U20 Rugby Championship 2025
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@Bovidae said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
The SA U20s especially, and the Aust U20s have been playing warmup games. In contrast, the NZ U20s only meet up for a camp from tomorrow. I hope they play at least one match before departing for SA as it's not an ideal preparation.
Yeah, looking at those three teams (I haven't really been able to find much on the Argentina U20s), the Junior Boks and Junior Wallabies have been holding multiple development camps and trial matches throughout the year.
Perhaps the NZ U20s have been doing more than they've let on but the level of prep does seem to be lagging behind.
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Junior Springboks squad for U20 Rugby Championship:
Props: Ranon Fouché (Bulls), Jean Erasmus (Bulls), Simphiwe Ngobese (Sharks), Herman Lubbe (Western Province), Oliver Reid (Western Province).
Hookers: Siphosethu Mnebelele (Bulls), Jaundré Schoeman (Bulls), HB Odendaal (Lions).
Locks: Neil Hansen (Lions), Morné Venter (Lions), Riley Norton (Western Province), JJ Theron (Bulls).
Loose forwards: Batho Hlekani (Sharks), Xola Nyali (Western Province), Matt Romao (Sharks), Wandile Mlaba (Western Province), Thando Biyela (Lions).
Scrumhalves: Ceano Everson (Sharks), Haashim Pead (Lions), Elrich Visser (Cheetahs).
Flyhalves: Vusi Moyo (Sharks), Kyle Smith (Western Province).
Centres: Albie Bester (Sharks), Gino Cupido (Western Province), Demitre Erasmus (Bulls), Dominic Malgas (Western Province).
Outside backs: Scott Nel (Sharks), Gilermo Mentoe (Lions), Siya Ndlozi (Western Province), Cheswill Jooste (Bulls), JC Mars (Western Province). -
The best young talent from Western Province included. Like posted earlier Riley Norton and Oliver Reid from PRG. Luke Smith and JC Mars will play for the Stormers, Gino Cupido made his 7s debut last week for the Blitz Boks. Fuller is already in the Stormers squad and have to withdraw
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@OomPB said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
The best young talent from Western Province included. Like posted earlier Riley Norton and Oliver Reid from PRG. Luke Smith and JC Mars will play for the Stormers, Gino Cupido made his 7s debut last week for the Blitz Boks. Fuller is already in the Stormers squad and have to withdraw
Five capped Junior Boks named for U20 Rugby Championship
Junior Springbok head coach Kevin Foote has named a competitive Junior Springbok squad consisting of 31 players for the 2025 edition of the Rugby Championship U20, which will be staged from 1 to 11 May at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.
According to the press release, Divan Fuller's injured. So he might still make the squad for the U20 World Cup. Surprised that Chijindu Okonta didn't make the cut, I thought he looked elusive and creative on the right wing in the trial games.
Hlekani (lock/loose forward), Pead (9) and Mars (fullback) are the returnees from last year's U20 TRC. Hlekani was impressive but Pead and Mars had relatively poor tournaments. Interesting to see how they perform this year. I do think this year's Junior Bok game plan might suit both players more.
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@Bovidae said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
I saw this:
On Wednesday, the Hurricanes Hunters and the New Zealand U20s meet at NZCIS. Kick-off is at 12.00 pm.
Went and watched a bit of this. What struck me was the diversity in size and physical composition. Some of the U20s guys looked like kids. Others like absolute beasts. Eli Oudenryn is huge. I reckon he would have been 20+ kilos heavier than Shaun Kempton who replaced him.
Some of the other kids just don't look ready to play against men at NPC or Super level. The Hurricanes 2s got the better of them from time to time up front. Could have just been that some of the players warming up in the first have were the guys first year out of school. Although, I do wonder about always pushing these kids early into open grade.
The ball movement from the kids was pretty good.
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@SouthernMann said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
@Bovidae said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
I saw this:
On Wednesday, the Hurricanes Hunters and the New Zealand U20s meet at NZCIS. Kick-off is at 12.00 pm.
Went and watched a bit of this. What struck me was the diversity in size and physical composition. Some of the U20s guys looked like kids. Others like absolute beasts. Eli Oudenryn is huge. I reckon he would have been 20+ kilos heavier than Shaun Kempton who replaced him.
Some of the other kids just don't look ready to play against men at NPC or Super level. The Hurricanes 2s got the better of them from time to time up front. Could have just been that some of the players warming up in the first have were the guys first year out of school. Although, I do wonder about always pushing these kids early into open grade.
The ball movement from the kids was pretty good.
What was the score in the end?
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@Canes4life said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
@SouthernMann said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
@Bovidae said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
I saw this:
On Wednesday, the Hurricanes Hunters and the New Zealand U20s meet at NZCIS. Kick-off is at 12.00 pm.
Went and watched a bit of this. What struck me was the diversity in size and physical composition. Some of the U20s guys looked like kids. Others like absolute beasts. Eli Oudenryn is huge. I reckon he would have been 20+ kilos heavier than Shaun Kempton who replaced him.
Some of the other kids just don't look ready to play against men at NPC or Super level. The Hurricanes 2s got the better of them from time to time up front. Could have just been that some of the players warming up in the first have were the guys first year out of school. Although, I do wonder about always pushing these kids early into open grade.
The ball movement from the kids was pretty good.
What was the score in the end?
No idea. No scoreboard. I got there are it started and left halfway through the second half.
Probably saw three tries to the U20s. Four to the Hurricanes 2s.
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@Bovidae said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
It would be interesting to know the strength of the Hunters team as a comparison. I did read that Jacob Denyer was playing for them, and he was in the Hurricanes U20s.
From what I could see Clarke, Rova, and older looking hooker, the seven looked tidy (kind of looked like Lakai), Viljoen, Solomon. Those were the guys I think I recognised
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Also, how did the NZ U20 scrum hold up? Any standout players for them?
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Seemed it held up well in the first half. Then got smoked in the second.
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Watched the game and was impressed with both teams.
NZ U20s:
- work in close was awesome. Pick n gos were killing the canes.
- definately won the turnover battle with U20s poaching 6-7 balls at rucks.
- halfbacks were outstanding. Sharp passes and dangerous running.
- lineouts were awful but maybe to be expected
- going wide was a problem and couldnt find Stan enough
- scrums looked very impressive
Hurricanes
- lineouts were great. Not sure who the looks were but they worked hard
- Jordi at 9 looked a cut above
- Rova in midfield looked dangerous. Must have made 3-4 line breaks.
- Denyer played and got a double playing wing. Looked really good.
- Tj at fullback also looks like hes past his injury woes
- scrum was not good. Looked second rate vs U20s
Overall a pretty fair game with Canes winning by 1 point i believe.
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@Left-Right-Out-0 Thanks for the report. Do you think they started their first-choice team? I guess we'll find out what that is when NZ plays Aust.
