2020 New Zealand U20s
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Players selected for testing are; (grouped in regional centres where testing will take place)
Auckland
Leandro Vakatini - Auckland
Soane Vikena - Auckland
Hamdahn Tuipulotu - Auckland
Sione Ahio - Auckland
Tiaan Tauakipulu - Auckland
James Brown - Auckland
Damien Naufahu - Auckland
Robert Rush - Auckland
Terrell Peita - Auckland
Te Rama Reuben - Auckland
Oliver Parkinson - Auckland
Cam Church - Auckland
Corey Kellow - Auckland
Niko Jones - Auckland
John Latu - Auckland
Taufa Funaki - Auckland
Zarn Sullivan - Auckland
Aiden Morgan - Wellington
Patrick Elia - Auckland
Corey Evans - Auckland
Lemeki Namoa - Auckland
Meihana Grindlay - Auckland
Heremaia Murray - Auckland
Jack Gray - Auckland
Jimmy Roots - North HarbourHamilton
Benet Kumeroa - Bay of Plenty
Pou Sorenson - Bay of Plenty
Chris Hemi - Bay of Plenty
Manu Paea - Bay of Plenty
Bailey Gordon - Bay of Plenty
Cassius Misa - Bay of Plenty
Tama Te Aute - Bay of Plenty
Peni Lasaqa - Bay of Plenty
Vincent Green - Waikato
Matt Dobbyn - Waikato
Stanley Paese - Waikato
Hakaraia Richards Coxhead - Waikato
Havila Molia - Waikato
Tom Martin - Waikato
Simon Parker - Waikato
Andrew Viane - Waikato
Viaolini Ekuasi - Waikato
Cortez Ratima - Waikato
Rivez Reihana - Waikato
Tepaea Cook Savage - Waikato
Gideon Wrampling - Waikato
Valynce Te Whare Crosby - Waikato
Ioane Moananu - Counties Manukau
Cam Roigard - Counties Manukau
Crusader Faletagoa'i - Taranaki
Tupou Vaa'i - Taranaki
Josh Lord - Taranaki
Christian Fa'avae - Taranaki
Lukas Halls - Taranaki
Blair Murray - Taranaki
Jake Russ - OtagoWellington
Tyrone Thompson - Wellington
Taine Plumtree - Wellington
Caleb Delany - Wellington
Keelan Whitman - Wellington
Iona Apineru - Wellington
Josh Southall - Wellington
Sam Smith - Wellington
Shaymus Langton Hurley - Wellington
Kienan Higgins - Wellington
Ethan Webster Nonu - Wellington
Roderick Solo - Wellington
Ruben Love - Wellington
Patrick Teddy - Hawkes
Lattrell Smiler-Ah Kiong - Hawkes
Ben Strang - Manawatu
TK Howden - Manawatu
Jason Myers - Manawatu
Tyler Laubscher - Manawatu
Stewart Cruden - Manawatu
Josiah Maruku - Manawatu
Drew Wild - Manawatu
James Bolton - Otago
Harrison Boyle - OtagoChristchurch
Finlay Brewis - Canterbury
Tamaiti Williams - Canterbury
Thomas Edwards - Canterbury
Jack Sexton - Canterbury
Lachie McNair - Canterbury
Patrick Thacker - Canterbury
Fletcher Newell - Canterbury
Ben Lopas - Canterbury
Daniel Johnson - Canterbury
Sam Darry - Canterbury
Mahonri Ngakuru - Canterbury
Zach Gallagher - Canterbury
Liam Allen - Canterbury
Dominic Gardiner - Canterbury
George Prain - Canterbury
Luke Donaldson - Canterbury
Louie Chapman - Canterbury
Max Hughes - Canterbury
Ollie Lewis - Canterbury
Isaiah Punivai - Canterbury
Chay Fihaki - Canterbury
Luka Inch - Tasman
Matt Graham Williams - Tasman
Taya Brown - Tasman
Campbell Morgan Parata - Tasman
George Bell - Otago
Sean Withy - Otago
James Arscott - Otago
Jacob Payne - SouthlandThe search for New Zealand’s top, young and emerging, talent will kick off with a refreshed New Zealand Under 20 programme. More than 100 players will be tested over the next two weeks as the New Zealand Under 20 programme begins a new cycle. New Zealand Under 20 Head Coach Craig Philpott said changes to the World Rugby Under 20 Championship dates to align with the International Window have allowed a re-think of the age-group programme. The changes will see more than 100 contenders – almost double the number from previous years – attend regional testing, creating a larger pool of talent to monitor and develop. The first development camp will take place in March, creating a short five-month campaign leading to the World Championships in June/July.Traditionally 50 players would attend a December camp, with those players then going through the selection process with subsequent camps and trials. Philpott said the opportunity to increase the number of players in their system while also condensing the programme was enthusiastically received. “The opportunity to test and monitor this number of players will have long term benefits. A number of these players aren’t necessarily in the mix for selection next year, but meeting with them now gives us the chance to gauge where they are at and create targeted development plans for them. “After testing, players can go back to their provinces and focus on any potential Investec Super Rugby commitments with age group or development teams before reassembling for our first camp,” said Philpott. Players from provincial Under 19 teams, New Zealand Secondary Schools teams along with players nominated by provincial unions will join the testing programme. Provincial Union High Performance representatives and New Zealand Under 20 coaching staff will work with each player to create personalised development plans.
