2017 NZ Schools

[Stargazer]

It's almost that time of the year ...

This is the info that has been published by the ARU about the upcoming games (time = NZT):

Thu 28/9, 5.00pm at Knox Grammar School, Wahroonga (2.00 pm local time)
Fiji Schools v NZ Schools

Mon 2/10, 3.00pm at Knox Grammar School, Wahroonga (1.00pm local)
Australian Schools Barbarians v NZ Schools

Mon 2/10, 5.00pm at Knox Grammar School, Wahroonga (3.00pm local)
Australian Schools v Fiji Schools

Sat 7/10, 1.00pm at TG Milner Field, Eastwood (Sydney) (11.00am local)
Australian Schools Barbarians v Fiji Schools

Sat 7/10, 2.40pm at TG Milner Field, Eastwood (Sydney) (12.40pm local)
Australian Schools v NZ Schools

The Australian Schools v NZ Schools match will be broadcast live on the Rugby Channel (and Fox Sports in Australia); all other games (except Fiji Schools v NZ Schools) will be livedstreamed on rugby.com.au and Facebook.

.

The NZ Barbarians Schools and New Zealand Māori Under 18s won't travel to Australia, but will play games:

Thu 28/9 at Sport and Rugby Institute, Palmerston North
New Zealand Barbarians Schools v Tonga Schools

Mon 2/10, 2.00pm at Sport and Rugby Institute, Palmerston North
New Zealand Barbarians Schools v New Zealand Māori Under 18s

Fri 6/10, 2.00pm at Porirua Park
New Zealand Māori U18s v Tonga Schools

[Stargazer]

Super Rugby coaches to lead NZ secondary schools teams

New Zealand’s top secondary school players will get the opportunity to learn from the best with Super Rugby assistant coaches Jason Holland and Brad Mooar coaching the New Zealand Schools and Barbarians Schools teams respectively.

It is the first time that two coaches from Investec Super Rugby teams have been appointed in roles for this age-group programme.

Hurricanes Assistant Coach, Holland returns for a second campaign with the New Zealand Schools team after leading the team to two victories in 2016, with Tom Cairns (Gisborne Boys’ High School) returning as assistant coach.

Crusaders Assistant Coach Brad Mooar joins the Barbarians Schools team, and he will be assisted by Sam Moore of New Plymouth Boys’ High School who was involved in last year’s campaign.

Mooar has previously coached the Southland Stags and heads into the Barbarians Schools programme - his first national team appointment - having won a Super Rugby championship title.

New Zealand Rugby High Performance Player Development Manager Mike Anthony said Holland and Mooar would provide a huge boost for both campaigns.

"It is an exciting opportunity for our young players to get exposure to a high performance environment and learn from some of our professional coaches.

"The New Zealand Schools and Barbarians Schools teams both have a proud unbeaten record in test matches over the last three years. The programme is a proven pathway, with many graduating to the NZ Under 20s and Mitre 10 Cup within 12 months of being in this group," said Anthony.

"We’re looking forward to this coaching group linking with these players and seeing what they will achieve."

Eight players from last year’s New Zealand Secondary Schools team have already made their provincial debut in 2017.

Secondary Schools rugby wraps up this weekend with the Top Four competition in Palmerston North, featuring the top boys, co-ed and girls’ teams.

New Zealand Age Group selectors will identify 51 players to attend the New Zealand Schools Development camp at the end of this month. Two squads will then be named for the 2017 Schools team to play Fiji Schools, Australian Schools Barbarians and Australia School in Sydney, Australia.

The Barbarians Schools team will host matches against Tonga Schools and New Zealand Maori Under 18s in Palmerston North.

[Stargazer]

Players selected for NZ Schools rugby development camp

Secondary School players from across New Zealand have today been named to attend the 2017 Schools Development Camp.

49 young athletes will attend the three-day camp in late September and vie for places in the New Zealand Schools and New Zealand Barbarians Schools team.

Eight players from the 2016 New Zealand Barbarians Schools team return for a second campaign.

"Both the New Zealand Schools and the Barbarians Schools teams will be looking to play an attacking style of rugby and we are confident this group has the skill sets to help us do this,” said Holland.

Players assemble for a three-day camp on Friday 22 September, with teams announced on the following Sunday in preparation for matches.

