2019 Jock Hobbs Memorial National U19 Tournament
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Auckland U19A team to play North Harbour U19:
1 Shalom Viliamu (Grammar TEC), 2 Soane Vikena (Ponsonby), 3 Mase Neemia (Ponsonby), 4 Damien Naufahu (Eden), 5 Robert Rush (Ponsonby), 6 Terrell Peita (Ponsonby), 7 Joseph Fabish (Ponsonby), 8 Niko Jones - Co-Captain (Waitemata), 9 Taufa Funaki (Marist), 10 Zarn Sullivan (College Rifles), 11 Heremaia Murray (Grammar TEC), 12 Patrick Elia (College Rifles), 13 Lemeki Namoa - Co-Captain (Pakuranga), 14 Leweni Mocevakaca (Marist), 15 Jack Gray (Grammar TEC)
Reserves: 16 Mateo Taiseni (College Rifles), 17 Champagnat Solomono-Mua (Marist), 18 Cameron Finefuiaki (Pakuranga), 19 John Latu (Ponsonby), 20 Sione Ahio (Waitemata), 21 Samuel Wye (Ponsonby), 22 Jerry Wilson (Ponsonby), 23 Danny Silivelio (Suburbs)Auckland U19 Dev team to play Northland U19:
1 Tualamiu Tauasosi (Manukau), 2 Thomas Drumm (Eden), 3 Pio Sefo (University), 4 Terepai King (Ponsonby), 5 Benjamin Plummer - Vice-Captain (Ponsonby), 6 Sione Takai (Pakuranga), 7 Sione Ma'asi (Marist), 8 Foliga Gabreil (Waitemata), 9 Thomas Strachan - Captain - Grammar TEC, 10 Jermaine Malaga (Papatoetoe), 11 Connor Moors (Waitemata), 12 Louis Saena (Waitemata), 13 Valentino Adam (Grammar TEC), 14 Sosene Mataena (Suburbs), 15 Levi Filiga (Marist)
Reserves: 16 Eric McLoughlin (Eden), 17 Va'a Maelega (Papatoetoe), 18 Nathaniel Cocker-Valu (Ponsonby), 19 Dominic Tevao (College Rifles), 20 Abraham Tongotongo (Grammar TEC), 21 Cody Mitchell (College Rifles), 22 Folau Latu (Grammar TEC), 23 Mcgyver Liu Chan (Papatoetoe) -
Wellington Under 19s put away Hawkes Bay comfortably over the weekend. (highlights below)
They have also named their squad for this year's Jock Hobbs Under19 Tournament:
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@Bovidae said in 2019 Jock Hobbs Memorial National U19 Tournament:
When you look at those results Southland is doing it tough in this age group too.
Anywhere away from the 'big' schools looks to be doing it tough.
College Rugby has a big negative effect on provincial rugby when even youngsters are sucked away to other areas -
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@Bovidae said in 2019 Jock Hobbs Memorial National U19 Tournament:
@Crucial It would be interesting to see how many Southland-schooled players are representing other provinces in this tournament.
More-so how many Southland/ Northland/ CM/ Ta$man and heartland kids are.
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@Bovidae 6 Northlanders playing for Auckland Under 19s..if you were a parent with a promising kid in a smaller region and he gets a scholarship..hard to argue with it.
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@Steven-Harris said in 2019 Jock Hobbs Memorial National U19 Tournament:
@Bovidae 6 Northlanders playing for Auckland Under 19s..if you were a parent with a promising kid in a smaller region and he gets a scholarship..hard to argue with it.
And where does that kid end up? Not back with Northland usually.
I don’t think it should be controlled as kids deserve opportunities but you can’t deny that it is a factor in the weakening of “outer provinces “ -
@Steven-Harris At least 2 Northlanders in the Waikato U19s (Reihana and Parker). Speaking to someone at the Waikato-Counties U19 game the halfback and 1st 5 playing for Waikato are both ex Gisborne BHS. The halfback is Charlie Ngatai's nephew, and I do remember seeing him play for GBHS.
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@Bovidae Reihana is one we would definitely love to get back in the North..I don’t think fullback is his best position but can understand why he’s in that position with Fletcher Smith running at first five
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although kids leaving for scholarships (not just rugby ones) isnt a new thing, happened when I was at school (which was a few years back now) and I expect it will happen for years to come.
I believe there is a local scheme set up to get talented youngsters into the Auckland system (unsure if it is just with AGS, but one boy I know of is there)...this may mean they never come back, but by the same token, they may not reach thier potential if they stay here.
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@Steven-Harris said in 2019 Jock Hobbs Memorial National U19 Tournament:
@Bovidae Reihana is one we would definitely love to get back in the North..I don’t think fullback is his best position but can understand why he’s in that position with Fletcher Smith running at first five
Likely out of necessity.
- Campbell got injured early in the Canterbury game
- Alaimalo injured in the last preseason game
- Lansdown made his first appearance off the bench vs Auckland after injury
It will be interesting to see if Reihana is released to play for the U19s after being named in the original squad.
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@Crucial Yep, and Hawke's Bay. Look at that Wellington squad. The first two names on their list are former HB age grade players, who played the National Top 4 Final for Napier Boys 1st XV, last year. I haven't looked at all the squads, but there are at least last year's Hastings Boys winger Naikotani in the Canterbury squad, and Zarn Sullivan in the Auckland squad, too.
