NZ U20 v Junior Wallabies I

[Bovidae]

New Zealand Under 20 team named for first match against the Junior Wallabies

New Zealand Under 20 Head Coach Clark Laidlaw has named the team taking the field this afternoon ahead of their first match against the Junior Wallabies at NZCIS in Wellington.

New Zealand Under 20 team:

1: Ben Ake (Auckland)
2: Vernon Bason (Manawatū)
3: Maliu Niuafe (Auckland)
4: Dominic Ropeti (Wellington)
5: Tom Allen (Hawke’s Bay)
6: Malachi Wrampling-Alec (Waikato)
7: Cooper Flanders (Hawke’s Bay)
8: Peter Lakai (Wellington) – Co-captain
9: Riley Williams (Auckland)
10: Taha Kemara (Waikato) – Co-captain
11: Codemeru Vai (Bay of Plenty)
12: Xavi Taele (Auckland)
13: Essendon Tuitupou (Auckland)
14: Isaac Hutchinson (Canterbury)
15: Payton Spencer (Auckland)

16: Raymond Tuputupu (Manawatū)
17: Malakai Hala (Manawatū)
18: Bradley Crichton (Wellington)
19: Rory Woods (Northland)
20: Sam Hainsworth-Fa’aofo (Auckland)
21: Che Clark (Auckland)
22: Nic Shearer (Canterbury)
23: Ajay Faleafaga (Otago)
24: Aki Tuivailala (Waikato)
25: Finn Hurley (Otago)

[Bovidae]

So definitely not the strongest 25, with other new players added.

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae Yeah, quite a few players missing from that line-up. I sure hope Harry Godfrey isn't injured! He's a certain starter, hopefully at 10, but possibly at 15. It will be interesting to see whether Hotham plays in the second match, too. He's also a certain starter (if there), possibly with Viljoen as his back-up.

[Canes4life]

@Stargazer I think it's more of a case of giving everyone a run and keeping our best team for Saturday.

No Siale Lauaki aswell who probably starts at 3.

[Bovidae]

I do find it strange that Riley Williams comes into the squad and starts ahead of Nic Shearer, who was one of the halfbacks originally named. It does suggest they've now cast their net wider.

[Stargazer]

By the way, it's pissing down in Wellington right now. Hopefully, it will be better at kick-off time, but the ground will be soft.

[Canes4life]

@Stargazer it’s meant to be torrential rain this afternoon. 😬

[Stargazer]

Nathan Williamson  /  May 28, 2023

REPLAY: Junior Wallabies take on New Zealand U20s

[Stargazer]

One YT channels is live now:

[Bovidae]

I see that there is a small crowd there.

[Stargazer]

It's always so weird to watch a game without sound.

[Stargazer]

Oh great, both channels aren't at the synchronous.

[Duluth]

@Stargazer At least the 2nd one has sound

[Stargazer]

So there's already one player leaving the field with an injury. Looks like a frontrower.

[bobily2]

Bradley Crichton on for Maliu Niuafe

[Bovidae]

The NZ scrum has been under pressure so far.

[Stargazer]

An Aussie gets yellow.

[bobily2]

Hard to know if the scrum issues are due to the props not being up to it, or are due to a loosie being picked at lock. Either way, I hope we don't see anything like this at the JRWC - the last scrum went back quickly

[Bovidae]

@bobily2 I was thinking the same thing. IMO our three best locks aren't playing.

[Stargazer]

@Stargazer said in NZ U20 v Junior Wallabies I:

An Aussie gets yellow.

That was their no. 10 Jack Bowen