2020 NZ Schools

[Bovidae]

Blake Makiri must be injured as he is in the NZ Schools squad of 50 but not in the Chiefs or Blues U18 squad. He was poached from Sacred Heart.

[taniwharugby]

@Bovidae a couple of the names in the starting line ups are on the bench for the other team (Sean Ralph and Heath McEwan starting for Clarke, benching for Messam)

[Bovidae]

@taniwharugby There are a handful playing in the first game who are also reserves in the second game. Probably comes down to numbers and injuries to some original selections.

[Bovidae]

A good afternoon of rugby under the sun. A lot of the Blues ABs were watching too.

If the results matter, Chiefs Clarke beat Blues Maungawhau 14-10 and Blues Maungakiekie beat Chiefs Messam 26-17.

Almost all of the Blues Maungakiekie starting XV is part of the 50-man squad for NZ Schools, and their 9 (Iobu) and 10 (Faleafaga) will likely be first choice for NZ Schools.

It will be interesting to see who else makes which squad.

[Stargazer]

Crusaders Junior XV to take on Highlanders U18 tomorrow in Timaru (k/o 12.30pm):

[Stargazer]

Highlanders U18 to play Crusaders Junior XV:

[Bovidae]

@Stargazer Do they both have another team playing too? Neither have their top-rated players in these teams.

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae I don't know; this is all that has been posted on the Crusaders and Highlanders social media, so I assume it's one game only.

[Bovidae]

Interesting also that even though the Crusaders have a reputation of producing 1st 5s this is the second time in recent years they have a 1st 5 from the NI. Previously it was Fergus Burke (St Paul's Collegiate) and now Jack Parker (NPBHS).

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae I must say I've lost all faith in the selection process over the last few years, at least in the Hurrcianes region, but I don't know whether it's any better elsewhere.

[Stargazer]

Just wondering. The Crusaders and Highlanders U18 teams above don't include the players selected for the 2020 New Zealand Barbarians Under 18 squad. So maybe the players that are in the squad have already travelled to the NI and play each other there, and maybe a game against Hurricanes U18? The silence from the Hurricanes has been deafening about the U18s, so no idea what's going on there.

[Bovidae]

@Stargazer There's only 3 from Otago in that squad so they probably aren't going to be involved in the Highlanders U18 team. As you say, the same for the Crusaders players. I'm not sure who the Hurricanes U18s could play unless an inter-squad game.

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae Maybe they combine the best from the Crusaders and Highlanders U18 squad to play Hurricanes U18?

[chchfanatic]

There are no Christ’s college or Nelson college players. We also have 13 boys in the nz schools camp. It’s a shame they can’t have them on different weeks.

[chchfanatic]

@Bovidae It’s an interesting selection as they already have Ollie Lewis from last year. I think nearly every school this year had a year 12 first five.

[Bovidae]

@chchfanatic The Chiefs U18 1st 5 is also a year 12 (Taha Kemara from Hamilton BHS) so not uncommon in the NI either. He's made the 50 for the NZ Schools teams.

[Stargazer]

The Napier Boys' 1st five (Afa Moleli), who's in the Hurricanes U18, is also a year 12. He should have made the 50, but has been overlooked.

[Bovidae]

I'm not sure who the other 2 1st 5s selected are. I assume one of the Canterbury players and maybe someone from Wellington.

The Blues U18 team had players selected for the 50 who were only on their bench yesterday.

[Kiwidom]

@Stargazer The blindside flanker Keanu Vanisi is the son of former Highlanders and Hurricanes flanker Kupu Vanisi

[Stargazer]

The Crusaders are posting updates of the U18s game on their twitter account:

https://twitter.com/crusadersrugby/status/1311814380225404928