2019 under 20's

[Chris]

link text

[Nepia]

Is Fakatava too old for this team? Just checked and he was still 18 in March this year so he should be eligible.

Oh wait, I just checked who the coach is.

[Bovidae]

Naholo?

Edit: perhaps not elligible.

[Tim]

Good to see a couple of young Blues zone halfbacks in there (Funaki and Heighton). Also good to see Rivez Reihana listed under Auckland, despite joining the Chiefs dev program.

[Bovidae]

@tim said in 2019 under 20's:

Also good to see Rivez Reihana listed under Auckland, despite joining the Chiefs dev program.

A typo I think. He told me he was signed with Waikato.

[Tim]

@bovidae Bugger!

[Chris]

Looking through that group that's going to be a very good u/20 side if its picked correctly out of that group.Some exceptional players amongst that list.

[Nepia]

@bovidae said in 2019 under 20's:

Naholo?

Edit: perhaps not elligible.

Possibly, I also felt he was a wee bit overrated - a lot of the hard work was done inside him (like by Fakatava ).

[Bovidae]

@chris There are a few players from this years NZSS team too.

[Chris]

@bovidae Some Talent in the NZSS lot as well maybe a tough squad to pick

[sparky]

@bovidae No Niko Jones.

[Canes4life]

@sparky Maybe too early for him? It also doesn't mention his non selection so they probably don't see him in the picture yet.

I'm thinking Flanders will captain the side.

[Bovidae]

@canes4life said in 2019 under 20's:

I'm thinking Flanders will captain the side.

There are 2 NZSS captains amongst the 50 players, and others who would have captained their provincial U19 team.

[Canes4life]

@bovidae He stands out as the most logical choice.

[sparky]

@canes4life I suspect Baby Ice will be off to uni next year, playing for a Development team of a Super franchise and a bit NPC.

[Stargazer]

I've re-ordered the list to show the player positions:

PROPS
Finlay Brewis (Canterbury) - TH?
Robert Cobb (Auckland) - LH
George Dyer (Waikato) - LH
Fletcher Newell (Canterbury) - TH
Oliver Norris (Waikato) - LH
Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe (Hawkes Bay) - TH
Kaliopasi Uluilakepa (Wellington) - TH
Tamaiti Williams (Canterbury) - LH

HOOKERS
Tane Te Aho (Wellington)
Sam Cooper (Waikato)
Kianu Kereru-Symes (Hawkes Bay)
Shilo Klein (Canterbury)

LOCKS
Samipeni Finau (Waikato)
Naitoa Ah Kuoi (Wellington)
Iosefa Maloney-Fiaola (Bay of Plenty)
Taine Plumtree (Wellington)
Tupou Vaa'i (Taranaki)

LOOSIES
Iona Apineru (Wellington) - blindside
Kaylum Boshier (Taranaki) - no. 8
Samuel Dickson (Otago) - openside
Lesinali Faleafa (Auckland) - no. 8
Devan Flanders (Hawkes Bay) - blindside and no. 8
Cullen Grace (Canterbury) - blindside
Kohan Herbert (Bay of Plenty) - openside
Shamus Hurley-Langton (Wellington) - no. 8?
Michael Loft (Taranaki)
Simon Parker (Waikato) - blindside and no. 8
James Thompson (Waikato) - blindside

HALFBACKS
Leroy Carter (Bay of Plenty)
Luke Donaldson (Canterbury)
Taufa Funaki (Auckland)
Brad McNaughten (North Harbour)

FIRST FIVE-EIGHTHS
Fergus Burke (Canterbury)
Chay Fihaki (Auckland) - also 12
Cole Forbes (Bay of Plenty)
Callum Harkin (Wellington)
Jack Heighton (North Harbour)
Lincoln McClutchie (Hawkes Bay)
Rivez Reihana (Auckland)

MIDFIELDERS
Lalomilo Lalomilo (Bay of Plenty) - 12
Dallas McLeod (Canterbury) - 12
Isaiah Punivai (Canterbury) - 13
Dennon Robinson-Bartlett (Bay of Plenty)
Danny Toala (Hawkes Bay) - 12, also fullback
Quinn Tupaea (Waikato)

OUTSIDE BACKS
Connor Garden-Bachop (Canterbury)
Samuel Gilbert (Canterbury) - fullback (also 1st 5/8?)
Jack Gray (Auckland) - fullback?
Reuben Va'a (Wellington)

[Tim]

Heighton played 9 for Blues dev, but plays 10 for his club (East Coast Bays).

Rob Cobb plays both sides, but is maybe more of a tighthead?

[Stargazer]

@nepia said in 2019 under 20's:

Is Fakatava too old for this team? Just checked and he was still 18 in March this year so he should be eligible.

Oh wait, I just checked who the coach is.

I had a big WTF moment when I saw his naming was missing from the list, especially considering the halfbacks that have been named. Of those four, only Funaki stands out. He turns 19 in December, so Fakatava will still be eligible next year.

[Stargazer]

@tim It's possible that some players play in more than one position. I found most positions in U19 line-ups, some in club or school line-ups.

[Canes4life]

@stargazer Maybe there is a reason behind his non-selection as he surely would be first choice. I hope this means the Canes have snapped him up, but they also have Flanders on their books and he was selected so who knows.