SR U20s 2025
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Scheduled for March 15th, 18th and 22nd according to the article below. The wider squads will be training at the moment. The Chiefs have released a few photos on SM in recent weeks.
Highlanders Appoint Scott Eade as U20s Coach | Highlanders Rugby Club Limited Partnership
The Highlanders are proud to announce the appointment of Scott Eade as the new Highlanders U20 Coach. With an extensive background in rugby coaching, player development, and a deep-rooted passion for fostering local talent, Eade is set to lead the Highlanders U20 team into an exciting new phase of...
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During the off-season I spent quite a bit of my time putting together a number of preview pieces for this season’s NZ U20 crop. There’s gifs, there’s graphs, it’s a whole thing. I’ve been hoping to see more in-depth discussion of NZ age grade rugby for a while now but, as it doesn’t seem to be happening, I thought I would help try kickstart something like it here, by writing some stuff myself.
That said, it wasn’t really clear to me where or when I should post these pieces. As there’s been some discussion of someone like Josh Tengblad this past week, I thought it was the right time to post my preview of the potential NZ U20 lock department. These pieces aren’t really traditional preview articles, with an exhaustive list of names and potential line-ups. The idea was more to look at some things that stood out to me and try to spin these things together into something resembling a more cohesive narrative. Again, it’s more intended to generate some interest and to showcase some facets of the play of several players. I’ve written pieces on the hookers, loose forwards, halfbacks, midfield, outside backs and general team performance, and I guess they’ll appear sporadically throughout the following months as the time seems right. But now, it’s about those tall guys in the second row.
Spotlight: Locks with large wingspans and basketball skills
One of the most important factors in the improved performance from the 2023 U20 World Championship to the 2024 edition was the lineout, as it went from a staggeringly low success rate of 72,6% in 2023 to an excellent rate of 91,8% in 2024. Led by the efforts of Liam Jack and Andrew Smith (and aided by the solid contributions of Tai Cribb, Cam Christie and Tom Allen), this much-improved set-piece gave the NZ U20s a much more settled platform to set their attack from, rather than the chaotic shambles of 2023.It’s an interesting group of potential locks for the NZ U20s in 2025, with an athletic profile which has perhaps not been as prominent in recent years. Players like Josh Tengblad (Highlanders, Otago) and Dylan Eti (Chiefs, Waikato) especially have a unique combination of height, mobility and acceleration, making them a valuable asset both at set-piece and in open play. Add in proper hand-eye coordination as a result of their lineout prowess and dynamic body control capable of an effective offloading game, and you have an athlete which is more typically associated with high-level basketball than rugby.
Eti (Chiefs U18 v. Blues U18) with the step and offload
Tengblad (NZ Schools v. Barbarians U18) with the acceleration and finish
These kinds of athletes have been very successful at Test level in recent years, with players like Thibaud Flament, Cameron Woki, Ollie Chessum, RG Snyman, and Nick Frost presenting a new kind of lock who combines lineout work with an ability to cover a huge amount of ground in defence as well as offer a multipurpose carrying option on attack. These players are often able to effectively defend across the entire defensive line instead of just limiting themselves to the middle of the field, as a result of their swift feet and body control, despite being very tall and lanky. They also offer a handy support option on counter-attack, both as an option to finish as well as a possible offload.
Eti in the background sprinting back for the scramble defence
Tengblad with the lineout steal and support play against Aussie U18s in 2023
At the moment, these locks are still relatively rare across the NZ Super Rugby sides. The standard Kiwi lock (think of any random Crusader lock) is still more understood as a player who excels in his core roles: being a solid lineout option, knowing the intricacies of the attacking and defensive maul, making the occasional carry through the middle, cleaning plenty of rucks, acting as a primary pillar defender, and so on. Tengblad and Eti excel in some of these roles, but certainly not in all.
Someone like Tengblad, for example, is a genuine weapon in the defensive line-out, using his considerable wingspan to disrupt opposition throws, even after being lifted considerably later than his opponent.
Tengblad with such dominance that he makes opposition throws look like his own
His presence can be so destructive that lineout plans have to shift mid-game. In several of the examples shown above, of the 2023 U18 game of the Blues against the Chiefs, Tengblad had picked off three straight throws. When the Chiefs U18 had a lineout near the Blues try-line, they tried to change up their call, going to the front in an attempt to avoid Tengblad. This allowed the Blues U18, however, to use their lineout zone defence, with Frazer Brown, the front jumper with the single lifter, now turning over the ball.
Frazer Brown enters the disruption game
So while the lineout is still a strength of players like Tengblad (and Eti to a lesser degree), other facets of the Kiwi lock’s core roles, such as maul defence and carrying in the tight, are not quite at the level required (yet). Tengblad’s slighter and lanky frame makes him susceptible to turnovers in the tight carry, while Eti’s decision-making in the maul defence – trying to drive through the centre of the Blues maul 5 metres from the try line in an uncoordinated manner – can be questionable.
Tengblad rather meekly knocking the ball on when carrying into contact
Eti's ineffective maul defence, trying to attack the source without any coherent sort of plan
In order to combat these tendencies, it is best to take the locking combo into consideration, where someone like Tengblad is paired with someone who excels in tight carrying and maul defending (his combination with Frazer Brown, for example, for the Blues U18 was nicely balanced in this sense).
