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Getting to know: New Zealand U20s lock Liam Jack

New Zealand players, including Liam Jack (third from left) sing their national anthem in South Africa (Photo by Thinus Maritz/World Rugby)

When it comes to good genes in the New Zealand team at the World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa, look no further than second row Liam Jack. Graham Jack, the lanky lock’s father, was a 1998 Super Rugby champion playing in the Crusaders engine room.

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Meanwhile, uncle Chris Jack was a 67-cap All Black in the same position, as well as a multi-title winner for the Christchurch-based franchise before finishing up his career with two seasons at Saracens following his country’s 2007 Rugby World Cup quarter-final elimination.

The Baby Blacks’ class of 2024 arrived in Cape Town having recently won the inaugural age-grade Rugby Championship that was held on the Australian Gold Coast with a view to having their teams battle-hardened to better challenge their Six Nations rivals.

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HITS, BUMPS AND HANDOFFS! | The biggest collisions from the U20s World Championships

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HITS, BUMPS AND HANDOFFS! | The biggest collisions from the U20s World Championships

Just one southern hemisphere team – South Africa – reached the semi-finals last year along with France, Ireland and England, and that three-one split has been repeated this year, the only change being New Zealand replacing the Junior Boks in the last four.

New Zealand, who face France in Sunday’s semi-finals, dramatically defeated the French 27-26 in a July 4 pool match in Stellenbosch and ahead of their rematch at the Stormers’ iconic stadium in Cape Town, Jack has tacked the RugbyPass Getting to Know Q&A.

Fixture
World Rugby U20 Championship
New Zealand U20
31 - 55
Full-time
France U20
All Stats and Data

Amongst his replies were Sam Whitelock, Zach Bryan and Eben Etzebeth. Read on to learn why:

THE BASICS
Born: August 22, 2004;
Joined New Zealand age-grade: Schools when I was 18, against Fiji in ’22;
Club: Canterbury, Crusaders academy;
Height: 6ft 6;
Weight: 110kgs;
Position: Lock;
Boots: Adidas RS15;
Gumshield: Just the white normal ones, the branded one that everyone has to wear;
Headgear: No;
School: Christ College.

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RATE YOURSELF (out of 100)
Pace: 75;
Passing: 75;
Tackling: 90.

THE PAST
My favourite New Zealand player of all time is… Sam Whitelock;

Favourite try I have ever scored is… Rolling maul for Lincoln Rams;

A rugby memory that makes me smile is… Winning the Super Rugby U20s with the Crusaders this year;

The moment I realised I could make it is… Probably last year at school for Christ College. Good team, played a couple of good games, ended up making the New Zealand schools;

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One piece of advice I would give to my younger self is… I would say don’t judge yourself, just do whatever you have to do;

My best subject in school was… Probably maths;

First player that made me fall in love with rugby was… Probably Sam Whitelock;

Growing up, my position was… Lock but tried a bit at No8. No8 came first, then got a bit taller;

The coach who has most impacted my game is… Probably my dad. He coached me as a kid, Graham Jack, when I first started U13s.

THE PRESENT
My best attributes on the field are… I work hard, win the set-piece, clean rucks;

One thing I’m doing to improve my education is… I’m doing a bachelor of architecture at Canterbury Ara;

My favourite current New Zealand player is… Probably Scott Barrett;

My hardest working teammate is… Probably Johnny Lee;

My most skilful teammate is… Probably Xavi Taele;

My favourite training drill is… Probably just lineouts;

My favourite music artist is… Probably Zach Bryan.

THE FUTURE
A player who could go all the way is… Probably Xavi Taele;

If I could play with anyone, I would like to play with… Probably Scott Barrett;

I will be happy with my career if I… Try my best the whole way through and gave everything I had;

One thing I want to add to my game is… Probably more size and power;

If I could play in any other country, I would play in… Probably France or Japan;

One person I want to meet is… Richie McCaw. Oh, I have met him actually. Eben Etzebeth would be interesting;

One trophy I would love to win is… The U20s World Cup.

  • Click here to sign up to RugbyPass TV for free live coverage of matches from the 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship in countries that don’t have an exclusive local host broadcaster deal

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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