is the formation of piers and pushing in piers. In senior rugby, he is not eligible to play first line, which we believe is his original position, as he is 17 years old. However, the more we watch him on the wing in the scrum, the more we like his style of play. We would love to see how he would fare in the scrum game when the stopper picks up the ball and there is action with the scrumhalf, number 8 and flanker. We think he would be very lethal in such an action.
Milan Kuzmanović
2004.
Position: center
Height: 179cm
Тежина: 77kg
Given that this article was supposed to come out before the start of the senior season, but we took it out now, we didn’t know that Milan suffered an injury. But we sincerely hope that he will recover and compete in the competition by the end of the season, because everything revolved around him in Dinamo in the spring season. He is a player who likes to have the ball in his hands, who gladly accepts the title of leader on the pitch and a player who likes to make decisions. In particular, he developed good chemistry with Voštić, where we saw the excellent cooperation of the two countless times during the season.
Another product of the younger categories of Serbian rugby. He still has the right to play for the U18 juniors this season, so we will have a very interesting competition. He has perhaps the best overview of the game in the league, where he does best in the first center position, where when he gets the ball deep he has enough time to create actions and situations for his teammates. He has very good hands and technique, so he is especially lethal in the open game. We all remember the match in Petrovac na Mlava when he was involved in every point of his club.
He has a wide range in attack, where he uses his shot very often. He is supposed to be a player of the game system, but every coach should take into account his creativity and give him some freedom in the game. He is strong in contact and is a sure ball carrier. He is very fast and has excellent positioning, as if he is constantly looking for a hole in the opponent’s defense. Dinamo is very lucky to have developed such a player in the younger categories.
In defense, he is solid, we can even say very good. That’s definitely a segment he has to work on. Physically, he managed to rise above the competition in the younger categories. However, a lot of work is needed to catch up with the more experienced seniors at the center position. We believe that the ceiling for his development is quite high and we will see the best of him in the coming seasons.
Aleksandar Andrić
YOB: 1998.
Position: Flyhalf
Height: 174cm
Weight: 74kg
A standard representative of Serbia, who will skip this representative cycle due to suspension, but we can expect him in the second half of the season. One of the most creative players in our league. Great overview of the game, even better support from which he can be extremely dangerous. Definitely one of the players who in Partizan is most deserving of four consecutive titles in the Serbian Championship.
In the junior categories as well as at the beginning of his senior career, he played in the position of demi, but somehow it seems to us that he is still the best when he plays as an opener. He has an excellent tactical shot, whether it was a popular candle, a grab or a shot far into the opponent’s defensive zone. Exceptional accuracy in penalty kicks as well as conversions after tries. Two seasons ago, he was incredibly accurate from all positions, so Partizan was in a position to score whenever he entered the opponent’s half.
He has an excellent technique, he is very good in the high-tempo game. What we want to watch non-stop is when he plays at a high tempo when he is in the system of the game. We only remember the finish of the match with Bosnia, when they squeezed us in the second half, and when they came close to turning things around. At that moment, coach Mišel Milović brought in Aleksandar as well as a couple of other experienced players, who made a total turnaround and absolutely shocked the Bosnians at a high pace. That killer instinct that comes to the fore in the collective game.
In the match against Bulgaria, he showed how tough and awkward he can be for the opponent in defense. Defensively, he was up to the task against the Bulgarian opener, who is their best player. We almost took away all the loot from Sofia. His speed and footwork are at a high level, and therefore he is always in a better position than his opponent. Although he is not big enough to stop melees, none of them had a good time in a duel against him. When he is concentrated and in focus he can raise his defense to a very high level.
Relja Pećanac
YOB: 2001.
Position: lock, flanker
Height 194cm
Weight: 102kg
We can safely say that Relja is the player who has improved the most in the last year. In a short time, he managed to establish himself as the main anchor of RK Rada’s scrum and as one of the most important players both in static and open play. It may be a surprise for some, but in the past cycle of the Serbian national team, he was extremely consistent, where he played all four games, three of which he started. The coach of Serbia, Mišel Milović, has great confidence in him, and he fully justified that confidence on the field.
Relja is a classic second line, staunch, strong, safe, reliable and stable. Due to his mobility, we can often see him in the third line at the club level. But we are of the opinion that he is a modern mobile second line. Excellent in the outfield, has a high jump, good hands, so he can catch both fastballs and high balls. He has an excellent lifting technique, so he can meet the demands of modern rugby, where jumpers can also lift in the car if necessary. It is very deadly in minor.
He has raised his game to a very high level and continues to develop as a player and improve. We would like to see him abroad where there are at least twenty strong games in the season. A trained rugby player who also works individually, which is a recipe for success. We can’t wait to see him in the representative cycle as well as in the final of the Serbian Championship. He reads the game extremely well and uses fantastic positioning that puts him and his team in scoring situations.
Relja is stable and very strong in contact. As a trained player, he always chooses the space, offers the offload option and makes a quick presentation of the ball in the ruck, which is a prerequisite for a fast game. In defense, he is one of the best shooters in the team, he mostly wins contact and pushes the opponent back. Such a player is deadly in the ruck, always a danger to win the ball. He is extremely dangerous there because of his good positioning and quick feet, so he enters through the ruck gate very quickly and accurately.
