2023 NZ Schools

[Stargazer]

I can't remember reading what the plans for NZ Schools are, this year, but the naming of U18 teams by the Super Rugby franchises is usually the first step.

The Crusaders have named their U18 squad.

The next generation of aspiring Crusaders have been selected for the Junior Crusaders Camp 2023.

Fifty under-18 players will attend the camp from 3-6 October, including 12 who return for a second year. Coaches will then choose 35 players to travel to Blenheim for a 7 October fixture versus the Junior Hurricanes.

2023 Junior Crusaders XV Announced

Fifty under-18 players will attend the camp from 3-6 October, including 12 who return for a second year. Selectors will then choose 35 players to travel to Blenheim for a 7 October fixture versus the Junior Hurricanes.

[Higgins]

To note, there are two players designated as being from Westlake BHS amongst that lot.

[Stargazer]

@Higgins Yeah, that's not unusual. For example, Aidan Morgan and Chicago Doyle were in the Hurricanes U18 squad when they attended King's College.

[Bovidae]

@Higgins said in 2023 NZ Schools:

To note, there are two players designated as being from Westlake BHS amongst that lot.

No St Paul's players though, which is often the case. Hopefully Waikato and the Chiefs keep hold of their best players.

[Stargazer]

In the past, the NZ Schools teams were named the day after the Top 4 finals, but the last few years it has been a bit different, not just because of Covid, but also because there are regional camps. Only the Crusaders U18 team has been named, as far as I've seen.

Having said that, we saw last year that the NZ Schools teams were named before these camps took place, strangely enough.

Has anyone seen anything that indicated when the teams will be named, this year?

And has anyone seen a programme? Who are they playing this year, and where?

[Bovidae]

Last year the games were played in mid-October, so if that is the same this year they still have a few weeks to confirm selections, and for more provincial U18 games to be played.

[Stargazer]

I just checked the Aussie School Rugby website. The Aussie Schoolboys and Australian Barbarians sides were named in July, and in the announcement it only says:

THE TEAMS WILL PLAY IN A THREE-WAY COMPETITION WITH TONGAN SCHOOLBOYS IN AUSTRALIA IN SEPTEMBER 2023.

Nothing about playing NZ.

Will we again only be playing Fiji and the other NZ teams? And why no longer the Aussies?

[Bovidae]

@Stargazer

This is from allblacks.com:

UPCOMING FIXTURES
SATURDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2023
NZ Māori Under 18 v Northland U19 Selection – 12 midday (St Pauls Collegiate, Hamilton)
NZ Schools v NZ Barbarian U18 – 2pm (St Pauls Collegiate, Hamilton)

THURSDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER 2023
NZ Barbarian Under 18 v NZ Māori Under 18 – 12 Midday (St Pauls Collegiate, Hamilton)
Australia Under 18 v NZ Schools – 2pm local time (Viking Park, Canberra)

MONDAY 2ND OCTOBER 2023
Australia Under 18 v NZ Schools – 11am local time (Viking Park, Canberra)

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae Haha, typical. That site is always so late in showing fixtures that I didn't even look there, and now it has them without any announcement. Or did I miss that one, too?

[Bovidae]

@Stargazer As you can see the "news" is at least two years old, so that info was added separately.

New Zealand Schools

[Bovidae]

On that same page is this link, which (in theory), explains the selection process.

https://www.allblacks.com/assets/NZSS-Selection-process-2023.pdf

[Bovidae]

I see that the squads have been named today.

https://www.allblacks.com/news/international-competition-returns-for-new-zealand-schools/

https://www.allblacks.com/assets/NZ-Schools-Final-v2.pdf

https://www.allblacks.com/assets/NZ-Barbarians-U18-Final.pdf

https://www.allblacks.com/assets/NZ-Maori-U18-Final.pdf

[SouthernMann]

The younger brother of Fabian Holland makes the cut in the NZ Schools team.

Only one from the victorious Southland Boys side.

[Stargazer]

Frustrating that Hawke's Bay's best player this season hasn't been named in any of the squads.
Angus Prouting should have been on the NZ Schools list, or at least the Barbarians U18 list.

[Bovidae]

Mosese Bason is the younger brother of last year's captain - Vernon Bason. Putoko and Pledger are back from the 2022 team. Jai Tamati is relegated to the Barbarians. There are others in both the Barbarians U18s and Māori U18s from the 2022 NZ Schools squad too.

[Bovidae]

@Stargazer I couldn't even tell you who the locks are in the NZ Schools team. I am assuming Holland is one?

[Stargazer]

And strangely enough, NZ Rugby has now deleted the tweet with the team lists and link to the media release.

[Tim]

@Bovidae Are they related to Will Bason?

[Bovidae]

@Tim

[Chris]

@Bovidae

Jake Frost from Christchurch Boys high is a lock.