U20 Rugby Championship 2025
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Some interesting selections. Like I said, I wasn't able to watch the SR U20 games so some players - like Riley Tofilau, Xavier Treacy and Harry Irving - are relatively unknown to me. Looking forward to watching them play, either way.
@Bovidae said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
Unavailable due to injury
Logan Wallace, Aisake Vakasiuola, Jayden Sa.Unavailable due to All Blacks Sevens duties
Oli Mathis, Joey Taumateine, Xavier Tito-Harris, Frank Vaenuku.You'd expect all of these players to be starting, or close to it, in different circumstances. So that would explain some of the more surprising selections, to a degree.
Can't say I understand some of the omissions, like those of Raharuhi Palmer, Nathan Salmon and Pyrenees Boyle-Tiatia.
In terms of the coaching group, I'm glad that Hoeata is retained, I thought the forwards went well last year. With Robertson coming in, though, we're looking at a completely new attacking philosophy to Brad Cooper's from last year. Milton Haig is not exactly an inspiring appointment either. It does feel like the job isn't a particularly attractive prospect at the moment.
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@Bovidae said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
We need Vakasiuola to be fit as there isn't a power lock selected. Eti and Tengblad are both tall and lean while Baker is a converted lock who plays more at no.8.
I'd worry about the scrum against bigger opposition.
If Vakasiuola can't recover in time, the obvious replacement looked, to me, to be Frazer Brown but he didn't play the SR U20 tournament either, I think. Maybe also a long-term injury? Randall Baker, from what I've seen, does seem to be robustly built.
The scrum might be a real issue. It's very rarely a real strength of the NZ U20s but this cohort does look weak in that area. Relatively small hookers and skinny locks certainly won't help. I have high hopes for Tamiano Ahloo but he's more of an all-rounder than a scrummaging expert, I feel.
The good news is that the developments in the game are starting to favour attack. And this team could be very potent offensively. So I presume they'll focus on unlocking different ways of scoring rather than focus on their defence.
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Would have loved to have seen a Probables vs Possibles, like a warm up game. This could iron out any kinks or test these locks vs bigger locks to prepare them for bigger teams. Would also be a good insight for 2026
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@Bovidae thats interesting re Mika. Good player but clearly that shows theres something missing in Tiatia's game (defence perhaps?).
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@Left-Right-Out-0 said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
@Bovidae thats interesting re Mika. Good player but clearly that shows theres something missing in Tiatia's game (defence perhaps?).
Mika is a long-termer for the U20s as well. He only turned 18 last month. He will still have two more years in the U20s set up.
Mika could play for the NZ U18 side this year.
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@Left-Right-Out-0 We don't know who is in the full standby players list yet. It's really only the PUs that have released that info so far.
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@Left-Right-Out-0 said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
@Bovidae unless they see Tiatia as a midfielder i doubt theyd take him and Mika.
I'd be interested in whether Harry Inch is also on standby or whether Mika has somewhat overtaken him as the young 10 being focused on.
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@SouthernMann from the outside looking in i would say Inch isnt in the frame this year. Mika had a better U20 campaign. Then again, i thought other players had better campaigns then some that made NZ U20 so what would i know 😆
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@Left-Right-Out-0 said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:
@SouthernMann from the outside looking in i would say Inch isnt in the frame this year. Mika had a better U20 campaign. Then again, i thought other players had better campaigns then some that made NZ U20 so what would i know 😆
I really liked the 9-10-12 combo of Pledger, Muliaina and Harvey. Had a nice mix to it.
I think Muliaina has the potential to be a fully contracted Lander probably in 2027. His last year eligible for the U20s. Big potential that guy.
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Does anyone know more about Xavier Treacy’s background? He looks to have come over from the Melbourne Rebels system and seems, by all accounts, to have lived most of his life in Australia (an Instagram-post from the Melbourne Harlequins club mentions that he played for them “from Under 8 to 18”, with Treacy “moving to NZ in 2024”.)
I’m assuming he has Kiwi origins or parentage? Otherwise I’m not completely sure how he would be eligible for the side. World Rugby U20 tournaments have, as far as I know, similar eligibility-criteria to the senior sides (i.e. parentage or 5-year residency).
