NZ Schools Rugby 2025
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Defence clearly optional for both teams here.
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@KiwiMurph said in NZ Schools Rugby 2025:
Wasn't there a story where NZ tried to move to NZ U18s model as opposed to NZ Schools and got push back?
Wonder if it might get more steam after this?
I was just thinking the same. What would a combined Schools plus Barbarians side + Mika look like? 40 points better?
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I've just watched this game now. That 2nd half defence was embarrassing. Tito and co are out of their depth as coaches.
There needs to be some changes for game 2, but I doubt the result will be any different. I'd like to see Viljoen start at 1st 5 as Taylor was disappointing. Change the midfield too, especially Su'a.
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@SouthernMann said in NZ Schools Rugby 2025:
I was just thinking the same. What would a combined Schools plus Barbarians side + Mika look like? 40 points better?
Last year's Māori U18 team would beat this NZ Schools team too. I didn't think that the 2025 Barbarian U18s were as strong as the 2024 cohort either but there were some players who would clearly strengthen a NZ U18 team, particularly in the tight five.
It doesn't look like there were many players who have left school in the Aust U18s either. Just better coaching - again.
1 Kingsley Uys - The Southport School
2 Isaac Rauluni - Nudgee College
3 Levi Slater - Nudgee College
4 Isaac Fonua - The King's School
5 William Ross - Padua College
6 Justice Taumoepeau - St Joseph's College
7 Jarvis Orr - Knox Grammar
8 Heinz Lemoto - The Scots College
9 Angus Grover (c) - St Ignatius College, Riverview
10 Finn Mackay - Souths Rugby Club, Brisbane
11 Talen Risati - The King's School
12 Treyvon Pritchard - Anglican Church Grammar School
13 Cyrus Bloomfield - Oakhill College
14 Brody Folkes - St Ignatius College, Riverview
15 Nicholas Conway - Wests Rugby Club, BrisbaneReserves
16 Oliver Smith - The King's School
17 Tito Hamala - Nudgee College
18 Hasani Bloomfield - The King's School
19 Ed Kasprowicz - Sydney University
20 TJ Talaileva - Barker College
21 Chayse Geros - St Augustine's College
22 Archie Mesritz - Nudgee College
23 Rory O'Connor - St Joseph's College -
Are the talent spotters doing a good enough job? When was the last time a player was selected from a smaller School? A player like Carlos Spencer from Waiopehu College or a Jacobsen from Cambridge High School. Are they finding that diamond in the rough?
Some of these players obviously don't come to notice until they make their local rep team at this time of the year. Some might get scholarships but not every talented kid gets that opportunity. Some also leave school early too.
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The better school players tend to gravitate towards a bigger rugby school nowadays, even if for only Y12 and 13. As the coaches nominate players to be considered for the school national rep teams I doubt they (NZR selectors) will look at someone who isn't playing in one of the major competitions. It's different at U19 level where they are playing club rugby irrespective of what school they went to. There are recent examples of both.
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@NTA don’t think you’re right, RA have tidied up the pipeline. Most of these boys would be signed already, and the 1 or 2 that go to league have probably shown enough interest to give them a crack to develop some good will and get them back later (like sualii). And the. Scrapping the giteau law and keeping them involved (like lemoto) will only increase chances of them playing for wallabies. I have a completely opposite outlook, future looks bright for aus
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Plus the age level super competition has more coverage, so I expect more juniors to remain.
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Thats embarrassing, wonder if that will wake NZR up that they need to do something, player retention and upskilling would seem a big issue.
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@ACT-Crusader said in NZ Schools Rugby 2025:
Plus the age level super competition has more coverage, so I expect more juniors to remain.
At the end of the day they're are still only so many pro contracts in Rugby union here.
I'd love to think that NSW U16 and U19 thrashing everyone bodes well for the Tahs but it simply isn't the case
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@slammer said in NZ Schools Rugby 2025:
How many players who have finished school would be eligible for the NZ U18s?
An u18 tournament is a good idea. Would be similar to Craven Week in SA following which SA Schools and SA Schools A and then SA U18 and SA U18 A teams are selected
Seven players in the Babas U18s plus the unavailable Mika Muliaina. Not sure how much of a difference that cohort would make.
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In the Barbarians, Josh Findlay was one of the NZS hookers last year. Brayden Neilson was in the Chiefs U20 squad this year but wouldn't be any better than the wingers in the NZS squad. Drew Berg-McLean is a good openside. Corban King would probably be better than the TH props with a year of club rugby behind him.
There are a couple of front rowers in the Māori U18s too that might be better options.
I would argue that some of the Barbarian and Māori U18 players still at school are better too. Elijah Solomona would have been one of my NZS opensides.
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