TRC U20 2026

@OomPB said in TRC U20 2026:

When the Stellenbosch under-18 side was formed Jan was the first ever captain. His play improved steadily over the years but after playing one test in 1974 he was on the reserve bench for the Springboks so often he became a bit disheartened. When he was again selected as reserve for the test match against the French in 1975 in Pretoria he told me he didn't want to go.

Young guys!
It's rugby, you are always going to get a chance sooner or later.

Had a bit of rethink on that 1974 Lions team.
While they were very good, the 74 bokke were soooo bad.
Brought Marais out of retirement to lead; while he had been great, I think he was mentally done 1974.
Several of the players had not played any rugby at all the previous season (after the NZ tour got called off).
Chopping and changing; 38 players in 4 games!
The Lions in contrast, up to then, were probably the best organised Lions team ever, only used 17 players!
Not the best time to make it into Big rugby for Coetzee.

Each year, the All Blacks U20 look weaker than the previous year. This 2026 team is the weakest AB U20 I have ever seen. Things may change but I don't see any of these players becoming an All Black in a near future.

Really? I thought prior to this year, year on year our U20 were looking pretty good? We finished second and third at the last two Jr RWC and this is so far our only loss at this tournament. Would be interested to see Mauss take on this year's U20 side, but it does seem pretty average.

@cgrant said in TRC U20 2026:

Each year, the All Blacks U20 look weaker than the previous year.

Huh? 2nd at the World Champs last year and lost to the overall winners in the semi (after beating them in pool play) in 2024

@cgrant said in TRC U20 2026:

Each year, the All Blacks U20 look weaker than the previous year. This 2026 team is the weakest AB U20 I have ever seen. Things may change but I don't see any of these players becoming an All Black in a near future.

Haki Wiseman looks the goods to me.

If the goal is to develop future ABs you only need a few from each cohort to make it. It would be no different to the other tier 1 countries. Occasionally you get an exceptional year (e.g., the 2017 U20s) but that isn't the norm.

@Bovidae said in TRC U20 2026:

If the goal is to develop future ABs you only need a few from each cohort to make it. It would be no different to the other tier 1 countries. Occasionally you get an exceptional year (e.g., the 2017 U20s) but that isn't the norm.

I actually think last years U20's was a rather exceptional group, deep in the midfield, outside backs, halves, locks, and backrow, (EDIT: forgot about the hookers) suspect we'll see more trickle through from 2025 than 2024 or 2026.

@WoodysRFC The 2024 starting XV was better than 2025, and this year.

The 2017 U20s had Aumua, Jacobson (c), Papalii, Perofeta, Clarke, Ennor and Jordan. The majority of the other starters are former or current SR players.

@Bovidae said in TRC U20 2026:

@WoodysRFC The 2024 starting XV was better than 2025, and this year.

The 2017 U20s had Aumua, Jacobson (c), Papalii, Perofeta, Clarke, Ennor and Jordan. The majority of the other starters are former or current SR players.

Genuinely curious, how do you measure that?

I'm basing it on their quick progression to NPC and SR, with most now fully contracted SR players. Obviously that is no guarantee those players make the ABs but many are talked up on here.

@WoodysRFC said in TRC U20 2026:

Would be interested to see Mauss take on this year's U20 side, but it does seem pretty average.

Two games is probably a bit too early to make a definite call but let’s just say I’m not particularly optimistic they’ll be able to turn things around. I was rewatching the game against Argentina a few days ago and some of the decision-making, both on attack and in defence, was really naïve.

Again, they are able to show flashes of quality throughout the game but most of it is reactionary. The quality only seems to come through when the pressure’s really on, whether it’s due to playing with only 13 men or trying to find a score in the final minutes. A big part of why I liked the 2025 team was because they tended (not always, but tended) to be sensible in their decision-making: when to attack, when to play for territory, when to recycle through phases, when to kick, when to go wide. That control just isn’t there with this team.

As far as individual talent is concerned, I think there are certainly potential future Test players there (McLeod, Wiseman, Fale) but there’s a few too many ‘glue guy’-types in the team for mine. Putting Aio Keith and Drew Berg-McLean into this side would immediately add more of an edge, both on attack and at the breakdown. Xavier Leota would also add a genuine carrying option to a tight five that doesn’t currently offer a lot in that area.

I won't be surprise to see them click against South Africa.

The 2019 team seemed piss weak at the time, and finished 7th at the U20 WC that year. Apart from the 2011 U20s, I think this team has produced the most ABs, so you never know how players will mature and develop etc.

ABs from the 2019 U20s.
Vaii, Newell, Finau, Norris, Parker, Williams, Grace, Leroy Carter, Proctor, McLeod , Tupaea, Faingaanuku.

Flanders, Reihana, Burke and Nanai Seturo were also in that team.

I'll be intrigued to see if any additions are made to the WC squad. Last year there were a number of players unavailable for the RC U20 tournament through injury who were then selected for the WC. That isn't the situation this time, although we never saw a list of injured players.

Even though that's his position, Pahulu will need to tackle much better at centre than he did on the wing (almost non-existent).

Interesting we have gone with a 6 / 2 split. I still think the Boks could put 50 on us

@Mauss how did Mika go at 10?