The squad:

Finlay Brewis - Westlake Boys' High School - Prop
George Dyer - St Paul's Collegiate - Prop
Matthew Kemp Hamilton Boys’ High School - Prop
Saula Mau Auckland Grammar School - Prop
Fatongia Paea Sacred Heart College - Prop
Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe Hastings Boys’ High School - Prop
Patrick Thacker - Christs College - Prop
Tamaiti Williams - St Kentigern College - Prop
Sam Cooper - St Paul's Collegiate - Hooker
Kianu Kereru-Symes - Hastings Boys’ High School - Hooker
Abraham Pole - Otago Boys’ High School - Hooker
Shilo Klein - St Andrew's College - Hooker
Tane Te Aho - Hamilton Boys’ High School - Hooker
Naitoa Ah Kuoi - Wellington College - Lock
Samipeni Finau - St Peter's College - CambridgeLock
Cullen Grace - Timaru Boys’ High School - Lock
Taine Plumtree - Wellington College - Lock
James Thompson - St Peter's College - CambridgeLock
Tupou Vaa'i - Wesley College - Lock
Charles Alaimalo - Hamilton Boys’ High School - Loose Forward
Joshua Bokser - Napier Boys’ High School - Loose Forward
Jeriah Mua - Hastings Boys’ High School - Loose Forward
Simon Parker - Otamatea College - Loose Forward
Joshua Southall - St Patrick's College - Silverstream - Loose Forward
Taine Te Whata - Otago Boys’ High School - Loose Forward
Lesinali Tovo - Faleafa - Auckland Grammar School - No.8
Devan Flanders - Hastings Boys’ High School - No.8
Quade Tapsell - Gisborne Boys’ High School - No.8
Louie Chapman - Christchurch Boys’ High School - Halfback
Folau Fakatava - Hastings Boys’ High School - Halfback
Taufa Funaki - Sacred Heart College - Halfback
Humphrey Sheild - Napier Boys’ High School - Halfback
Fergus Burke - St Paul's Collegiate - First Five
Lincoln McClutchie - Hastings Boys’ High School - First Five
Rivez Reihana St Kentigern College - First Five
Kienan Higgins - St Patrick's College - Silverstream - Second Five
Quinn Tupaea - Hamilton Boys’ High School - Second Five
Tauterangimarie Kapea - Hamilton Boys’ High School - Centre
Josiah Maraku - Feilding High School - Centre
Isaiah Punivai - Christs College - Centre
Leicester Faingaanuku - Nelson College - Wing
Kiniviliame Naholo - Hastings Boys’ High School - Wing
Dennon Robinson - Hastings Boys’ High School - Wing
Siave Seti - St John's College (Waikato) - Wing
James Stratton - Palmerston North Boys’ High School - Wing
Etene Nanai - St Kentigern College - Fullback
Rico Syme - Christchurch Boys’ High School - Fullback
Kaleb Talamahina - Southland Boys’ High School - Fullback
Danny Toala - Hastings Boys’ High School - Fullback

http://www.allblacks.com/News/31396/players-selected-for-nz-schools-rugby-development-camp

[Stargazer]

I counted the number of players per school, starting with the Top 4:

Hastings BHS: 9
Hamilton BHS: 5
St Kent's Coll: 3
Southland BHS: 1
St Paul's Collegiate: 3
Auckland Grammar: 2
Christchurch BHS: 2
Christs College: 2
Napier BHS: 2
Otago BHS: 2
Sacred Heart Coll: 2
St Pat's Silverstream: 2
St Peter's (Cambridge): 2
Wellington Coll: 2
Feilding HS: 1
Gisborne BHS: 1
Nelson College: 1
Otamatea Coll: 1
Palmerston North BHS: 1
St Andrew's Coll: 1
St John's College (Hamilton): 1
Timaru BHS: 1
Wesley Coll: 1
Westlake BHS: 1

[KiwiMurph]

Etene Nanai named in that squad. Does that mean he is staying in rugby?

Typically players who are league bound are not selected in these teams. Or has that policy changed?

[Stargazer]

As posted above, the NZ Barbarians Schools will play a NZ Māori U18 team on Monday 2 October, that will also play Tonga Schools later in the week.