New Zealand Under 20 programme casts wide net
The search for New Zealand’s top, young and emerging, talent will kick off with a refreshed New Zealand Under 20 programme.
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@Stargazer A lot of players from the 2018 and 2019 NZ Schools teams, as you would expect. It will come down to the quality of the forward pack (particularly the tight five) they can select.
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@Bovidae I'm glad that Latrell Smiler-Ah Kiong is among them and hope he makes the 2020 NZU20 squad, but I assume that most of the players from the 2019 NZ Schools teams are the players that have been brought in a year early and may not make the NZU20s in 2020.
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Disappointed with some players not being on the list. I didn't expect many from Hawkes, but only one from our U19s surprises me. No Liam Udy-Johns, Damarus Hokianga, and Tiaki Fabish (although he still qualifies for U19s in 2020), who were among our best (with Patrick Teddy).
Also no Leo Thompson.
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There are plenty of 1st 5s on that list and I would predict that Reihana and Sullivan are the favoured two.
Some younger players will be physically ready to step up straight away while others probably need another year of development.
More Poo players than from Hawke's.
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@Bovidae We didn't have a great U19s team due to most of our best 2018 1st XV players still being at school or having left Hawkes. We had several players from Heartland provinces filling the gaps, esp in the backs, and it showed.
As to 1st five-eights, I expect Smiler-Ah Kiong to become better than Reihana and Sullivan, but it's probably a year early for him.
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@Stargazer said in 2020 New Zealand U20s:
Aiden Morgan - Wellington
Sucks that we lost him, but good pick-up for Wellington.
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@Stargazer same as Ollie Lewis. He’s a bloody good prospect. Christchurch boys 1st 5 production line.
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Pools and schedule announced for World Rugby U20 Championship 2020
The teams taking part in the premier age-grade tournament have been divided into three pools of four with the medallists from 2019 the top seeds in France, runners-up Australia and bronze medallists South Africa. Then, in order to ensure a split of two northern and two southern hemisphere teams in each pool, the remaining teams have been seeded and placed accordingly in a snake format. The team promoted from the World Rugby U20 Trophy is considered a southern hemisphere team.The pool matches will be played in Verona’s brand new Payanini Center, Viadana’s Stadio Sergio Zaffanella and Peroni Stadium in Calvisano, home of the reigning Italian national champions. While Verona will host matches for the first time, Viadana, Parma and Calvisano did so when Italy last hosted the U20 Championship in 2015 and all three will stage the play-off rounds. -
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@Machpants said in 2020 New Zealand U20s:
I thought 'fuck me, he looks old for an under 20' for a few seconds there! 😂
Still looks younger than any of the Whitelocks when they were under 20.
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Triallists named for New Zealand Under 20 development camp
Fifty-two of the country’s top emerging talent in rugby will descend on Palmerston North next month as New Zealand Rugby launches the next phase of its development programme to find a World Champion New Zealand Under 20 team to compete at the World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Italy in July.
Forwards
Hamdahn Tuipulotu Auckland
Soane Vikena Auckland
Terrell Peita Auckland
Benet Kumeroa Bay of Plenty
Finlay Brewis Canterbury
Tamaiti Williams Canterbury
Fletcher Newell Canterbury
Thomas Edwards Canterbury
Lockie McNair Canterbury
Sam Darry Canterbury
Mahonri Ngakuru Canterbury
Zach Gallagher Canterbury
Ioane Moananu Counties Manukau
Jimmy Roots North Harbour
Robert Rush Northland
Saula Mau* Otago
Jake Russ Otago
Tupou Vaa’i Taranaki
Josh Lord Taranaki
Anton Segner* Tasman
Tom Martin Waikato
Simon Parker Waikato
Tyrone Thompson Wellington
Caleb Delany Wellington
Taine Plumtree Wellington
Iona Apineru Wellington
Josh Southall Wellington
Sam Smith Wellington
Shamus Hurley-Langton WellingtonBacks
Taufa Funaki Auckland
Zarn Sullivan Auckland
Corey Evans Auckland
Lemeki Namoa Auckland
Meihana Grindlay Auckland
Heremaia Murray Auckland
Cassius Misa Bay of Plenty
Peni Lasaqa Bay of Plenty
Luke Donaldson Canterbury
Chay Fihaki Canterbury
Isaiah Punivai Canterbury
Cam Roigard Counties Manukau
Stu Cruden Manawatu
Josiah Maruku Manawatu
Drew Wild Manawatu
James Arscott Otago
Harrison Boyle Otago
Lukas Halls Taranaki
Rivez Reihana Waikato
Gideon Wrampling Waikato
Aiden Morgan Wellington
Roderick Solo Wellington
Ruben Love Wellington -
Players attending the set piece or game drivers camps: George Bell (Canterbury), Latrell Smiler Ah Kiong (Hawke’s Bay), Ben Strang (Manawatu), Tevita Langi (North Harbour), Matt Graham Williams (Tasman), Luka Inch (Tasman), Monu Moli (Tasman) and Havila Molia (Waikato)
Not Considered due to All Blacks Sevens commitments: Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Taranaki)
Not Considered due to injury: Blair Murray (Canterbury), Tyler Laubscher (Manawatu), Valynce Te Whare (Waikato) and Kienan Higgins (Wellington)
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