NZ Schools Rugby 2025
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Last year the NZS did select some 1st XV combinations, not that it helped much either. We had the Tauranga BC and Nelson College 8-9-10. The TBC players started the test against the Aust U18s. You would think that Viljoen and Su'a would have a better understanding given they are teammates at PNBHS. We didn't really see it.
Bang on about the lack of development pathways. Those advocating for the SR franchises to be in control of age-group rugby and academy player development only need to look at the current situation. The Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders U18s only played a single game in the last few days. The Chiefs U18s played a 2nd XV against the Māori U18s after one practice, and the Blues U18s didn't play at all AFAIK. The Blues and Chiefs U18s have always played their A and B teams against each other in recent years. Nothing this year. At the same time we've had the Northern Region PU teams in competitions for U18 and U19 with a U16 tournament too.
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@Tim said in NZ Schools Rugby 2025:
Kind of odd that Westlake won the Blues region again, but didn't get a player in the squad?
Two players in the Barbarians U18s. But yeah, there are always strange selections and it is not reflective of the performance of the team. I've read and heard first-hand from Rotorua BHS supporters who believe they they should have had many more players in the NZS squad. They got more than Hamilton BHS did the year before. The general consensus is too many 1A players.
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@Bovidae There are definitely too many players going straight into coaching at reasonably high levels instead of doing their time in the clubs. There'd be some great club /school coaches getting leap frogged by ex-players. Tito clearly isn't the right man for that job. Two years in a row has confirmed that
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Cop out from Tito here, trying to blame 1XV coaches for his side's defensive woes.
LISTEN: Why Australian schoolboy rugby is becoming superior to NZ
“We’re at a different level here and we can’t keep up."
Only 2 years ago we smacked Australia U18s in both games, now all of sudden the sky is falling with our 1XV pathways...not buying it. The only difference has been the NZSS selectors and coaches.
Game 1: NZSS win 34-3
Game 2: NZSS win 55-36
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@taniwharugby For the majority but guys like Etene Nanai & Francis Manulelua, Siale Pahulu. I even think picking Nico Stanley young was to prevent from being signed to an NRL club
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There were quite a few in the Aust U18 team that also play RL, and that includes Heinz Lemoto, who has/will sign with Toulouse. Aust rugby definitely gives their schoolboy players more opportunities. NZ doesn't have a U16 team or national SR U16 competition, for example.
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Clearly selections and coaching not an issue.
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Fuck
Dont know what happened there.So NZR was to select a NZ U18 team, but it appears did'nt, or maybe it did.
And the trials teams were:
NZSS XV (NZSSC, an NZR associated member)
Maori XV (a separate, but integral part of NZR)
Barbarians XV (invitation club, also an NZR associate)
Chiefs XV (NZR super club)All separate entities. The coaching teams responsible to different institutions.
May as well be from different countries.Just make some smoke and sneak away.
No one is guna have to really take responsiblity for the mess. -
I believe that Matt Sexton and Ben Fisher oversee the selection process, but you would assume that the NZS coaches are closely involved too. The key point is that the NZS team is selected first, followed by the Barbarian U18s and then the Māori U18s. The NZS team gets first choice of all players from 1st XVs, which made them losing to the Māori U18s last year even funnier.
They are all under NZR control. They aren't trial teams as the teams are set. Some NZ Barbarian U18 players (from those at school) are often added to the NZS squad due to injury. A Chiefs U18 team was used to make up numbers so the Barbarians U18s and Māori U18s had two games each. Next year PI teams should be involved again, and Aust U18 should be back in NZ as well.
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Yeah
I had a think about this.
I know they want to spread the net and make sure they dont miss anyone.
They are just making it more complicated than it needs, or wants to be.So maybe they should do the trial thing.
Form a selection panel; NZR rep, Maori rep, Schools rep, SR rep.
Select a 100 or so players; select 4 teams (twice), and play a couple games.
Then do the final selection, and there you have it, NZU18,.
A bit more straight forward.If NZ Schools Council want to do something additional on their own, that's their business.
I think they have this problem in Aus. Probably even worse there. Catholic/Private/State in separate comps.
At least our schools play in unified comps.How old does a player need to be before they can sign a contract?
Late charge delivers NZ Schools win over Australian Schools and U18s
