New Zealand under 20
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<p>I hope the players got the memo. They are set to leave in a few days!!</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="584123" data-time="1464614258">
<p>Excuse my ignorance, but what's the Shaq effect?</p>
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<br><p>I think rotated is suggesting that Jonah Lowe was named after a certain winger who was quite the phenom at the time.</p>
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<p><img src="https://harvardsportsanalysis.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/plot1.jpg?w=640" alt="plot1.jpg?w=640"></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="584125" data-time="1464614944">
<div>
<p>I think rotated is suggesting that Jonah Lowe was named after a certain winger who was quite the phenom at the time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="https://harvardsportsanalysis.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/plot1.jpg?w=640" alt="plot1.jpg?w=640"></p>
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<p>If that's what he means, I'm 100% sure rotated is right.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stargazer" data-cid="584123" data-time="1464614258">
<div>
<p>Excuse my ignorance, but what's the Shaq effect? </p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Don nailed it and they have all been filtering through the college basketball and football competitions in the past 2-3 years. I think four joined the NFL in the past 2 seasons out of college.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I guess as well has having more out there, if you have a parent who is going to name their kid exclusively after an athlete they are going to be more likely to push them into that sport too. At least that is my plan with little Kane, Carlos and Christian.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>edit: I don't think NZs BDM lets you generate the same graph for Jonah, but even looking at <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.nsw.gov.au/about-nsw/popular-baby-names'>Australia </a>here if you punch in Jonah you can see from 1995 onwards... boom.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="rotated" data-cid="584130" data-time="1464616400">
<div>
<p>Don nailed it and they have all been filtering through the college basketball and football competitions in the past 2-3 years. I think four joined the NFL in the past 2 seasons out of college.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I guess as well has having more out there, if you have a parent who is going to name their kid exclusively after an athlete they are going to be more likely to push them into that sport too. At least that is my plan with little Kane, Carlos and Christian.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>edit: I don't think NZs BDM lets you generate the same graph for Jonah, but even looking at <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.nsw.gov.au/about-nsw/popular-baby-names'>Australia </a>here if you punch in Jonah you can see from 1995 onwards... boom.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p>I looked here: <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/Services-Births-Deaths-and-Marriages-Most-Popular-Male-and-Female-First-Names?OpenDocument'>https://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/Services-Births-Deaths-and-Marriages-Most-Popular-Male-and-Female-First-Names?OpenDocument</a></p>
<p>in this document </p>
<ul type="disc"><li><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/Files/Top-baby-names-1954-2015/$file/Top-baby-names-1954-2015.xlsx'><u>1954 - 2015 Top 100 names at birth (xlsx 178kb)</u></a></li>
</ul><p>Jonah doesn't seem to be among the most popular boys names in any year.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="rotated" data-cid="584130" data-time="1464616400">
<div>
<p> </p>
<p>edit: I don't think NZs BDM lets you generate the same graph for Jonah, but even looking at <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='https://www.nsw.gov.au/about-nsw/popular-baby-names'>Australia </a>here if you punch in Jonah you can see from 1995 onwards... boom.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I was a little skeptical but it looks like Lomu really could have kicked off the popularity.</p>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
<p> </p>
<p style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Geneva, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:small;">The name has been steadily rising since <span style="color:rgb(0,127,127);">1996 </span>when it ranked #<strong>312 </strong>with <strong>78</strong> births. It plateaued somewhat until <span style="color:rgb(0,127,127);">2006</span>, after which it moved up through the Top 300 and spiked at #<strong>168</strong> with <strong>342 </strong>births in <span style="color:rgb(0,127,127);">2011</span>. </p>
<div> </div>
<p> </p>
</blockquote>
<div> </div>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2014/06/jonah.html'>http://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2014/06/jonah.html</a></p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="sparky" data-cid="584078" data-time="1464599565"><p>
"></a></p></blockquote>
Jordie Barrett looks like a Future All Black:<br><br><a class="bbc_url" href="
<br>
He's a good cricketer too, although he missed the u19 team for this years u19 cwc, so looks like he is choosing right. And that team subsequently bombed out (even though it looked our best potential team in 10 years) -
<p>This kicks off in sleeps. Trying to get a gauge on the competition according to Paddy Power NZ are prohibitive favourites at evens.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Boks $3.50.</p>
<p>England $6.00.</p>
<p>Aussie $7.00</p>
<p>Wales, France $9.00</p>
<p>All others $40+.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So the Wales, Ireland, Georgia pool we have looks pretty weak.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="rotated" data-cid="585115" data-time="1465065144"><p>This kicks off in sleeps. Trying to get a gauge on the competition according to Paddy Power NZ are prohibitive favourites at evens.<br>
