WR U20 Championship 2025

[Bovidae]

@hikastags said in WR U20 Championship 2025:

Pakuranga Rugby Club announced on their facebook page that Randall Baker (injury reserve) will be going on tour.

Wonder who he's going in place of.

Radio silence about the U20s. It could be a big loss if it's one of the locks.

[Bovidae]

Who is missing in this photo? I can't see Josh Tengblad.

[Mauss]

@Bovidae Looks like Tengblad's missing, yeah. I also don't see Micah Fale and Tamiano Ahloo either. Losing both Tengblad and Fale would be unfortunate, as they're two of the squad's best players.

I suspect the player squatting down on the far right is the replacement prop. It should probably be Palmer but I don't immediately recognize him. Baker's also there and it looks like Mika Muliaina on the left hand side.

[Nepia]

@Bovidae said in WR U20 Championship 2025:

A change in the Aust squad due to injury.

Meanwhile, the Australia U20s squad was dealt a blow after Reds star Dre Pakeho was ruled out with a calf injury. Pakeho will be replaced by Brumbies midfielder Malakye Enasio, who started in the win over South Africa.

Pakeho would have been a guaranteed starter.

I read that as Dre Pakeha and was hoping he'd be a fair skinned Maori and that he was studying medicine.

[hikastags]

Did they end up naming who replaced Milton Haig?

Getting info on our U20s is like getting blood out of a stone.

[Number 10]

Updated squad list:

Hookers
Shaun Kempton, Highlanders/Southland
Manumaua Letiu, Crusaders/Canterbury
Eli Oudenryn, Crusaders/ Ta$man

Props
Robson Faleafā, Blues/Auckland
Dane Johnston, Chiefs/Taranaki
Sika Pole, Blues/Auckland
Israel Time, Hurricanes/Wellington (replacing Tamiano Ahloo)
Logan Wallace, Hurricanes/Manawatu

Locks
Jayden Sa, Chiefs/Taranaki
Josh Tengblad, Highlanders/Otago
Aisake Vakasiuola, Chiefs/Bay of Plenty

Loose Forwards
Mosese Bason, Hurricanes/Manawatū
Micah Fale, Chiefs/Waikato
Oli Mathis, Chiefs/Waikato
Xavier Treacy, Crusaders/Canterbury
Caleb Woodley, Blues/Auckland
Finn McLeod, Crusaders/Canterbury

Halfbacks
Ollie Burra, Crusaders, Canterbury (replacing Charlie Sinton)
Dylan Pledger, Highlanders/Otago
Jai Tamati, Hurricanes/Manawatū

First five-eighth
Will Cole, Hurricanes/Hawke’s Bay
Rico Simpson, Blues/Auckland

Midfield
James Cameron, Crusaders/Canterbury
Tayne Harvey, Highlanders/Southland
Cooper Roberts, Crusaders/ Ta$man
Jack Wiseman, Chiefs/Taranaki

Outside Backs
Maloni Kunawave, Crusaders/ Ta$man
Harlyn Saunoa, Blues/Auckland
Stanley Solomon, Hurricanes/Wellington
Frank Vaenuku, Chiefs/Bay of Plenty

Co Head-Coaches
Jarrad Hoeata and Alex Robertson

Scrum Coach:
Craig Dunlea

Defence Coach:
Dave Dillon

New Zealand Under 20s match schedule:

Monday 30 June, 6:30am NZT
New Zealand v Italy – Stadio San Michele, Calvisano

Saturday 5 July, 4:00am NZT
New Zealand v Georgia – Stadia Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana

Thursday 10 July, 4:00am NZT
New Zealand v Ireland – Stadio San Michele, Calvisano

TBC
Playoff matches

[Bovidae]

No Randall Baker as reported?

[hikastags]

That's a shame about Sinton. He was good.

[Bovidae]

Sinton must have got injured in Italy. He is in the photo I posted. Palmer might have picked up an unfortunate injury as he is missing from club rugby in the last 2 weeks.

[Bovidae]

[Kiwidom]

Interesting Rico Simpson at full back

[brodean]

Simpson was there in that last match against SA for the second half. It worked well.

[Bovidae]

Yeah, they tended to end games with that 10-15 combo. I don't think this is the strongest lock and loose forward selection, which suggests rotation.

[tomk]

This post is deleted!

[Mamuka]

Where is Eli and Maloni? Mathis?

[DaGrubster]

@booboo said in WR U20 Championship 2025:

Any word on the real reasons for Haig going?

It was him that headbutted Razor

[Bovidae]

@Mamuka said in WR U20 Championship 2025:

Where is Eli and Maloni? Mathis?

Vaenuku would be the no.1 winger so they've moved Solomon to accommodate Simpson at fullback. I expect all players will get a game in the pool matches. The Italians look to have some giant forwards. Let's see how Wallace's return helps the scrum.

[Bovidae]

I had a brief chat to Raharuhi Palmer at a club game today. As I suspected he is injured, a pect injury which means he is out of action for 3 months.

[Mamuka]

@Bovidae I think ball carrying and crossing the advantage line will not be a problem against the Italians, but scrummaging is questionable

[Mauss]

Junior Wallabies are getting smacked by the Junior Boks in Italy. Some poor kicking by Sharples, Fowler and Harvey has given the Junior Bok back 3 plenty of opportunities to attack in open space. Couple that with Junior Wallaby handling errors and a malfunctioning set-piece, and you’re looking at a hard road back for them in the 2nd half.

As far as the Junior Boks are concerned, players like Haashim Pead and Gilermo Mentoe look a whole lot better with space and a hard pitch to run around on. Still a bit concerned that some of those Saffa fatties are going to run out of gas sooner rather than later. Still looking good so far, though.

Halftime score Junior Wallabies 5-33 Junior Boks.