2021 New Zealand U20s

[Stargazer]

Player of the Tournament: Sean Withy, captain of the Highlanders U20 team.

The MVP receives the trophy that is normally awarded to the MVP of the Jock Hobbs U19 Tournament.

Withy just said that they had more time preparing together than the other squads. They also have a pretty awesome coach.

[Bovidae]

After watching most of the games it will be interesting to see who Matson and co select in their squad. I assume a larger training squad will selected for a camp before the final squad is reduced in size.

I think these players are the only certainties:

Blues - Vikena, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Chiefs - Lord, Wrampling
Hurricanes - Howden
Crusaders - Gallagher, Segner, Fihaki
Highlanders - Withy

I wouldn't expect many 18 yr olds to be selected but you never know. Let's hope they select on form and not reputation, or what your last name is.

[ARHS]

@bovidae I would have thought (hoped) that O'Connor, Broughton, Cook-Savage and Palmer would have played themselves in, to add to those you name with solid reputations coming in.

[Canes4life]

@bovidae I expect Morgan and Higgins to make it in from the Canes. They were behind a fairly average pack at times but looked brilliant with front foot ball.

[Bovidae]

@arhs I doubt Palmer is even in the frame. He never started for the Chiefs in the big games, and is he a prop or lock? IIRC he was the late replacement for Fotu in the Crusaders game and did play at lock.

Bartlett would be more likely for the BOP props. BTW, I remember watching both playing for TBC and their scrum was always going backwards.

The Blues definitely had the best scrum at the tournament so you would expect their starters to be at the top of the list.

[Stargazer]

@bovidae Godfrey a good chance from the Hurricanes U20s, I think.

[Steven Harris]

After watching most of the games and to be totally honest I was actually quite underwhelmed with much of the forward play .
if the best of the forwards we saw came up against English ,French or South African forwards in the same under 20 age group , they would get spat out ..
Crusaders looked the most drilled of the packs .
The player that had something about him to me was Highlanders and Southland number 8 Arese Poliko , this kid has so much genuine power , could light up the Bunnings NPC ..another big tick to Dale Macleod who is unearthing talent in one of the smaller unions in the country when you consider how Ethan De Groot is travelling for the Highlanders and Ray Nu’u pushing for a place in the NZ 7s.

[cliff]

I liked the look of evening lasaqa ,for the chiefs and their hooker I think his name wa ioane moananu looks to be a strong carrier not forgetting the halfback

[Bovidae]

[Bovidae]

Squad of 30 named.

https://www.allblacks.com/news/black-jersey-beckons-for-under-20-talent-2/

[Bovidae]

Looking at the names, Matson and co haven't selected many in their first year out of school so more 19/20 yr olds.

[Stargazer]

NZ U20s by position

(please, correct if wrong; I couldn't place Nathaniel Peters (Taranaki)

Props (LH or TH?)
Sione Ahio (Auckland)(TH?)
Josh Fusitua (Auckland)
Jack Sexton (Canterbury)
Joseph Gavigan (Manawatū)
Luca Inch ( Ta$man)(TH)

Hookers
Soane Vikena (Auckland)
George Bell (Canterbury)

Locks
Zach Gallagher (Canterbury)
Fabian Holland (Otago)
Josh Lord (Taranaki)

Loosies (who can play 6. 7 and/or 8?)
Vaiolini Ekuasi (Auckland)
Dom Gardiner (Canterbury)
TK Howden (Manawatū)
Sean Withy (Otago)
Anton Segner ( Ta$man)
Peter Lakai (Wellington)

Halfbacks
Nathan Hastie (Otago)
Cortez Lee-Ratima (Waikato)

First five-eighths
Ruben Love (Wellington)
Aidan Morgan (Wellington)

Midfielders
Corey Evans (Auckland)
Meihana Grindlay (Auckland)
Gideon Wrampling (Waikato)
Riley Higgins (Wellington)

Outside backs
Harry Godfrey (Hawke's Bay)
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Taranaki)
Tepaea Cook-Savage (Waikato)

Utility back
Manu Paea (Auckland)
Chay Fihaki (Canterbury)

[Bovidae]

@stargazer Paea is a halfback, Evans a midfielder. No idea about Peters either.

[Stargazer]

@bovidae Thanks. The allblacks dot com website has Manu Paea as an utility back. His profile says that he can play both halfback and centre.

I'll move Evans; already thought 3 first fives was a bit much, with Godfrey also able to play at 10.

[taniwharugby]

@bovidae hasn't he been playing 10 as well?

[Bovidae]

@stargazer Paea was the no.9 for the Blues and for NZSS.
@taniwharugby Don't know, but was 2nd 5 this year.

[Stargazer]

@bovidae I think Paea also played centre for Rotorua Boys (I think that's where the allblacksdotcom has it from; it's his NZ Schools' profile).

Hmmm, maybe I should question the accuracy a profile that spells boarder as border?

[Steven Harris]

@taniwharugby 2 Kaitaia boys who could feature in the Taniwha jersey in the future Te Paea Cook Savage and Corey Evans ,Cook Savage could be sooner then we think 😜

[Tim]

@bovidae @taniwharugby

Evans played 12 for the Blues U20s, but plays 10 for his club (Grammar TEC).

[bobily2]

@stargazer

I've seen two lineups (one schoolboy, one club) that show Peters as playing blindside. I wonder if that means Gardiner was selected as a lock.