2023 Super Rugby U20s
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Moana Pasifika U20 coaching group
Gus Leger has been appointed as Head Coach and brings with him a wealth of experience in youth rugby development. Having most recently held the title of Assistant Coach for the 2022 New Zealand Secondary Schools team, the former-Tongan international is very familiar with the targeted age group.
Currently employed as a teacher, he has held coaching roles at Auckland Rugby, the New Zealand Barbarian Schools, Auckland Marist, Wesley College & Sacred Heart College.Three Assistant Coaches, Nili Latu, Doug Sanft & Shalom Senara, have been appointed to join Leger for the 2023 campaign.
Prior to the appointment of the coaches, Moana Pasifika Pathways Manager Leasiosiofaasisina Kevin Senio and Team Manager Lauaki Ramsey Tomokino performed talent identification in Samoa & Tonga at the end of 2022 during the Oceania Rugby Under 20s campaign.
Most recently, Moana Pasifika High Performance staff also held combines across New Zealand to find the next generation of Pasifika players.
An Expression of Interest (EOI) form received over 500 applications and the young men were invited to attend combines in eight different locations spanning from Auckland to Dunedin.
The coaching staff were thoroughly impressed with the talent on display and will be naming the team on Wednesday 15th March. -
Highlanders U20 squad. Quite a few lads who have headed down from elsewhere. A couple of Hawke's Bay. Highlanders under-20
The squad
Forwards: Hunter Fahey, Moana Takataka, Liam McIntosh, Thomas Jackson, Fatai Koloi, Jack Taylor, A One Lolofie, Lawrence Leung-wai, Reuben Palmer, Hunter Areaiiti, Konrad Toleafoa, Will Stodart, Lucas Casey, Max Ratcliffe, Aaron Withy, Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa.Backs: Brad Campbell, Fionn McKenna, Ajay Faleafaga, Jeremiah Asi, Cam Burgess, Josh Whaanga, Jack Timu, Caleb Williams, Mefi Tupou, Finn Hurley, Kyan Rangitutia.
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@SouthernMann It's depressing how Hawke's Bay keep losing players to other provinces. A One Lolofie is a good prop out of Hastings Boys' and Max Ratcliffe is a very good loosie (6/8) and former captain of Napier Boys'. Both are a big loss to us..
Brad Campbell is a halfback out of Lindisfarne College and Mefi Tupou is an excellent, strong midfielder/wing, who played for Hastings Boys' (2019 Top 4 champ). Both Campbell and Tupou aren't recent school leavers. Tupou has already a year Magpies academy under his belt, was in the 2022 Hawke's Bay U19 team and was named in the 2022 NZ U19 team, but didn't play due to injury. Campbell already moved to Dunedin, last year.
Correction: Campbell attended St John's College, Hastings, not Lindisfare College.
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Highlanders media release:
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@Stargazer said in 2023 Super Rugby U20s:
@SouthernMann It's depressing how Hawke's Bay keep losing players to other provinces. A One Lolofie is a good prop out of Hastings Boys' and Max Ratcliffe is a very good loosie (6/8) and former captain of Napier Boys'. Both are a big loss to us..
Brad Campbell is a halfback out of Lindisfarne College and Mefi Tupou is an excellent, strong midfielder/wing, who played for Hastings Boys' (2019 Top 4 champ). Both Campbell and Tupou aren't recent school leavers. Tupou has already a year Magpies academy under his belt, was in the 2022 Hawke's Bay U19 team and was named in the 2022 NZ U19 team, but didn't play due to injury. Campbell already moved to Dunedin, last year.
Sounds like a promising group. Are there any that ypu think are capable of making the step up to big boy footy?
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@SouthernMann Hard to say at this age. They've all been in Hurricanes U18. Ratcliffe was the Māori U18 captain, last year. All have played HB age grade rugby. That's no guarantee for a step up.
Mefi Tupou played mostly on the wing for Hastings Boys', but moved to the midfield after leaving school. Can be quite a devastating ball runner, but whether he can do that at NPC level and above? It was enough for NZ U19 selection, so that could be a good sign.
Of this group of 4, I have the highest expectations of Max Ratcliffe, who's an excellent leader as well.
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@Stargazer There were plenty of recent school leavers who started for the U20s last year, and will do so this year. That will be dependent on the needs of each team in specific positions.
If I had to guess the Highlanders loose forward trio will be Stodart, Withy and Tupou Ta’eiloa. Stodart might be used as a lock though, as he was for the NZ U19s at times.
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@Stargazer said in 2023 Super Rugby U20s:
@SouthernMann Hard to say at this age. They've all been in Hurricanes U18. Ratcliffe was the Māori U18 captain, last year. All have played HB age grade rugby. That's no guarantee for a step up.
Mefi Tupou played mostly on the wing for Hastings Boys', but moved to the midfield after leaving school. Can be quite a devastating ball runner, but whether he can do that at NPC level and above? It was enough for NZ U19 selection, so that could be a good sign.
Of this group of 4, I have the highest expectations of Max Ratcliffe, who's an excellent leader as well.
Hopefully Ratcliffe can be as good as you think. Then, we will be developing a good group of loosies with Michaels, Withy, Broughton, Haig, himself and some of the more experienced guys with time left. I'm hoping we will be able to land some decent midfielders and back three players. It is where we are really lacking. I expect one of Millar of Faleafaga should have a decent future at 10.
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@SouthernMann I hope so, too. No guarantees that a player who's good at 1st XV and age grade level will also be good at a higher level.
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Relevant to this tournament. The Irish U20s have put up some big scores in the 6N.
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Looks strong, the forwards especially.
Hurricanes 2023 U20 Squad:
Konradd Newland (Hawke’s Bay), Malakai Hala-Ngatai (Manawatū), Vernon Bason (Manawatū), Raymond Tuputupu (Manawatū), Senio Sanele (Wellington), Siale Lauaki (Wellington), Bradley Crichton (Wellington), Tom Allen (Hawke’s Bay), Hunter Morrison (Hawke’s Bay), Matt Monaghan (Hawke’s Bay), Dominic Ropeti (Wellington) (VC), Kusitino Savea (Hawke’s Bay), Cooper Flanders (Hawke’s Bay) (C), Toby Crosby (Wellington), Matolu Petaia (Wellington)
Jordi Viljoen (Manawatū), Sam Howling (Wellington), Harry Godfrey (Hawke’s Bay) (VC), Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula (Manawatū), Jack O’Brien (Wellington), Meni Manase (Hawke’s Bay), Epeli (Waqa) Waqaicece (Manawatū), Bethel Malasia (Hawke’s Bay), Josiah Sakaria (Hawke’s Bay), Sam Coles (Manawatū), Chicago Doyle (Wellington), Tofuka Paongo (Wellington) -
@Bovidae Not surprised at all that Cooper Flanders is the captain. I see Harry Godfrey is one of the vice-captains, Dom Ropeti being the other.
Of the original WTG announced in early February, there's one notable Hawke's Bay ommision in Corey Berkett, who IMO is a great talent. He also didn't attend the early Hurricanes U20 Dev camp, nor did he play in the game against the Crusaders U20, so maybe he's injured or they didn't need another 10. He'll still be eligible next year, I think. Or, he's in the NZ Barbarians team.
I don't think there are too many suprises in the team, with many returning for the second year.
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