U20 Rugby Championship 2025

[cgrant]

Set pieces are a concern for the AB U20 with hookers not capable of throwing correctly and beanpole locks who can't scrum.

[Left Right Out 0]

Be hard for those just out of school to make it i would think. Theres too many who are playing NPC or Premier level already and doing so very well.

What positions in the 20s are up for grabs?

Forwards werent too flash last year so i would expect some change there. Bason will likely captain and played very well for the Hurricanes. Front row looks solid with good depth. Second row could be a push with some solid starters but i worry about who is in behind them. Loose trio will be fine.

For me the backs look likely to change a little.

At halfback, Pledger and maybe Tamati would be my two must haves. 1st 5 will be Simpson buylt after him is a toss up. I dont like the defensive qualities of any 10s i watched in Taupo. Very average to say the least.

Midfield will be stacked, especially with Tito Harris back. One of those Canterbury lads or Oconnor perhaps to partner him?

Solomon will play fullback. Hes got a great allround game. Wings is a toss up between a number of quality players, including the fijian boys from canterbury, chiefs have solid wings, denyer from hurricanes and the otago young guy who has already played NPC.

[SouthernMann]

Article in the ODT saying the U20s have been selected. They will be assembling in mid-April. That they wont be back to their provinces/clubs until July. So we should be seeing the national squad publicly named within the next few days?

[Bovidae]

If NZ wants to perform at the RC U20s next month, and the WC they need to take it seriously with their preparation.

[Left Right Out 0]

NZ U20 named

[Landers92]

@Left-Right-Out-0 no Kyan Rangitutua has me stumped.

[Bovidae]

That's a weaker squad than I thought it would be. Milton Haig is the new coach.

New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has announced Haig will lead the Under 20 coaching group alongside returning assistant coaches Jarrad Hoeata and Craig Dunlea with the addition of Alex Robertson.

More importantly:

Unavailable due to injury
Logan Wallace, Aisake Vakasiuola, Jayden Sa.

Unavailable due to All Blacks Sevens duties
Oli Mathis, Joey Taumateine, Xavier Tito-Harris, Frank Vaenuku.

[Bovidae]

https://www.nzrugby.co.nz/news-and-events/latest-news/2025-new-zealand-under-20-squad-and-coaching-group-announced

Hookers
Shaun Kempton, Highlanders/Southland
Manumaua Letiu, Crusaders/Canterbury
Eli Oudenryn, Crusaders/ Ta$man

Props
Tamiano Ahloo, Blues/Auckland
Robson Faleafa, Blues/Auckland
Dane Johnston, Chiefs/Taranaki
Riley Tofilau, Blues/North Harbour
Sika Pole, Blues/Auckland

Locks
Dylan Eti, Chiefs/Waikato
Joshua Tengblad, Highlanders/Otago
Randall Baker, Blues/Auckland

Loose Forwards
Mosese Bason, Hurricanes/Manawatū
Micah Fale, Chiefs/Waikato
Harry Irving, Hurricanes/Wellington
Aio Keith, Blues/Auckland
Xavier Treacy, Crusaders/Canterbury
Caleb Woodley, Blues/Auckland
Finn McLeod, Crusaders/Canterbury

Halfbacks
Dylan Pledger, Highlanders/Otago
Charlie Sinton, Chiefs/Bay of Plenty
Jai Tamati, Hurricanes/ Manawatū

First five-eighth
Will Cole, Hurricanes/Hawke’s Bay
Rico Simpson, Blues/Auckland

Midfielders
James Cameron, Crusaders/Canterbury
Tayne Harvey, Highlanders/Southland
Cooper Roberts, Crusaders/ Ta$man
Jack Wiseman, Chiefs/Taranaki

Outside backs
Maloni Kunawave, Crusaders/ Ta$man
Taniela Maisiri, Chiefs/Bay of Plenty
Harlyn Saunoa, Blues/Auckland
Stanley Solomon, Hurricanes/Wellington

[Landers92]

Slightly off topic - With the Crusaders having Manumaua Letiu and SR20’s player of the tournament Eli Oudenryn in the system, along with a 23 year old George Bell on the books, there will be a talented young hooker or 2 available to a needy NPC/super rugby side in the near future I think.

[Bovidae]

The prop selection is a puzzler to me. So the Blues have 4 of the 5 best props, and neither starting Chiefs prop gets selected. Johnston was only a reserve until Kupita got injured.

[Left Right Out 0]

Strong halfbacks. Agree 100% with these 3 selections. Midfield as well looks fairly spot on for me.

I think we are weak at 10. Simpson is good but not great and we all know my feelings on Cole. Tiatia could have been a better option.

Outside backs a little perplexed. Maisiri and Saunoa werent even the best outside backs for their teams letalone making this squad. Rangitutua, Denyer, Norrie, Salmon would have been ahead of these two in my books.

[Landers92]

Christian MacEwan(Lock) and Kyan Rangitutia(Outside back) are on standby. Unsure about who else is on standby though.

[Mamuka]

This post is deleted!

[Mamuka]

@Bovidae will these 7s players be available for rwc?

[Mr Fish]

This post is deleted!

[Mauss]

Some interesting selections. Like I said, I wasn't able to watch the SR U20 games so some players - like Riley Tofilau, Xavier Treacy and Harry Irving - are relatively unknown to me. Looking forward to watching them play, either way.

@Bovidae said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:

Unavailable due to injury
Logan Wallace, Aisake Vakasiuola, Jayden Sa.

Unavailable due to All Blacks Sevens duties
Oli Mathis, Joey Taumateine, Xavier Tito-Harris, Frank Vaenuku.

You'd expect all of these players to be starting, or close to it, in different circumstances. So that would explain some of the more surprising selections, to a degree.

Can't say I understand some of the omissions, like those of Raharuhi Palmer, Nathan Salmon and Pyrenees Boyle-Tiatia.

In terms of the coaching group, I'm glad that Hoeata is retained, I thought the forwards went well last year. With Robertson coming in, though, we're looking at a completely new attacking philosophy to Brad Cooper's from last year. Milton Haig is not exactly an inspiring appointment either. It does feel like the job isn't a particularly attractive prospect at the moment.

[Bovidae]

We need Vakasiuola to be fit as there isn't a power lock selected. Eti and Tengblad are both tall and lean while Baker is a converted lock who plays more at no.8.

I'd worry about the scrum against bigger opposition.

[Bovidae]

@Mamuka said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:

@Bovidae will these 7s players be available for rwc?

In previous years, some U20 players in a SR squad or involved with NZ sevens have been selected. The last sevens tournament is in early May.

[Bovidae]

Aust will be playing a Japan U23 team coached by Eddie Jones on Friday.

[Mauss]

@Bovidae said in U20 Rugby Championship 2025:

We need Vakasiuola to be fit as there isn't a power lock selected. Eti and Tengblad are both tall and lean while Baker is a converted lock who plays more at no.8.

I'd worry about the scrum against bigger opposition.

If Vakasiuola can't recover in time, the obvious replacement looked, to me, to be Frazer Brown but he didn't play the SR U20 tournament either, I think. Maybe also a long-term injury? Randall Baker, from what I've seen, does seem to be robustly built.

The scrum might be a real issue. It's very rarely a real strength of the NZ U20s but this cohort does look weak in that area. Relatively small hookers and skinny locks certainly won't help. I have high hopes for Tamiano Ahloo but he's more of an all-rounder than a scrummaging expert, I feel.

The good news is that the developments in the game are starting to favour attack. And this team could be very potent offensively. So I presume they'll focus on unlocking different ways of scoring rather than focus on their defence.