2019 under 20's
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@Rapido said in 2019 under 20's:
@cgrant said in 2019 under 20's:
With his 1.97 m, Vai'i is the tallest man in the pack. His partner in the second row (Cullen Grace) has the same size as Blackwell (1.90 m, 106 kg).
Hopefully they will play Tamaiti Williams in his preferred position, which is loose head prop. He was outplayed against the Junior Wallabies while placed on the tight head. He is a good prop and had a commanding performance last year for the NZ schoolboys vs Australia.
Is Toala injured ? If not, his absence would be beyond any understanding.Did Cantabrians on the forum talk up Cullen Grace as really promising? I take it as a loosie though? rather than lock? Or was he big enough to lock as schoolboy/jinior level where the forumers had seen him previously? Assume his future is as a loosie moving forward though, or we write off that height as 'typically accurate' official measurement ....
From what I hear he was really good playing for Lincoln University at number 6 last year. Pretty impressive for a 19 year old playing against men in such a physical position. Especially as he wasn't expected to play for the seniors at the start of the season.
Obviously not tall enough for a top level lock, but a big prospect in the loose forwards
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@Stargazer I”m shocked by the non selection of Toala as well..looked an outstanding prospect in the handful of appearances for the Magpies last year..this backline is gonna have to make use of every scrap of ball they get judging on what the forward pack dished up at the Oceania Tournament..!
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Toala's non-selection is apparently due to the inclusion of Leicester Fainga'anuku, Etene Nanai-Seturo and Billy Proctor all being released from their Super Rugby squads to strengthen the team.
Considering it was the forwards who got shown up against Australia it is odd that it is the backline which has been strengthened.
The Titanic has just left Southampton?
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""We probably didn't adapt our game plan well on the run, so there are good learnings in there for our game drivers."
Maybe it would have helped if they had picked the right "game driver" (10).
And maybe, they didn't have the right game plan to start with?
One point in that article is true and will continue to be a problem: the fact that countries like France and England have players in their squad, who have been full-time professionals for some time and have played in the Top 14 and Premiership. I don't know about England, but France have a players who have been playing in the Top 14 for at least two years and are - physically - huge! Even some of their backs are huge! We only have a few players with less than a full season of SR experience.
A country like South Africa, also has played more international games in preparation of the JWC (Namibia XV, Argentina U20, Georgia U20, Wales U20 and England U20).
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BOP Selection to take on the NZ U20s in Te Puke tonight.
The Mua brothers will be going head-to-head...
Steamers coach Clayton McMillan says Bay of Plenty Rugby is starting to reap the rewards of the Bay of Plenty High Performance Program.
McMillan will coach a Bay of Plenty XV Wasps’ side against the New Zealand Under 20s at Murray Salt Stadium Te Puke tomorrow night (May 28). The hit-out is a build up towards the Under-20’s World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Argentina next month.
The home team, playing in Wasps colours, won’t be the only Bay players on the park, with five members of the NZ Under 20s team being selected from the region. Lalomilo Lalomilo, Leroy Carter, Cole Forbes, Jeriah Mua and Kohan Herbert will wear the Black Jersey when they face some of their former teammates from the Bay of Plenty Under 19s, who won the Jock Hobbs Memorial National Under 19 Tournament last year in Taupo.
McMillan, who also coaches the Maori All Blacks says it is great to see players from our various High Performance Programmes across the region getting to show their talents at a higher level.
"Our academy has been a work in progress. The fact that we got five players into the New Zealand U-20s this year and it could have been more if Kaleb Trask had not been injured is a huge testament to the program and the people involved.”
Bay of Plenty Rugby Union chief executive Mike Rogers says, the Union has been focused on developing a strong performance environment for both young male and female athletes.
"We have increased our investment in this area and worked through identifying what we believe are all the key elements to a successful program.
‘’We have fantastic facilities and have developed some very exciting partnerships such as the research work we do with the University of Waikato."
Rogers says the most important part is the world class people involved in this area.
"It is great we are now seeing the results with some of our targeted young players representing our Country. However, we still believe we have areas that need to improve so we will continue to work hard to reach the standards we are aiming for."
The Union has partnered with New World Te Puke to bring this unique event to Murray Salt Stadium so local fans can experience an exhilarating evening of national level competition in their own back yard and show their support for the NZ Under 20s squad on their journey to win their seventh World Championship title.
The match kicks off at 6.35pm, tomorrow night at Murray Salt Stadium, Te Puke. Entry is by gold coin donation with all proceeds going to Te Puke Sports Junior Rugby.
Bay of Plenty Wasps Squad:
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Tom McHugh
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Masiu Akauola
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Jonas Pomare
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Iosefa Maloney
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Stan van den Hoven
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Hugh Blake
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Ajau Mua
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Abe Papalii
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Jonty Wood
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Reece Macdonald
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Pryor Collier
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Brad Armstrong
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Dennon Robinson
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Declan Barnett
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Kaleb Trask
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Jaya More
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Apitoni Toia
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Sione Afu
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Eishin Kuwano
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Angus Baker
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Shinya Ikemachi
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Carl Perry
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Jayjay Sheung Fuk
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Joe Johnston
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Gordie Lloyd
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Brody Lam
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Pierre Pili
Game details:
Bay of Plenty Wasps vs New Zealand Under 20s
Date: Tuesday 28 May
Time: Kitchen and bar open from 5:50pm, Kick-off 6:35pm
Location: Murray Salt Stadium, Te Puke
Entry Fee: Gold coin donation -
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@ARHS said in 2019 under 20's:
So Kaleb Trask is playing against the NZ Under 20s and not for them...
I liked Clayton McMillan's loaded comment in that press release where he mentions Kaleb was unavailable for the Under 20s because of injury
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A few familiar names from the Auckland scene in there. One being long time Suburbs 10, Carl Perry.
AJ Mua hasn't quite made the jump to the pros like a few other backrowers during his time in school. I still see plenty of potential when I see him play though. Maybe openside is where he needs to be at this level.
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@Stargazer the door should have been left open for Trask for as long as possible to get him on the plane to Argentina! Surely the U20s management would have been monitoring his rehab? That is unless they didn't see him as an absolute certainty or must to have in the squad?
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Its an odd mix of players but heavily weighted to the BOP academy, with one or two old hands and even a couple of Japanese players who are over as part of their development program.
BTW, I agree with what you say about Mua but hes been getting better progressively better and is playing up a storm at club level so I'm prepared to avoid judgement until he plays a bit more at the higher level.
It should be an interesting game despite the shite weather.
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@Dice yea he certainly was the sort of player fans would flock to see! Interesting to note that he made himself unavailable for the 20s the year he was eligible due to his religious beliefs. Not the same as brother Jeriah. Hope he goes on and does well.
