2021 New Zealand U20s
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In Palmerston North under still, cloudy skies, the New Zealand U20s had their opening match of 2021 against a ‘Wellington XV’.
Both teams rans with engorged squads, Wellington playing a completely different XV in each half and the U20s making almost as many changes at halftime.
The match did not carry first-class status, and served as a glorified trial for both camps.
That stated, it was a proper scoring match and the New Zealand U20s won 40-0, outscoring Wellington six tries to nil.
The New Zealand U20s scored five tries in the first half and led 33-0 at halftime. The closest Wellington came to scoring was right at the end of the first half from a forwards drive at the line that was defended.
They scored first half tries through right wing Chay Fihaki (2, who also kicked four first half conversions), No. 8 Vaioilini Ekuasi, hooker Soane Vikena and fullback Ruben Love (who later moved into first five).
The second half was closer, as the scoreline suggests, but both teams turned over a lot of ball and the game became disjointed towards the end. The U20s finished their scoring about 10 minutes into the second half with a try to loose forward Fabian Holland from a penalty and lineout drive.
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2021 Oceania Rugby U20 Championship Postponed
Following consultation with Rugby Australia and New Zealand Rugby, who were due to contest the title, Oceania Rugby announced today the tough decision to postpone the 2021 Oceania Rugby U20 Championship.
The Championship was scheduled to take place on Tuesday 6 and Saturday 10 July 2021 at Bond University on the Gold Coast Australia.
Due to the current COVID-19 outbreak in Australia Oceania Rugby with the two teams determined the evolving border restrictions presented unavoidable challenges in teams and officials assembling for the matches.Oceania Rugby continues to adjust the 2021 tournament schedule and looks forward to announcing a new date for the 2021 Oceania Rugby U20 Championship.
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https://www.allblacks.com/news/new-zealand-under-20-ready-for-home-campaign/
The New Zealand Under 20s have turned their attention to a domestic series of matches, with ongoing traveling restrictions seeing the cancellation of their Oceania fixtures against Australia, in Australia.
Due to fly to Australia for a two-match series, the team will now remain at home, with matches against a Harlequins XV, Ta$man Mako XV and the Cook Islands.The New Zealand Under 20 campaign is:
v Wellington, June 30 in Palmerston North – 40-0 Win
v Harlequins XV, July 7 in Hamilton, kick off 2.30pm at FMG Stadium
v Ta$man Mako, July 11 in Blenheim, kick off 2.30pm at Lansdowne Park
v Cook Islands, July 17 in Auckland, kick off 12noon at Dilworth CollegeThe New Zealand Under 20 team for today’s match is:
1: Joe Gavigan (Manawatu)
2: Soane Vikena (Auckland)
3: Sione Ahio (Auckland)
4: Fabian Holland (Otago)
5: Zach Gallagher (Canterbury)
6: TK Howden (Manawatu)
7: Anton Segner ( Ta$man)
8: Vaiolini Ekuasi (Auckland)
9: Cortez Lee Ratima (Waikato)
10: Aidan Morgan (Wellington
11: Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Taranaki)
12: Corey Evans (Auckland)
13: Gideon Wrampling (Waikato)
14: Chay Fihaki (Canterbury)
15: Ruben Love (Wellington)16: George Bell (Canterbury)
17: Jack Sexton (Canterbury)
18: Luca Inch ( Ta$man)
19: Dom Gardiner (Canterbury)
20: Sean Withy (Otago)
21: Nathan Hastie (Otago)
22: Peter Lakai (Wellington)
23: Te Paea Cook Savage (Waikato)
25: Nathaniel Peters (Taranaki)
27: Riley Higgins (Wellington)
28: Meihana Grindlay (Auckland)
29: Manu Paea (Auckland)
30: Harry Godfrey (Hawkes Bay) -
Is Jack Sexton Mat Sexton's kid?
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@crazy-horse Yes. Dominic is the son of Angus.
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Nice for the U20s players to get a run, but pretty meaningless playing against teams like that Harlequins team. Maybe a Ta$man Mako XV, depending who are playing, might offer some opposition, but today's game will be very lopsided. Couldn't they form a NZ Barbarians U20 team from all the U20 players that didn't make the NZ U20 squad? Are some of them in that Harlequins team?
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This match was much different to the U20s first game. The final score was 52-33 (HT: 40-26).
Both teams made a lot of changes at HT with only Holland, Morgan, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens and Fihaki coming back to start the 2nd half. That meant the 2nd half was disjointed.
Wrampling was the captain to start the game. The U20s started fast and led 21-0 in quick time before the Harlequins got into the game and scored some good tries of their own. Their first was by Naholo from a cross-kick. He had been caught from behind just a few minutes earlier with the goal line in sight. Went off injured not long after that.
The 2nd half U20 scrum got monstered at times so that is a big work-on. The Harlequins reserve props were big.
I liked the look of the Harlequins no.7 Finua but the biggest oh ah from the crowd was when Malachi Wrampling used Grindlay as a doormat.
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@bovidae said in 2021 New Zealand U20s:
Wrampling was the captain to start the game. The U20s started fast and led 21-0 in quick time before the Harlequins got into the game and scored some good tries of their own. Their first was by Naholo from a cross-kick. He had been caught from behind just a few minutes earlier with the goal line in sight. Went off injured not long after that.
Sounds very typical of him. Hopefully it isn't too bad.
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This game will be livestreamed on the the Ta$man Community Rugby page on Facebook.
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Livestream (at least one of the links should work):
Mako XV v NZ U20 | Watch the Mako XV play NZ Under 20's live from...
Watch the Mako XV play NZ Under 20's live from Lansdowne Park, Blenheim
