NZ U/20’s 2014
As discussed earlier in this thread the management of the ‘Junior Blacks’ are taking a more prepared approached to the 2015 JWC, and for mine they are going to have a squad that will likely contain players with international exposure (i.e. Super Rugby and Sevens) thus putting them in good stead you would assume.
The extended train on squad, which appears below, does not contain players selected for Super Rugby franchises (they also appear below). For obvious reasons they were not considered, however one would assume that such players will likely be released when the time comes.
For mine there are some notable omissions from the extended squad (e.g., Sam McNicol: a NZ Schools 2013 representative who made the Wellington Lions 2014 ITM Cup team). It would be interesting to know what has happened to such players.
I have highlighted those players with NZ representative experience in ‘BOLD’, using numbering which highlights that player’s representative experience. As you will see there are numerous players that have been consistently progressing through NZ Rugby’s representative ranks/pathways.
Essentially the NZ'landers will carry over several key and experienced players from last year's JWC. All of whom are in key positions and who were apart of the 2014 leadership group. Around this group they should be able to construct a reasonable and formidably strong team! IMO they will likely use the Australian game(s) to finalise the same.
Super Rugby Players
Tevita Li (Scrum Half - North Harbour - Blues)1,3
Blake Gibson (Loosie - Auckland - Blues)2
Damien McKenzie (Full Back - Waikato - Chiefs)2,3,5
Anton Lienert-Brown (Fly Half – Waikato – Chiefs)3
Geoff Cridge (Lock - Hawkes Bay - Hurricanes)3
Hugh Renton (Loosie - Hurricanes)6
NZ U/20 Extended Squad
Props
Isileli Tu'ungafasi (Auckland)
Morgan Poi (Wellington)10
Tom Hill (Canterbury)2
Aidan Ross (Bay of Plenty)
Atunaisa Moli (Waikato)2,3
Blair Prinsep (Canterbury)
Tau Koloamatangi (Waikato)3,5
Michael Tamoaieta (Auckland)2
Hookers
Liam Polwart (Auckland)
Ricky Riccitelli (Otago)
Travis Taylor (Manawatu)
Steven Misa (Waikato)
Locks
Mitchell Dunshea (Canterbury)
Hamish Dalziel (Canterbury)
Joshua Goodhue (Northland)2
Liam Hallam-Eames (Wellington)
Jamie Lane (Auckland)2
James Blackwell (Wellington)6
Loose Forwards
Ethan Blackadder (Tasman)
Sam Wasley (Wellington)
Sam Godwin (Canterbury)
Mitchell Karpik (Auckland)2,5
Henry Stowers (Wellington)11
Dillon Hunt (Otago)
Teariki Ben-Nicholas (Wellington)
Alex Fitzgerald (Otago)
Akira Ioane (Auckland)2,8
Dylan Wihongi (North Harbour)2,5
Scrum Halves
Harrison Levien (Waikato)2
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (Taranaki)
Lisati Milo-Harris (Auckland)6,7
Sam Malcom (Manawatu)
Luke Campbell (Wellington)
Fly Halves
Daniel Hollinshead (Bay Of Plenty)6
Mitchell Hunt (Auckland)
Fletcher Smith (Otago)9
Centres
TJ Faiane (Auckland)2,3,5
Jonathan Fa'auli (Canterbury)2
Wes Goosen (Wellington)2
Jack Goodhue (Canterbury)9
Sean Wainui (Taranaki)
Rieko Ioane (Auckland)4,9
Wings
Pryor Collier (Auckland)
Faraimo Nofoaigo (Wellington)
Tu Puoho Stephens (Canterbury)
Fletcher Matthews (Tasman)6
Gavin Stark (Otago)2
Shaun Stevenson (Auckland)4
Fullbacks
George Bridge (Canterbury)
Luteru Laulala (Canterbury)5
Jaye Thompson Southland
1.NZ Schools 2012
2.NZ Schools 2013
3.NZ U/20’s 2014
4.NZ Schools 2014
5.NZ Schools Barbarians 2012
6.NZ Schools Barbarians 2013
7.NZ Schools Barbarians 2014
8.NZ Sevens 2013/14
9.NZ Sevens 2014/15
10.NZ Universities
11.Samoan U/20’s 2014
