The Silver Fern

That was an abysmal performance, and serious questions should be asked about the coaching of youth rugby in NZ, because somehow we have turned up at an U20 Level, with Props who can't actually Prop a scrum - I understand how First XV level, but how is this occuring at a level where players potentially a rolling out for an ITM or Super level side if injuries strike?

After watching the recent U20 Tournament, you would also have to ask about the selection policy because players like Saunoa and Kunawave did not stand out, and there appeared to be better outside backs—I mean, Saunoa is clearly a physical specimen, but you scratch your head about what else he offers, and the less said about Kunawave and his defence and decision-making, the better.

This team will have some serious scores run up against it by the likes of England and France at the coming WC tournament—both those sides have forward packs that will take this NZ side to the cleaners—and when you watch the game, it's a real head-scratcher how, at this level, we have a forward pack that seems to lack the basic skill set required for this level.

Over the last couple of years, the one big weakness of the NZ U20 side has been our pack and its lack of core skills—scrummaging/line-out play, etc. This has frequently been shown up by the big Nth Packs. Now, it's pretty apparent from watching NZ vs. Oz games at U18 and U20 Levels over the past couple of years that Oz have now moved forward in terms of their player development.

It's not the players' fault, but there is a far bigger question around what the NZRFU is actually doing regarding core skill development for youth players. We seem to be years behind when you watch a 6 Nations U20 game.

@taniwharugby—Yip, it's beyond me how we don't have someone like Mike Cron either travelling or getting tight forwards into Palm Nth to work on their skills.

Pretty clear from the 6 Nations the amount of investment going into this level of rugby and reality is that given our mid-tier level of players are heading offshore, more and more we are requiring these young players to step up sooner into ITM and Super level ranks than what they are ready for.

Given that we will always have some of the best open field runners in the world, I'm surprised that the NZRFU is not going heavy into the development of the tight 5, whose underperformance has become very apparent (whilst North invests heavily) and is concerning given these players are who will be in the AB squad in circa 5 odd years etc.

Still can't believe how a team, key to the development of ABs and other senior levels of rugby in NZ, have departed the shores without a head coach?

Surely they could have roped in someone like Jamie Joseph for a few weeks to give some leadership? Instead, we have a series of co-coaches, none of whom you would perceive as "senior coaches" but more like guys who are assistants at the ITM/Super level.

I'm scratching my head over how the NZRFU sees the U20 Programme and the level, given the recent debacle around the NZ Schoolboys/U18 programme, where NZ Schools refused to agree to NZ U18 being the premier team for that age grade.

Finally D Pledger has a huge future, but his passing is dreadful at this level, he is very lucky that the likes of Cole have the skills to pick up his passes at their feet, but surprising that his skillset has gone backwards this year.

@Bovidae, what so leave one of our premier national teams without a Senior coach and leave them to a grouping of co-coaches who have never held a senior head coaching position? They had at least a month to bring in someone senior to at least give some direction, instead exactly how do you get a unified voice around tactics - if the job is shared? Last time I recall something like this was job sharing between Grizz Wyllie and John Hart at the 91 WC and that did not exactly go well either.