U20 Rugby Championship 2025
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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.
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@Left-Right-Out-0 said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
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.
A little more on that game from Club Rugby NZ.
The Hunters won the game that was contested over two half an hour periods 34-33. New Zealand led 26-10 at halftime with Otago halfback Dylan Pledger a standout scoring a try and making a couple of searing breaks. The lineout functioned strongly and scored a rolling maul try. The game was played with unlimited substitutions and with a wholesale swap in personnel the Hunters stormed home. Kade Banks and Tjay Clarke scored long range tries. Ories flankers Dominic Ropeti and Sione Halalilo were full of bustle.
Those last two names will likely feature heavily in Wellington’s NPC defence, especially if Lakai and Kirifi are called up to the ABs.
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@Canes4life must of watched slightly different games as i thought the lineouts were poor. Regardless, good luck to the boys over in SA. Team will be up against it but we might thrive on not being considered favourites.
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Junior Bok team announced. Some interesting selections, with Kyle Smith (WP) getting the nod at 10 and Hlekani on the bench. I'm guessing Foote is looking for impact? I'd hope he isn't underestimating the Pumitas because they bulldozed the Junior Boks twice at the U20 World Cup last year.
Foote's analysis of the Argentina U20s - "We understand and respect their passion, and they are also looking forward to this opportunity to play for their country." - wouldn't fill me with confidence as a Bok supporter. Always a passionate bunch, eh, those Argentines?
Anyway, should be an interesting game.