Players like Tupou Vaa’i and Fabian Holland, who are tall, athletic, have quick feet and good body control, are still more of an anomaly than the norm in New Zealand, despite the fact that they are quickly showing their value at the international level. But with the likes of Tengblad and Eti coming through (as well as Tevita Tatafu (U18) further down the line), this might be changing pretty soon across the NZ rugby landscape. In the immediate future, they should give the NZ U20s some extra dimensions, both to their attack and defence, through their unique skillsets and physical profiles.
Depth discussion
The other locking options available to the NZ U20s offer plenty as well. Aisake Vakasiuola (Chiefs, Bay of Plenty) is a lock/6 whose strengths are his vision in attack and his ability to offload, who has gotten some game time for Bay of Plenty in last season’s NPC, playing 60 minutes in the final. Vakasiuola is tall but his lineout work isn’t a particularly prominent facet of his game, as others have typically taken this responsibility ahead of him (e.g. NZ Schools; Chiefs U18 and U20; Bay of Plenty).Another potential option is Frazer Brown (Blues, Auckland), who is still U19 in 2025 but who is another big specimen. Brown isn’t quite as mobile as the other locks (although he is certainly fast enough in a straight line) but he packs a real punch in the tackle and the carry, showing a willingness to make repeated hard carries through the middle and add his grunt to the forward efforts. Jake Frost (Crusaders, Canterbury) is another under-ager who is rated highly, already making the Crusaders U20 squad in 2024 as an 18-year old. Someone like Alex Arnold (U19) also offers up an interesting profile. A lock/6 from Hamilton Boys’ and a Māori U18 representative, Arnold is a bruising presence around the field, with good physicality in the tackle, carry, and clean.
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@Tim Is he still eligible? I can't immediately find the regulations concerning age grade eligibility, but I always thought they used birth years. So everyone born the 1st of January 2025 and after can play in U20 competitions this year, everyone before can't be selected anymore. I could be wrong, though, I'll try finding out.
Cook is an interesting one. To me, he does look more like a blindside than a lock. He's got deceptive pace and I've seen him be quite comfortable attacking from the wing for the Blues U20s. I would like to see him be a bit more physical, but that can easily still come through. I thought the same of Cam Christie and he really stepped up in that regard in 2024.
I can't really comment on his height as I don't know.
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@Mauss said in SR U20s 2025:
So while the lineout is still a strength of players like Tengblad (and Eti to a lesser degree), other facets of the Kiwi lock’s core roles, such as maul defence and carrying in the tight, are not quite at the level required (yet). Tengblad’s slighter and lanky frame makes him susceptible to turnovers in the tight carry, while Eti’s decision-making in the maul defence – trying to drive through the centre of the Blues maul 5 metres from the try line in an uncoordinated manner – can be questionable
Fascinating analysis and a top notch write up. Tengblad is a such a top talent. Really looking forward to the Landers future with him involved.
This is an interesting observation, considering the players who make up the options for the Landers and Otago. He will likely form a long-term partnership with Holland. Who like him has all the skills. But, he is someone who at this point in his career can do both the tight stuff and dominate tackles. If Tengblad can follow the Holland development instead of the Pari Pari Parkinson route, he will be awesome. Seeing a picture of Tengblad on the Landers Instagram it does look like he is filling out a fair bit compared to some of those earlier clips. Will be funny when Holland is the shorter power lock for the Highlanders at 2.04m.
In the Landers U20s it is likely he will be playing Holland V2, Qunitin on the blindside. Replicating the tight six/lock the Landers like to run with the likes of Haig/Howden and even the shorter Renton. Allowing the six to take some of the pressure off him in the tight and allowing him to roam.
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The Chiefs U20s should have a good set of locks this year. Vakasiuola, Eti and Tama Hodgson. The latter is sort of the forgotten man as he did his ACL in the Sanix Tournament so missed playing as a Y13. Hodgson made the 2022 Barbarians U18s as a Y12 and was Eti's locking partner for the Waikato U19s last year. Not quite as tall as the others but mobile and can play 6 too.
Based on photos I think Jayden Sa is still eligible too, but more a 6.
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@SouthernMann The key for someone like Tengblad will probably be to just stay injury-free, which is of course easier said than done being 2m06. But if he can do that, I do think he can go far. He has a good combination of the physical and the cerebral, with a big engine and a very solid lineout brain.
Speaking of the Highlanders' future, the main thing that I think the future Landers pack is still missing is a primary carrying option. Both Broughton and Renton could be that guy but if we’re speaking ideal scenarios, a gamebreaker at Super Rugby level would add a lot. It's a real shame (for Highlanders fans) that someone like Lio-Willie ended up at the Crusaders. But either way, the forwards are shaping up well.
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@Bovidae said in SR U20s 2025:
The Chiefs U20s should have a good set of locks this year. Vakasiuola, Eti and Tama Hodgson. The latter is sort of the forgotten man as he did his ACL in the Sanix Tournament so missed playing as a Y13. Hodgson made the 2022 Barbarians U18s as a Y12 and was Eti's locking partner for the Waikato U19s last year. Not quite as tall as the others but mobile and can play 6 too.
Based on photos I think Jayden Sa is still eligible too, but more a 6.
Hodgson had indeed slipped my mind. He’ll have a lot of competition in that Chiefs U20 squad for minutes but hopefully he can have a good tournament in Taupo and stake his claim.
I really like Jayden Sa but I’ve somehow convinced myself that he was an ’04 birth. But now I can’t find any information on his age, so I could be wrong. Sa would actually be a great option next to someone like Tengblad as he provides lots of carrying and grunt to the pack.