A wider NZ Māori U18 squad has now been named:

Jacob Pepper-Edwards - Ashley RFC - Ngai Tahu
Cameron Huata - Napier Boys' High School - Ngati Porou
Te Ariki Te Puni - Auckland University RFC - Ngati Raukawa, Rangitane o Manawatu, Ngati Porou
Billy Priestley - Gisborne Boys' High School - Ngati Porou, Te Aitanga a Hauiti
Jonas Pomare - Hamilton Boys' High School - Nga Puhi
Tanara Haenga - Wainuiomata High School - Ngati Porou
Robert Rush - St Kentigerns College - Ngapuhi, Ngati Kahu
Josh Hill - Otago University RFC - Ngai Tahu
Donovan Mataira - Hastings Boys' High School - Ngati Kahungungu
Sam Smith - Wairarapa College - Ngati Raukawa
Terrell Peita - Mount Albert Grammar - Te Rarawa Kaiwhare
Tamarau McGahan - Rosmini College - Ngai Tuhoe, Ngati Raukawa
Keelan Whitman - St Patrick's College Wellington - Te Arawa, Ngati Rangiwewehi
Shamara Brooks - Hastings Boys' High School - Ngati Pamoana
Stewart Cruden - Palmerston North Boys' High School - Ngati Kahungungu ki Wairarapa
Tahu Kaa - Christchurch Boys' High School - Ngati Porou, Ngai Tahu
James Simpson-Te Pairi - Kings' High School - Tuhoe
Tobias Wickham-Manuel - Kia Toa RFC Manawatu - Ngati Porou, Ngati Tuwharetoa
Coel Kerr - Paeroa College - Ngati Ranginui
Nikau McGregor - Napier Boys' High School - Ngati Kahungungu ki Wairarapa
John Cooper - Westlake Boys' High School - Ngapuhi, Ngati Kahungungu Ngati Tuwharetoa
Jaylen Tuapola - Scots' College, Wellington - Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngati Maniapoto
Eru Tahuri - Ashburton Celtic RFC - Ngati Kahungungu, Ngai Tahu
Austin Brown - Gisborne Boys' High School - Ngati Porou
Ben Strowger-Turnock - Wellington College - Ngai Tahu

NZ Rugby Names U18 Maori Team to play Tonga and Barbarians

The National Māori Under 18 team has been selected to play New Zealand Schools Barbarians and Tonga Under 18 later this month. Chair of New Zealand Rugby Māori Board, Dr Farah Palmer, today...

[Nepia]

@stargazer I assume this Maori team is excluding players already in the NZ Schools and NZ BaaBaas teams/squads?

[Bovidae]

The squads have been announced.

New Zealand Secondary Schools:
Naitoa Ah Kuoi - Wellington College
Charles Alaimalo - Hamilton Boys' High School
Sam Cooper - St Paul's Collegiate
George Dyer - St Paul's Collegiate
Leicester Faingaanuku - Nelson College
Devan Flanders - Hastings Boys 'High School
Taufa Funaki - Sacred Heart College
Cullen Grace - Timaru Boys High School
Tauterangimarie Kapea - Hamilton Boys' High School
Shilo Klein - St Andrews College
Lincoln McClutchie - Hastings Boys' High School
Jeriah Mua - Hastings Boys' High School
Etene Nanai - St Kentigern College
Kini viliame Naholo - Hastings Boys' High School
Fatongia Paea - Sacred Heart College
Abraham Pole - Otago Boys' High School
Isaiah Punivai - Christs College
Rivez Reihana - St Kentigern College
Humphrey Sheild - Napier Boys' High School
Joshua Southall - St Patrick's College - Silverstream
Quade Tapsell - Gisborne Boys' High School
Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe - Hastings Boys' High School
Danny Toala - Hastings Boys' High School
Quinn Tupaea - Hamilton Boys' High School
Tupou Vaa'i - Wesley College
Tamaiti Williams - St Kentigern College

New Zealand Schools Barbarians:

Joshua Bokser - Napier Boys’ High School
Fergus Burke - St Paul's Collegiate
Louie Chapman - Christchurch Boys High School
Luke Donaldson - St Paul's Collegiate
Lesinali TovoFaleafa - Auckland Grammar School
Samipeni Finau - St Peter's College - Cambridge
Kienan Higgins - St Patrick's College - Silverstream
Josiah Maraku - Feilding High School
Saula Mau - Auckland Grammar School
Ethan McQuinlan - Feilding High School
David Meki - Rosmini College
Lemeki Namoa - Sacred Heart College
Oliver Norris - St Peters College - Cambridge
Simon Parker - Otamatea College
Taine Plumtree - Wellington College
Siave Seti - St John's College
James Stratton - Palmerston North Boys’ High School
Rico Syme - Christchurch Boys’ High School
Kaleb Talamahina- Southland Boys’ High School
Tane Te Aho - Hamilton Boys’ High School
Taine Te Whata - Otago Boys’ High School
Patrick Thacker - Christs College
James Thompson - St Peters College - Cambridge

