New Zealand Under 20 side named

[Draggs]

What position is Llewellyn? I think that Bryn Evans and Aled de Malmanche also have Welsh parentage.

Why the hell do you have so many Gareth's as well?
...Poachers

 

[Darwin]

What position is Llewellyn? I think that Bryn Evans and Aled de Malmanche also have Welsh parentage.

Why the hell do you have so many Gareth's as well?
...Poachers

Llewellyn is a centre.

 

[ranger]

Interestingly, I had almost exactly the same team in mind. I had the same backline (and backline reserves), but I had Luatua starting at lock and a loose-trio of Shields, Cane, and Whitelock (with Bedwell-Curtis on the bench), however I did seriously consider Shields at lock with a loose-trio of Cane, Bedwell-Curtis, and Whitelock.

Great minds i guess. I think youre more on the money in that Bedwell-Curtis will come out lower on the pecking order, but he is such a ridiculous talent i had to start him.

 

[Charles]

What position is Llewellyn? I think that Bryn Evans and Aled de Malmanche also have Welsh parentage.

Why the hell do you have so many Gareth's as well?
...Poachers

We'll claim this one, thank you

 

[Peat]

Four. Luke is the youngest.

Go on, admit it, they're part of a concerted breeding program.

 

[ranger]

I must say there are a hell of a lot of brothers kicking around NZ rugby. I think there might actually be more Barretts than there are Whitelocks.

 

[crusader21]

Watch out for hooker Codie Taylor ! NZ Secondary schools captain 2009
this guy is part of the crusaders wider trainign group but will be pushing for a crusaders and canterbury starting 22 spot next year , he is a 106kg hooker with the pace of a winger and has amazing skills .

 

[bobbilycious]

The team to play Italy has been announced

1 Greg Pleasants-Tate - North Harbour
2 Sefo Setefano - Waikato
3 Michael Kainga - Wellington
4 Steven Luatua - Auckland
5 Dominic Bird - Canterbury
6 Luke Whitelock, captain - Canterbury
7 Sam Cane - Bay of Plenty
8 Carl Axtens - Bay of Plenty
9 Brad Weber - Otago
10 Gareth Anscombe - Auckland
11 Francis Saili - Auckland
12 Lima Sopoaga - Wellington
13 Glen Robertson - Waikato
14 Mitchell Scott - Tasman
15 Charles Piutau - Auckland

16 Codie Taylor - Canterbury
17 Solomona Sakalia - Wellington
18 Brad Shields - Wellington
19 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis - Taranaki
20 TJ Perenara - Wellington
21 Nathan George - Waikato
22 Beauden Barrett - Taranaki

 

[Darwin]

The team to play Italy has been announced

1 Greg Pleasants-Tate - North Harbour
2 Sefo Setefano - Waikato
3 Michael Kainga - Wellington
4 Steven Luatua - Auckland
5 Dominic Bird - Canterbury
6 Luke Whitelock, captain - Canterbury
7 Sam Cane - Bay of Plenty
8 Carl Axtens - Bay of Plenty
9 Brad Weber - Otago
10 Gareth Anscombe - Auckland
11 Francis Saili - Auckland
12 Lima Sopoaga - Wellington
13 Glen Robertson - Waikato
14 Mitchell Scott - Tasman
15 Charles Piutau - Auckland

16 Codie Taylor - Canterbury
17 Solomona Sakalia - Wellington
18 Brad Shields - Wellington
19 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis - Taranaki
20 TJ Perenara - Wellington
21 Nathan George - Waikato
22 Beauden Barrett - Taranaki

Surprised to see Robertson in 13 and Saili in 11... I would have expected Saili in the midfield and Robertson on the wing. Though to be fair I don't watch enough age-grade rugby to really have much of an idea what positions most of these players are capable of playing! Can't really read much into team selection at the early stages of the tournament, as NZ tend to mix up their team quite a bit during pool play.

Really looking forward to the start of the tournament.

 

[bobbilycious]

Surprised to see Robertson in 13 and Saili in 11... I would have expected Saili in the midfield and Robertson on the wing. Though to be fair I don't watch enough age-grade rugby to really have much of an idea what positions most of these players are capable of playing! Can't really read much into team selection at the early stages of the tournament, as NZ tend to mix up their team quite a bit during pool play.

Really looking forward to the start of the tournament.

I dunno what style Saili plays but maybe it is to do with balance in the midfield (maybe Robertson complements Sopoaga's style better)?
To be honest, I don't know much about any of the players until they start getting ITM Cup time (and even then I don't have Sky). Also interesting is Charles Piutau at fullback.

Yea, I can't wait. It's been a long few weeks!