2023 Super Rugby U20s

[Bovidae]

Hopefully they (Chiefs and Hurricanes) publish the teams playing. The Chiefs U20s had a large number of players involved in the game against the Chiefs Dev team, but there were also plenty of absentees.

[Bovidae]

Just seen this:

Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua join expanded Super Rugby U20s tournament

New Zealand Rugby’s (NZR) rising stars go head-to-head with the next generation of Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua U20s stars when the Bunnings Warehouse Super Rugby U20 tournament kicks off in Taupō this month.

The 2023 Bunnings Warehouse Super Rugby U20 tournament draw is:

MATCH DAY 1 - Sunday, 19 March

11:05am – Fijian Drua v Blues
12.55pm – Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika
14.45pm – Crusaders v NZ Barbarians
16.35pm – Highlanders v Chiefs

MATCH DAY 2 – Wednesday, 22 March

11:05am – Loser M1 v Loser M3
12.55pm – Loser M2 v Loser M4
14.45pm – Winner M1 v Winner M3 – SF 1
16.35pm – Winner M2 v Winner M4 – SF 2

MATCH DAY 3 – Saturday, 25 March

11:05am – Loser M5 v Loser M6 – 7&8 Playoff
12.55pm – Winner M5 v Winner M6 – 5&6 Playoff
14.45pm – Loser M7 v Loser M8 – 3&4 Playoff
16.35pm – Winner M7 v Winner M8 - FINAL

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae The Drua joining, too! That's great! That also means the return of the NZ Barbarians, which is not a bad thing.

I don't like that format, which goes straight from one "round robin" game to play-offs. Why not play a few games more after the expansion to 8 teams?

[Bovidae]

Obviously they are stuck on only playing 3 games in 7 days. This format means teams don't know who they are playing in advance (after Rd 1) so it does introduce an extra element to preparation and planning.

[Canes4life]

[cgrant]

Konrad Newland ? Is he Clint's son ? The latter was a man mountain.

[Stargazer]

@cgrant Yes, indeed his son.

[MN5]

@Stargazer said in 2023 Super Rugby U20s:

@cgrant Yes, indeed his son.

Nephew, not son

[Canes4life]

Hurricanes Under 20s named to play Crusaders. Harry Godfrey starting at 10.

[Bovidae]

Not that these pre-tournament games mean that much, but does anyone know the score from the Chiefs-Hurricanes game in Taupō?

I assume that the Chiefs and Blues U20s will be playing this weekend too.

@Canes4life I wouldn't be surprised if Taha Kemara is playing for the Crusaders U20s.

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae Haven't seen anything from the Chiefs-Canes U20 game. Pretty disappointing. They (Canes) announce a team, but no follow-up at all.

Edited to add that Kemara arrived with the Crusaders in Fiji.

[Daffy Jaffy]

Warmup game played today - Blues u20 52 - 25 Chiefs u20

[Stargazer]

Full time score:

Hurricanes U20 31 - 31 Crusaders U20

[Canes4life]

@Stargazer said in 2023 Super Rugby U20s:

Full time score:

Hurricanes U20 31 - 31 Crusaders U20

Any sort of match summary of the game?

[Stargazer]

@Canes4life Too soon.

[Winger]

@Canes4life said in 2023 Super Rugby U20s:

@Stargazer said in 2023 Super Rugby U20s:

Full time score:

Hurricanes U20 31 - 31 Crusaders U20

Any sort of match summary of the game?

Esp how (future superstar) Harry Godfrey played

Edit. And Flanders and Lauaki
Another Savea at 8. Is he related

[Stargazer]

@Winger No, Tino Savea is not related to Ardie and Julian. He's from New Caledonia.

[Stargazer]

Unfortunately, only a very brief write-up on the Club Rugby website.

The Huricanes U20s were first up on the day and scrambled to a 31-31 draw with the Crusaders U20s.

The Crusaders U20s led 31-10 after 55 minutes and had the game seemingly under control.

Both sides emptied their benches and the Hurricanes got a second wind and came back to score in the corner through captain and openside Cooper Flanders. Replacement first-five Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula slotted the sideline conversion to close the gap to 31-17. The Hurricanes scored two more converted tries over the final 10 minutes to lock it up to 31-31, the final score.

[Bovidae]

The squads will be named in the next few days I would think, so I am interested in who is in the Barbarians squad. Often that includes players who missed out in playing the previous year due to injuries etc. I hope it's a strong team again.

Have MP and Drua played any warmup games? Or are they going to be severely underdone?

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae I haven't heard anything about other U20s games than those mentioned in this thread, but MP came very late to the party (mid-January), so have probably been fishing in the same "left-overs" pond as the NZ Barbarians.