<br>
Boks $3.50.<br>
England $6.00.<br>
Aussie $7.00<br>
Wales, France $9.00<br>
All others $40+.<br>
<br>
So the Wales, Ireland, Georgia pool we have looks pretty weak.</p></blockquote>
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Wales won the 6 nations grand slam and Ireland beat England away from home. England have strengthened since then but having them second favourites is due to past performances. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="profitius" data-cid="585217" data-time="1465117130">
<div>
<p>Wales won the 6 nations grand slam and Ireland beat England away from home. England have strengthened since then but having them second favourites is due to past performances.</p>
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<p>England will be a bit of an unknown quantity. The backline will be completely different with players who were busy playing AP rugby during the 6N coming back in (Brophy Clews, Mallinder, Williams, Thorley, Marchant). However the pack will be largely the same (Evans at openside the notable exception) and it's really not a vintage year on that front. The odds on England should certainly be longer than $6.00</p> -
<p>Here's the team to play Georgia <strong>Wednesday</strong> morning (SS1 at 6.40 am NZT).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>1. Ayden Johnstone 2. Leni Apisai (c) 3. Sosefo Kautai 4. Quinten Strange 5. Isaia Walker-Leawere 6. Luke Jacobson 7. Mitchell Jacobson 8. Marino Mikaele-Tu’u 9. Sam Nock 10. TJ Va’a 11. Jonah Lowe 12. Jordie Barrett 13. Patelesio Tomkinson 14. Caleb Makene 15. Shaun Stevenson<br><strong>Reserves: </strong>16. Asafo Aumua 17. Shaun Stodart 18. Alex Fidow 19. Hamish Dalzell 20. Hapakuki Moala-Liava’a 21. Jonathan Taumateine 22. Stephen Perofeta 23. Malo Tuitama</p> -
Will be interesting to watch the halves combination of Nock and Va'a. They really shined for the NZ Schools a few years ago so will be interesting to see if they can fire at this level.
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<p>A bit on Jordan Trainor, and why he hasn't played much recently.</p>
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<p><a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11651421'>http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11651421</a></p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">Jordan Trainor knows he is lucky to be with the New Zealand Under 20s in England preparing to defend their world title.<br><br>
Not due to any question marks about his ability - that is unquestioned - but his fortune comes from the fact he<strong> lacerated his liver in what was a potentially horrific injury playing club rugby for Ponsonby in April.</strong><br><br>
"The doctors weren't sure how I was going to heal. They said it could be the whole year or 5-6 weeks, so I had to take it as the weeks went by," says the 20-year-old fullback/wing from the Blues and Waikato.<br><br>
Lucky indeed that the latter prognosis came good, though he only just started taking contact again this week once the side arrived in England. He was in cotton wool for the Under 20s' final hitout against the Chiefs Development XV on Monday (a 35-24 victory) and will likely only be considered for New Zealand's second game against Ireland next Saturday.<br><br>
Trainor knows the selectors have taken a leap of faith after he was forced to miss the Oceania series in Australia last month.<br><br>
"I'm very grateful. They've shown a bit of faith in me, so hopefully I can repay that when I get out on the field," he says. He was brought into camp early last month even when he was rehabbing, just to stay in touch with the systems.<br><br>
The selectors have shown faith in Trainor because he has already shown bottle and talent on the big stage.<br><br>
How many teenage wings make their provincial debut in a Ranfurly Shield challenge and look the part from the outset?<br><br>
Trainor did just that on the wing when Waikato pinched the Shield from Hawke's Bay last October.<br><br>
That followed some compelling form for the Waikato Juniors in the Jock Hobbs Memorial national Under 19 tournament in Taupo, where his speed and skill helped them to the final.<br><br>
Close observers of the Auckland 1A competition will recall a classy fullback for St Peter's College who was the best goalkicker in the grade in 2014, winning him an NZ Schools berth.<br><br>
New Zealand Under 20s assistant coach Craig Philpott refers to Trainor as "a special player," but jokingly quips he has completely forgotten about Trainor's Waikato debut on the night his Hawke's Bay side were divested of the Shield.<br><br>
Trainor is one of 10 goalkickers, no less, among the backs, but he is potentially the best of the lot off the tee. In general, the squad is riddled with talent.<br><br>
"We always back ourselves just to play. New Zealand sides are always expected to do well. The boys are in a good space at the moment," Trainor says.<br><br>
Philpott knows some of his charges will make a name for themselves in this tournament. Some already have, with a clutch of Super Rugby players in the mix.<br><br>
"There'll be some guys who aren't too well known, but I'm picking by the end of this, people in New Zealand will know who they are."
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="585322" data-time="1465202591"><p>
A bit on Jordan Trainor, and why he hasn't played much recently.<br><br><a class="bbc_url" href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11651421">http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11651421</a></p></blockquote>
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Is this the really skinny fella who played for the schools a few years ago at Fullback?? He wasn't bad. I remember him having a superb boot. -
<p>Is this game being televised?</p>
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<p>It clashes with the English U20 game, which is being shown on Sky UK.</p>
