New Zealand under 20
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="leytonandamanda" data-cid="585552" data-time="1465332717">
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<p>Got injured in the Gold Coast<br><br><br>
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<p>He's not injured. He has been carving up in Club Rugby over the last four weeks since that Gold Coast game. He wasn't selected because of his age apparently as he can play in next years World Cup. They left him out to give guys like Trainor, Stevenson and Lowe a crack as they will not get the chance next year which I guess is fair enough. </p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="dK" data-cid="585561" data-time="1465337467">
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<p>You should b going to the Harley ;)</p>
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<p>If it is still out on Saturday, I'll definitely be going to the Harley to watch.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canes4life" data-cid="585562" data-time="1465337729">
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<p>He's not injured. He has been carving up in Club Rugby over the last four weeks since that Gold Coast game. He wasn't selected because of his age apparently as he can play in next years World Cup. They left him out to give guys like Trainor, Stevenson and Lowe a crack as they will not get the chance next year which I guess is fair enough. </p>
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<p>This annoys me - we lost several world cups, and part of the reason was that we didn't select the best team available. If they're eligible and good enough, they should be selected regardless of age. Would much prefer Umaga-Jensen and Emerson (who isn't even a year younger) to Tuitama and Makene.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="bobily" data-cid="585565" data-time="1465339025">
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<p>This annoys me - we lost several world cups, and part of the reason was that we didn't select the best team available. If they're eligible and good enough, they should be selected regardless of age. Would much prefer Umaga-Jensen and Emerson (who isn't even a year younger) to Tuitama and Makene.</p>
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<p>The old adage of if you are good enough you are old enough should hold firm here. In the past guys have been given two bites at the cherry if deserving - Zac Guildford being one. It's one selection on one junior rep team but anything that gets away from a meritocracy undermines one of the key reasons the NZ Rugby machine has been so strong in the past decade.</p> -
<p>They have still given guys a chance if they are younger, in many cases (Barrett, Perofeta and about 7 other players). They removed their policy of only one younger player per rep team a few years ago. So it was probably whether Umaga-Jensen was rated enough to be taken ahead of Makene/Tuitama despite being a year younger. In my opinion, he did enough considering Tuitama played poorly against Australia, and Makene barely got game time.</p>
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<p>Peter Umaga Jensen was the main reason Scots made it to the National Schools final in consecutive years. He is one of the biggest talents to come out of school rugby for some time and he has taken that form into Wellington club rugby scoring tries at will. Therefore there is no doubt about his ability. </p>
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<p>I watched the game he played against Australia on the Gold Coast and to be fair the ball didn't really go his way before he got injured. Maybe his non selection was just down to the fact that Robertson was unable to see enough of him. </p>
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<p>Umaga Jensen has also been training with the Canes all year as a wider member so if he cracks the squad next year (which he most likely will) then there is a chance he may not even go to next years junior world cup, especially if he cements a spot in the Canes match day 23. </p>
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<p>On another note why wasn't Isaac Te Aute considered for selection. He was deadly in that Schools final last year.</p> -
Maybe he is too smart for a Robertson team, what with studying and University ambitions.<br><br>
If razor has a choice between 2 evenly matched players, he chooses the plank.<br><br><br><br>
N.B. Views expressed in this post are an unverified extrapolation then exaggeration of SammyC comment ages ago about a Chch academy player. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canes4life" data-cid="585572" data-time="1465340911">
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<p>Peter Umaga Jensen was the main reason Scots made it to the National Schools final in consecutive years. He is one of the biggest talents to come out of school rugby for some time and he has taken that form into Wellington club rugby scoring tries at will. Therefore there is no doubt about his ability. </p>
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<p>I watched the game he played against Australia on the Gold Coast and to be fair the ball didn't really go his way before he got injured. Maybe his non selection was just down to the fact that Robertson was unable to see enough of him. </p>
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<p>Umaga Jensen has also been training with the Canes all year as a wider member so if he cracks the squad next year (which he most likely will) then there is a chance he may not even go to next years junior world cup, especially if he cements a spot in the Canes match day 23. </p>
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<p>On another note why wasn't Isaac Te Aute considered for selection. He was deadly in that Schools final last year.</p>
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<p>Yep, no doubt that he is very good. I meant it was simply probably whether he was considered significantly better than Tuitama, or significantly better than Makene. Which I think he probably is. But who knows why, really. Scott Robertson doesn't appear to make the most logical decisions, at times.</p>
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<p>Te Aute has been training with the 7s team, so he wouldn't have been considered for any of the U20 training camps etc. Sadly, he won't be available next year, either.</p> -
<p>From watching Scots College live a number of times Peter Umaga Jensen offered alot more than Tuitama when they played together. Don't get me wrong Tuitama is solid and is very quick but Umaga Jensen plays to another level. </p>
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<p>If the selection was based on the ability of one player vs the next instead of age then I am dumbfounded as to why he wasn't picked. </p>
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<p>Picking Tuitama over Umaga Jensen would be like picking Patrick Osbourne over Ben Smith for the All Blacks. Osbourne is a solid footy player but Smith is a class above.</p>
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<p>The Under 20's however have plenty of firepower to win the Junior World Cup. With Nock, Va'a, Barrett and Stevenson we should have more than enough talent to once again lift that trophy.</p> -
<p>That's the thing, though. I don't think it is based on ability. I think it is on a combination of age vs ability. So if you are the best hooker and your birth year was 1996, you will get picked. If you are the second best hooker and your birth year is 1997, then you will only get picked if you are considered to be a fair amount better than the next best option with a 1996 birth year.</p>
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<p>The non-selection of Umaga-Jensen would then indicate that you have to be MUCH better if you are a year younger, or that given Umaga-Jensen's injury meant that they hadn't seen enough of him, and didn't have the chance to show he is a fair bit better than Tuitama/Makene.</p>
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<p>Either way, I agree that he should be there.</p> -
<p>If they had an attitude problem I don't think Peter would have been given the NZ Schools captain duties a year back.</p>
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<p>Here's the Japanese tries vs the Junior Boks - all by one guy. First try it looks like the Boks think they're playing touch rugby - especially the effort by the number 11. :)</p>
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<p>Looks like a big boy! Already being likened to Jonah.</p> -
<p>That was the first game I've watched Jordie Barrett and it was against Georgia but jeez that kid seems to have excellent poise and rugby IQ. Very exciting prospect.</p>
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<p>Hopefully doesn't go the same way as another AB younger brother who I thought would hit 40 tests easy after watching this tournament - Luke Braid.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="585604" data-time="1465351644">
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<p>Here's the Japanese tries vs the Junior Boks - all by one guy. First try it looks like the Boks think they're playing touch rugby - especially the effort by the number 11. :)</p>
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<p>Looks like a big boy! Already being likened to Jonah.</p>
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<p>Hopefully Japan can keep their hands on him. </p> -
Was Jacobsen acting like he had just been bitten? When the cameras were on him as the comma gave him motm?
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Sam Nock looks the goods, big time. I love the A Smith style halfbacks that have back into fashion.
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Canes4life" data-cid="585606" data-time="1465353076">
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<p>Hopefully Japan can keep their hands on him. </p>
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<p>Commited now. Japan doesn't have an 'A' side.</p>
