Squad named for Under 20 World Championship camp

Mar 7 • General News, International • 1757 Views • Comments Off on Squad named for Under 20 World Championship camp

Forty-eight players have been selected to attend the second New Zealand Under 20 development camp in Palmerston North from 9-13 March, in the build up to the World Rugby Under 20 Championship to be held in Georgia in May and June this year.

The full camp is preceded by specialist coaching clinic for the tight-five on 7-8 March.

The tight-five clinic is being led by All Blacks scrum coach Mike Cron, New Zealand Under 20 and Hawkes Bay Head Coach Craig Philpott, New Zealand Under 20 scrum coach and former All Blacks and Crusaders prop Dave Hewett, and Crusaders hooker, Kings coach and New Zealand Rugby Talent Identification Manager Matt Sexton.

Date: Media are invited to attend the tight-five clinic on Wednesday 8 March
Time: 10.30am-12.30pm to capture vision and photos, and from 12.30pm to interview the tight-five clinic coaches and players.
Where: Sport and Rugby Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North.

Please contact Andrew Campbell on andrew.campbell@nzrugby.co.nz or 021 243 8573 if you plan to attend the media opportunity.

“Playing for New Zealand Under 20 can be the launch pad to a professional rugby career, and this development camp is an integral component of the player development system in this country,” said New Zealand Under 20 Head Coach Craig Philpott.

“This programme is a great breeding ground for new talent to put their hand up for higher honours. 10 players from last year’s Under 20 team have been selected for Investec Super Rugby squads this year and 23 of the players on last years All Blacks end of year tour have previously been part of the Under 20 programme.”

Players selected to attend the development camp are:

Forwards:

Dylan Lam	North Harbour
John (JP) Sauni	Auckland
Ezekiel Lindenmuth	Auckland
Jerry Samania	Auckland
Jacob Pierce	Auckland
Cameron Suafoa	Auckland
Samuel Slade	Auckland
Dalton Papalii	Auckland
Adrian Choat	Auckland
Sione Tuipulotu	Counties
Sam Caird	Waikato
Shneil Singh	Waikato
Laghlan McWhannell	Waikato
Luke Jacobson	Waikato
Ryan Coxan	Waikato
Du’Plessis Kirifi	Waikato
Pouri Rakete-Stones	Hawkes Bay
Marino Mikaele -Tuu	Hawkes Bay
Brayden Iose	Manawatu
Chris Cairns	Manawatu
Asafo Aumua	Wellington
Ben Power	Wellington
Isaia Walker-Leawere	Wellington
Josh Brown	Wellington
Harrison Allan	Canterbury
Tom Christie	Canterbury
Slade McDowall	Otago

Backs

Tamati Tua	Northland
Lewis Gjaltema	North Harbour
James Little	North Harbour
Otumaka Mausia	Auckland
Tanielu Tele’a	Auckland
Nikolai Foliaki	Auckland
Caleb Clarke	Auckland
To’o Vaega	Auckland
Orbyn Leger	Counties
Tyler Campbell	Waikato
Matt Lansdown	Waikato
Tiaan Falcon	Hawkes Bay
Kemara Hauiti-Parapara	Wellington
Carlos Price	Wellington
Billy Proctor	Wellington
Tima Faingaanuku	Tasman
Ereatara Enari	Canterbury
Braydon Ennor	Canterbury
Josh McKay	Canterbury
Will Jordan	Canterbury
Jonah Nareki	Otago

Note: further front row players will be selected following the tight-five clinic.

Not attending due to injury or Super Rugby commitments:

Sheldon Tovio	Waikato
Jordie Barrett	Taranaki
Stephen Perofeta	Taranaki
Alex Fidow	Wellington
Thomas Umaga Jensen	Wellington
Peter Umaga Jensen	Wellington
Lester Maulolo	Wellington

New Zealand Under 20 will hold a further camp in April, before taking part in the Oceania Tournament on the Gold Coast in April and May. A squad of 28 will be selected to go to the Under 20 World Championship in Georgia from 25 May – 18 June 2017.