2018 Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby

[Stargazer]

The U19 squad has been named:

Text from post on HBRU FB:

After being out watching club rugby over the past few months, the HB Under 19 coaches are pleased to be able to name their initial squad for 2018. This squad of young men met last night to have the programme, schedule, team information and possible rugby pathways presented to them - the start of the campaign!

This initial squad includes all eligible local players - including a number of players who are already involved with the Magpie Wider Training Squad. Potential players of origin have not been included at this stage. Also, additional players may be added to the squad as the club season continues.

Next steps for these boys is the strength and conditioning block - time to get fit and strong!

Well done to the players selected - the journey starts here!

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Subject to change:

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Apparently, there was a trial game between Hawke's Bay U19 and Hawke's Bay U18 on Wednesday (11/7). Oddly enough, the U18s won 38 - 24.

This was the U19 squad:

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It looks like all the better players didn't play.
Lock Aiden Fleming (HRS) is a late addition to the initial U19 squad I posted on 8 June.

I can't find a line-up of the U18 squad that played on Wednesday, but they also must have been without their best as there was a Hurricanes U18 camp this week in Napier.

[Stargazer]

2018 Hawke's Bay Saracens squad

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Edited to add that I read in a comment on the squad naming that Josh Eden-Whaitiri has made himself unavailable.

[Higgins]

Twenty five forwards and twenty backs seems to be an extraordinary number of players named in what is essentially the HB B Team. Looks like they will need two busses to get that squad to away fixtures! No TBW tends to indicate he is either injured or retired from representative play

[Stargazer]

@higgins TBW got injured during one of the early preseason games. My guess is that he's either still injured or didn't get enough game time to show he deserves a spot.

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2018 Hawke's Bay Tuis squad

Hailey Baker - Taradale
Kaitlin Bates - Taradale
Laurae Blake - Clive
Hanna Brough - Hastings R&S
Kathleen Brown - Tech
Natalie Cotton - Taradale
Krysten Cottrell - Taradale
Natasha-Dean Greville - Taradale
Jamie Heather - Hastings R&S
Kara Huata - Clive
Chanel Huddleston - Tech
Rebekah Hurae - Clive
Lara Shanaia Kendrick - Clive
Tori Iosefo - Tech
Niamh Jefferson - Clive
Emma Jensen - Hastings R&S
Rawinia Puawai Mason - Tech
Helen McGregor - Clive
Te Maari McGregor - Clive
Turuhira McIlroy - Clive
Whitney Olsen - Taradale
Danielle Pomare-MacKay - Clive
Felicity Powdrell - Taradale
Jennifer Simati - Tech
Jasmine Taukamo-Apiata - Taradale
Shaylee Tipiwai - Clive
Ruruhira Whaitiri Yarnisae - Clive
Amy Williams - Clive
Davina Winiata - Tech
Gemma Woods - Taradale

Their first home game will be against Wellington on Sat 1 September in Napier.

I recognise several names from previous years (including several long-time Tuis), but I wouldn't recognise many of them, nor do I know which positions they're playing in. All due to their games hardly being televised, so no opportunity to get to know the players.

Two clear exceptions: former Black Fern Emma Jensen, who has played for the Bay before but played for Auckland in previous years. The other is a current Black Fern, Krysten Cottrell (who also happens to work for the HBRU as a women's rugby development officer). Laurae Blake has been in the BF environment (trial squad?), but not capped as far as I know.

Big loss is one of the most talented players the Tuis had last year, Renee Holmes from Poverty Bay. I remember seeing a squad list from one of the other provinces with her name on it (I forgot which province).

One big improvement is the number of players. Last year, there were games in which they couldn't even fill the bench because of injuries or other reasons. Now, they finally have a decent sized squad. Not sure what the reason is, because there weren't more women's teams in club rugby (only 4). Hopefully, the quality of the squad has improved as well, because they were dreadful last year (last place in the Championship).

[Stargazer]

Found on Twitter: there are three preseason games today. Only the Saracens play at home.

• Hawke's Bay Saracens v Poverty Bay @ Tremain Field, Napier (k/o 2.30pm)
• Hawke's Bay Tuis v Taranaki @ Lincoln Park, Ashhurst (k/o 1.00pm)
• Wanganui Dev v Hawke's Bay U19 @ CET Arena, Palmerston North (k/o 1.00pm)
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This is the Saracens line-up.

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Because the Saracens named such a large squad for the season and decided to take 28 players for today's preseason game, the Hawke's Bay Māori team Te matau a Māui lost 9 of their players for their game that was scheduled for today. According to their FB page, also two of their players earned contracts to play in France and Italy. So they didn't have enough players for the HB Samoa v HB Māori game, which had to be cancelled as a result. I understand this was their only game planned for this year, with no regional games taking place this year. They're trying to get funding for next year.

Edit: Te matau a Māui also had a lot of injured players (from last weekend's promotion/relegation game).

[Higgins]

There look to a about half a dozen Samoans in that B Team and that doesn't seem to have been an impediment to being prepared to front up.

[Stargazer]

@higgins I don't know. Maybe the HB Samoan team has a bigger player pool and are better organised because they have an actual competition to play in? For the HB Māori team this was a one-off game.

[Stargazer]

I've been able to find the results of two of the three preseason rep games:

Hawke's Bay Saracens 62 - 12 Poverty Bay
Wanganui Dev 38 - 25 Hawke's Bay U19

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The remaining preseason result from Saturday:

Hawke's Bay Tuis 43-12 Taranaki Women

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Rep rugby weekend 18-19 August:

Preseason games - Sat 18/8:
1.00pm: Hawke's Bay Tuis v Manawatu @ Tremain Field, Napier.
2.00pm: Wanganui v Hawke's Bay Saracens @ Marton Park, Marton
2.30pm: Wellington Samoa v Hawke's Bay Samoa @ Tawa Rugby Club.

U19 Seeding Tournament - Central Region - Sunday 19/8
11.30am: Wellington U19 v Hawke's Bay U19 @ Westpac Stadium.

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This is the U19 Extended Training Squad as posted on 10 August. I haven't seen a final squad.

I think it's the same squad as posted on the Magpies FB page yesterday (what's up with announcing squads in sometimes difficult to read gifs/videos?).

[Stargazer]

That's more like it. Tomorrow's U19 squad for the seeding game against Wellington. That'll be a tough game.

[Nepia]

@stargazer Does 'Player of Origin' mean a player who's based in another province but is from the Bay?

[Stargazer]

@nepia I haven't seen the regulations applicable to U19 rep teams, but if they're the same as those for the Heartland Competion, this is what the Heartland Regs say (note what it says under d):

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@Nepia A quick google search tells me that both Nikau McGregor and Nathan Giles attended Napier BHS.

[Higgins]

@stargazer said in 2018 Hawke's Bay Representative Rugby:

That's more like it. Tomorrow's U19 squad for the seeding game against Wellington. That'll be a tough game.

Oh dear, an 11.35am kick off looks to be a bit of a challenge getting out of bed in time to get there for kick off. With a bit of luck there will be a free entry for early comers, gatekeepers and spectators in particular!

[Stargazer]

@higgins Yeah, it's the curtain raiser to the Wellington v Otago Mitre 10 Cup game, which starts at 2.05pm.

[Stargazer]

From the HB Facebook page:

The HB Under 19 game on Sunday is going to be broadcast live on radio. In Wellington it will be on 1161AM, and we are hopeful that it will be simulcast in Hawke's Bay on 94.3FM. Listeners can also live-stream the commentary on http://www.teupoko.co.nz/