2022 Super Rugby U20s

[Bovidae]

@bobily2 said in 2022 Super Rugby U20s:

Isi Saumaki is a good signing

Yes, surprised he has left the Crusaders system. Always looked good for STAC and I thought he was with Ta$man.

[Higgins]

@stargazer said in 2022 Super Rugby U20s:

Limiting myself to HB players, it's really disappointing not to see Kaihau Pasikala and Kere Penetito in the squad. Penetito is in the HB Academy and a great talent. Not sure where Pasikala is; hopefully not poached, but not sure whether he's in our academy, has returned to school for another year, has moved somewhere else, or has other priorities.

Number of players by province (note that they haven't just dropped players; they also have added others that weren't in the squad named in November):

Wellington: 13
Manawatū: 12
Hawke's Bay: 7
Whanganui: 1
Wairarapa Bush: 0
Horowhenua Kapiti: 0

Such a pity that Darren Larsen is still in charge.

Maybe Mr. Larsen has been up in the norther regions of the catchment and has got trapped by the floodwaters has not been able to get back to advise whether there are any players from Poverty Bay or East Coast and they have just shoehorned in a couple more Wellington players to get their numbers up?

[Stargazer]

@higgins No, didn't have players in the earlier selection either, unlike Wai-Bush and Horo-Kap.

[Steven Harris]

@stargazer Matt Monaghan is the son of former Northland first five Tony ..was schooling at Huanui college a small co ed college in Whangarei then got picked up by Kings College
One that got away from Northland

[taniwharugby]

@steven-harris he's probably the best of Tony's 4 boys, although the youngest (16) has potential, also has an outstanding mullet.

[chchfanatic]

@bovidae he got cut from the crusaders academy because of multiple indiscretions.

[Stargazer]

2022 Highlanders U20 Wider Squad:

Otago

Oscar Cowley-Andrea

Steve Salelea

Rohan Wingham

Israel Otunuku

Michael Strydom

Oahu Davies-Philips

Konrad Toleafoa

Taylor Dale

Harrison Morton

Fabian Holland

Lawrence Leung-Wai

Oliver Haig

Will Stodart

Heath McEwen

Aaron Withy

Semisi Tupou-Taeiloa

Ned Pene

Noah Hotham

Brad Campbell

Cam Millar

Ajay Faleafaga

Jake Te Hiwi

Tony Solomona

Jeremiah Asi

Oliver Foote

Bradley McPate

Jacob Waikari Jones

Finn Hurley

Filipo Whitehouse-Opetaia Tovio

Southland

Liam McIntosh

Jack Taylor

Kaea Nikora Balloch

Hayden Michaels

North Otago

Asesela Ravuvu

Management

Head Coach: Ryan Bambry

Forwards Coach: Will Henry

Attack Coach: Dean Moeahu

Defence Coach: Kane Jury

Analysis & Skills Coach: Jason Forrest

Manager: Simon Wallace

Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach: Hamish McMillian

Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brooke Eade

Physiotherapist: Karen Meehan

Performance Analysts: Sam James-Everton & Hudson James-Everton

Nutritionist: Hanna Zouggari

Super Rugby Next Gen Competition (22-28th May, Taupō)

Highlanders U20s v Barbarian FC U20s – Sunday 22nd May

Highlanders U20s v Blues U20s – Wednesday 25th May

Highlanders U20s v Chiefs U20s – Saturday 28th May

Highlanders u20's Wider Squad Named | Highlanders Rugby Club Limited Partnership

The Super Rugby Next Gen Competition will take place in May in Taupō and will provide a platform for the best under 20 talents in the Highlander’s region to showcase their skills at a national level. The quality of players and management groups across the five Super Rugby Clubs and the Barbarian...

[Stargazer]

Looking at that competition schedule, the franchise teams will only play 3 of the 6 teams (5 franchises + Barbarians).

You'd have to assume that each team that plays the Barbarians has an advantage - on the competition table - over teams that don't play the Barbarians. This was also the case, last year, wasn't it? I really hoped we'd get a full schedule, this year, with each team playing all the other 5.

[Bovidae]

At the very least each team should play the 2 teams they didn't play in 2021, which looks to be the case. Luck of the draw for the other opponent.

The 2021 schedule was:

Sunday 11 April
11am Hurricanes v Chiefs
1pm Barbarians v Highlanders
3pm Crusaders v Blues

Wednesday 14 April
11.30am Barbarians v Blues
1.30pm Hurricanes v Highlanders
3.30pm Crusaders v Chiefs

Saturday 17 April
11am Crusaders v Highlanders
1pm Barbarians v Chiefs
3pm Hurricanes v Blues

[Bovidae]

And if they do this then the Blues, Chiefs and Highlanders will all play each other, while the Barbarians, Hurricanes and Crusaders will play each other. Then it becomes Blues or Chiefs vs Hurricanes or Crusaders for their respective 3rd game.

[Stargazer]

Only just spotted that Otago/Highlanders have poached St John's (Hastings) halfback Brad Campbell. Bloody unis.

[Bovidae]

Given the competition starts next weekend you would think most teams would be playing a warm-up game this weekend. As usual, there is no promotion of any games, much less the squads.

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae It has been posted in the Hurricanes thread, but the Hurricanes U20 played a warm-up game against a Hawke's XV (last Monday), and got hammered 31 - 14. The Hurricanes only posted something a few hours before kick-off (the HBRU posted the HB XV squad the night before).

I agree with you about how poorly the promotion is. These are our future SR players, some of them will be ABs. You'd think they want people to get excited about that, and come and watch!

[Bovidae]

@Stargazer Yeah, I saw that. As an example, the Chiefs and Blues played each other last year before Taupō.

After checking the website has been updated with a fixture list.

[Bovidae]

The Chiefs and Blues don't play again. Who makes these draws?

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae Yes, they play three games. They could have changed two teams from last year.

Last year, the Chiefs played the Hurricanes, Crusaders and Barbarians. This year, the Hurricanes, Crusaders & Highlanders, so they only changed one.

I guess there are financial reasons, and work/study reasons as these players are amateurs, but playing all 5 other teams would have made the tournament so much better!

[Stargazer]

It looks like the Hurricanes U20 are playing another warm-up game this weekend; against Crusaders U20 in Blennheim.
Unfortunately it was to hard to post where in Blenheim and at what time.

hurricanesrugby: U20 | Big Friday ticked off for our U20s.

Off to Blenheim thanks to @bluebridgeferry to take on @crusadersrugbyteam U20.

#NextGen

[Bovidae]

Some obvious names missing from Waikato club rugby team lists today, who will be involved in the Chiefs U20s. I did contact Chiefs HQ to see if there was a warm-up game today, but no word back.

[Canes4life]

[Stargazer]

To include the text going with that last post:

hurricanesrugby: U20 | @crusadersrugbyteam take the win 50-45 in Blenheim

Thanks for the hit out and we’ll see you in Taupō next week.

#NextGen #CRU20vHUR20