The Silver Fern

@Mauss

Wallace has a foot injury. I assume Letiu is needed for the Crusaders as their third hooker.

Pahulu and Guerin are still at school. They never select players that young for these teams.

As to the Chiefs, they have never listed who is unavailable due to injury. Vakasiuola and Sa are big loses. Both have NPC experience and along with Vaenuku and Mathis would be certainties to make the NZ U20s. They still can, depending on injury and sevens commitments. Taumateine must also have picked up an injury as he was a late withdrawal from the BOP Wasps game and wasn't involved in the Blues game.

For the NZ viewer: All matches will be live on Sky Sport.

Day 1 on Sky Sport 5
Day 2 on Sky Sport 1
Day 3 on Sky Sport Select

There is no mention of overseas streaming options.

There are at least six in that Barbarians squad that have Chiefs connections, so they won't be lacking motivation.

I think that the Barbarians are still U21. The squad looks to be a mixture of recent U20 players, some that missed out this year, and younger players who will feature next year.

@Left-Right-Out-0 said in SR U20s 2025:

Hurricanes team is up but i dont no how to share

I just upload the graphic. Links to FB, Insta often don't work over time.

So no Vakasiuola or Sa, but Eti is included. None of the NZ Sevens players either.

I find that the Barbarians squad is often the most interesting as it usually includes players who didn't make their final SR squad. There are at least two Chiefs wider squad players who will be playing for them. Sometimes they can be the star of the tournament, e.g., Tahlor Cahill in 2023.

Wyndham Patuawa is a handy player too so I hope he gets time on the field in Taupō.

@ARHS said in Crusaders v Force:

Coby Miln with the Force. Is that our BOP lad?

Yes. I remember watching him at Hamilton BHS.

McMillan has reverted back to starting Roe and finishing with Ratima. I think that is the best use of both players.

Corey Flynn  /  Mar 11

Injured duo named to return for Blues clash in Hamilton - Chiefs

Playmaker Damian McKenzie and captain Luke Jacobson have both been named to make their injury return on Saturday night when the Gallagher Chiefs take on the Blues at FMG Stadium […]

GALLAGHER CHIEFS INJURY UPDATE AHEAD OF ROUND 5
Josh Lord, Knee, Mid-term (4-6 weeks)
Rameka Poihipi, Knee, Season
Kaleb Trask, Hamstring, Mid-term (4-6 weeks)
Etene Nanai-Seturo, Hamstring, Long-term
Liam Coombes-Fabling, Knee, Mid-term (4-6 weeks)
Fiti Sa, Shoulder, Long-term
Wallace Sititi, Knee, Long-term
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Shoulder, Short-term

@Mamuka

Welcome.

The NZR+ platform might be used to stream the games. We'll have to wait until later in the week to confirm if this happens.

As to the NZ U20s, they did beat France, Wales and Ireland at the WC last year. From the few 6N U20 games I've watched England look to be much stronger than the other teams. It's hard to know until the squad is selected but there is plenty of talent at this level. There will also be a new NZ coaching group.

@Left-Right-Out-0 said in SR U20s 2025:

How are Moana Pasifika chosen?
Do they trial lads across the country?

I'm not sure what they are doing this year, but last year the Samoa, Tonga and Fiji U20s played each other at Albany and the MP team was mainly selected from the Samoan and Tongan players in those teams. There will be plenty who have been through the Blues and Chiefs systems (U18s etc). I posted that a couple of Counties Manukau players were amongst them.

I assume that MP have played some games. Otherwise they won't be prepared.

I'm not sure where they would be getting the money from. RL regularly signs NZ age-group rugby players.

@Left-Right-Out-0 Has the Chiefs squad been finalised yet? I hope some of the locks are fit.

DMac and Jacobson are back training. I assume that Ross, McAlister and Brown were only rested for the Drua game and are available for selection.

Break out those Marvel jerseys this round.

Yeah, some common sense and thought should go into the draw. Cue a Tui ad.

The Brumbies played both games in NZ on the same tour. There is no reason that the Reds couldn't have done the same. The Chiefs were originally going to have to go Fiji, NZ and then Tonga in two weeks.

Rumours of this move have been discussed previously.

The New Zealand U18 team will be announced following a high-performance camp and a series of matches from September 16 to 21, featuring the New Zealand Secondary Schools (NSSS), New Zealand U18 Māori and New Zealand Barbarians U18 teams, with a fourth team to be confirmed.

“We understand the desire by NZ Rugby to provide a pathway for all under 18 players, including those who have recently left school, and that this is the norm in our competitor countries, including Australia. We also understand that it is a rare occurrence in 2025 that the New Zealand and Australian school holidays align the schedule around the New Zealand Under 18s versus Australia U18s fixtures.

New Zealand U18 team introduced to high-performance pathway

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has announced the introduction of a New Zealand U18 team to the men’s national high performance pathway programme.