Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Blues release two future stars for Super Rugby Aotearoa Under 20s competition

Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens. (Photo by William Booth/Getty Images)

The bye week has come at the perfect time, as far as two of the Blues’ most promising young stars will be concerned.

ADVERTISEMENT

From Sunday, the Blues Under 20s side will compete with other age-grade representative teams from across the country for the inaugural Super Rugby Aotearoa Under 20s trophy and the Auckland-based side will be bolstered by the inclusion of outside back Jacob Ratumaituvuki-Kneepkens and hooker Soane Vikena.

The pair will be available for just the Blues’ opening match of the competition but it will grant the two youngsters the opportunity to finally amass some minutes this year, having not yet had a run around for the full squad.

Video Spacer

All Blacks Dane Coles, Sevu Reece, Shannon Frizell, and Scott Barrett share their favourite drills, what other position they want to play and what their number one tip is for young rugby players. Brought to you by Healthspan Elite.

Video Spacer

All Blacks Dane Coles, Sevu Reece, Shannon Frizell, and Scott Barrett share their favourite drills, what other position they want to play and what their number one tip is for young rugby players. Brought to you by Healthspan Elite.

Vikena was named the Blues development player of the year in 2020 but suffered a pec injury when representing Auckland in the Mitre 10 Cup and has only just returned to full fitness.

Meanwhile, Ratumaituvuki-Kneepkens was a stand-out for Taranaki in last year’s provincial competition and has featured for the New Zealand national sevens side.

Former Saint Kentigerns loose forward Cam Church will lead the side but he’ll be well supported by the team’s many former high school captains.

Hooker Ray Sua (Kelston Boys), prop Leandro Vakatini (Kings College) and loosies Chlayton Frans (Westlake Boys) and Church all captained their schools’ First XVs.

ADVERTISEMENT

A number of players have previously earned national selection for either NZ Secondary Schools or Under 18s squads, including hookers Viken and Hanz Leota, locks James Brown and Allan Craig, loose forwards Church and Dayto Iobu Vaiolini Ekuasi, halfback Manu Paea, first five Christian Stenhouse, and midfielder Meihana Grindlay. Corey Evans was also selected in the wider national Under 20 squad for 2020.

There are players with strong family links to sporting success including Auckland prop Josh Fusitua, a brother of Warriors player David Fusitua and loose forward Wallace Sititi, whose father Semo played in the Rugby World Cup for Manu Samoa.

The Blues Under 20 squad warmed up with a 26-12 win over the Chiefs last weekend and will play the Crusaders at 3pm on Sunday 11 April; the Barbarians at 11.30am on Wednesday 14 April and the Hurricanes at 3pm on Saturday 17 April.

Blues Under 20 Squad:

Hooker: Soane Vikena (Blues), Ray Sua (Auckland), Hanz Leota (Auckland)

ADVERTISEMENT

Prop: Leandro Vakatini (Auckland), Josh Fusitua (Auckland), Esile Fono (Northland), Sione Ahio (Auckland), Ryan Mead (North Harbour)

Lock: James Brown (Auckland), Allan Craig (Northland), Josh Beehre (Auckland)

Loose forwards: Wallace Sititi (Auckland), Chlayton Frans (North Harbour), Cam Church (Auckland, Captain), Will Bason (Auckland), Jordan Hutchings (Auckland), Vaiolini Ekuasi (Auckland)

Halfback: Manu Paea (Auckland), Dayton Iobu (Auckland)

First five: Christian Stenhouse (Auckland), Jock McKenzie (Auckland)

Midfield: Meihana Grindlay (Auckland), Corey Evans (Auckland), Sage Shaw-Tait (Auckland)

Outside backs: Joel Cobb (Auckland), Ryan Nankivell (Auckland), Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Blues), Sofai Maka (Auckland).

Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

H
Hellhound 1 hour ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

I mean overall talent, not that they will all play 20 years. That is impossible with rugby. The younger players like Elrigh is of course not world class yet. With more experience they will become world class. They are already exceptional players. Not even Eben and the current boys was world class when they started. They were exceptional yes, but not world class. Only experience brings that.


Generational players is very few and far inbetween who is world class from the off. The younger players can only become world class with the proper training and experience isn't something that can be bought. It's something they have to earn through their careers.


As for SRP being a good competition, I disagree. It's slanted in NZ favour and always has been. It's not what it used to be. The URC is now rated as the top club competition in the world next to the top 14 outside of the CC, and I didn't make up that rankings. You feel SRP is better because of our bias towards the NH, but it simply is not.


Yes, I don't know all the young Bucs of NZ coming through, but most of those you named I've seen and they are very good players but not exceptional nor world class. Just as with SA youngsters, that is something that will come with experience and they will become world class and is definitely the future for them.


NZ and Australia don't have the player pool depth that SA have. NZ's are bigger than most, but then most of their stars came from the Island nations like Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. If you count them, then maybe yes, they have as big a pool.


NZ will always be a top 3 team, as will SA. At least for the next 2 decades. That doesn't mean that other countries don't have some world class youngsters coming through either.


I don't claim that SA will win everything for the next 20 years. Nor that they will win the next 5 WC's. A lot depends on players, coaches, law changes and how the game keeps changing. There is too much variables. SA do have a bright future for the next 20 years , players who will hold the flag high. Same with NZ.


Nothing and no one can stop the Rivalry. I know the Irish is trying to replace the Boks with themselves as the main rivals. Everyone tunes in to watch the Boks vs AB's, all over the world. Every year. That is the most anticipated Tests by everyone every year.

82 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ England and their Chief problem England and their Chief problem
Search