Someone can sort the squads out by position. I don't remember McClutchie goalkicking in the Hastings games I saw which may impact who plays at fullback. Nanai might be used on the wing for that reason. Captain to be named later I assume.

[Stargazer]

@bovidae I haven't seen the media release, yet. Does it say anything about injured players? I miss Folau Fakatava on both lists. He's probably been Hastings Boys' best player, but got injured in the Top 4 semi-final.

Hastings' goal kicker is Danny Toala (fullback or 2nd five) and he's on the NZSS list.

[Nepia]

@stargazer said in 2017 NZ Schools:

@bovidae I haven't seen the media release, yet. Does it say anything about injured players? I miss Folau Fakatava on both lists. He's probably been Hastings Boys' best player, but got injured in the Top 4 semi-final.

Hastings' goal kicker is Danny Toala (fullback or 2nd five) and he's on the NZSS list.

Yeah, I can't believe there are 4 halfbacks in the country better than Fakatava.

[Bovidae]

@stargazer

Finlay Brewis (Westlake Boys High School), Dennon Robinson (Hastings Boys High School) and Kianu Kereru- Symes (Hastings Boys High School) were not considered for the teams due to injuries.

I thought Toala was the goalkicker so he might be used at fullback. I expect Tupaea to be the starting 2nd 5 and he might be the captain too. It's no good picking props etc that will be subbed. Tupou Vaa'i is another option as he was the Chiefs U18 captain. The question will be whether he has been selected as a lock or no.8.

[Nepia]

@bovidae @Stargazer Maybe Fakatava is the one player from Hastings that is too old?

[Bovidae]

He was one of the 4 picked in the training squad for the trials though.

The halfbacks in the NZSS are:
Taufa Funaki and Humphrey Sheild

Louie Chapman is in the Baabaas so Fakatava might have been selected in error.

[Nepia]

@bovidae said in 2017 NZ Schools:

He was one of the 4 picked in the training squad for the trials though.

The halfbacks in the NZSS are:
Taufa Funaki and Humphrey Sheild

Louie Chapman is in the Baabaas so Fakatava might have been selected in error.

Can't say I've watched either of those two play - so they could both be awesome?

[Bovidae]

Who was the Hurricanes U18 halfback? These squads are often picked from performances in those games as well as the 1st XV games and trials.

My only viewing of Funaki was in the 1A final but I wasn't watching the game close enough to make an assessment.

[Stargazer]

@bovidae
Folau Fakatava was the Hurricanes U18 halfback and I'm convinced he's by far the best NZ halfback in this age group. However, he got injured in the Top 4 semi and maybe they selected him in the development group in the hope he would recover in time and maybe he didn't. Some comments on FB indeed suggest he's still injured.

Humphrey Sheild was Fakatava's sub in the Canes U18 squad and was good, too. Worthy of selection in NZSS.

[Chris B.]

There's more kids from Hastings BHS in the NZSS team than the entire South Island. Plus a couple in the Maori team, plus a guy not considered due to injury and then this star halfback.

That must be some team!

[Crucial]

@chris-b said in 2017 NZ Schools:

There's more kids from Hastings BHS in the NZSS team than the entire South Island.

Don't fret. The so called Canterbury production line will continue when they all somehow decide to go to Lincoln Uni.

[Number 10]

None of this year's Hastings BHS squad are enrolled in Lincoln University ... yet.

But, at the moment, three of them are going elsewhere - Kini Naholo to Taranaki and Jeriah Mua and Dennon Robinson both to Bay of Plenty.

[98blueandgold]

@chris-b to be fair living in Canterbury that representation is fair. HBHS had some talent and the UC Championship was strong but lacked the 'top end' of player this year bar a cple.
in saying that there has been in recent times a large number who have not made schools that emerge in the nz20s from this comp. Drummond, Mounga, Sanders, Retallick!! Plus others