@Kiwidom said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
Will they roll out their strongest team again or give some players who haven't played much a game . There's two or three players who haven't featured at all so far
That looks to be what is happening, to some degree. The official website has Hughan and Hewitt starting, Norrie at 1st 5, and the forgotten Jake Hutchings in the reserves.
@ARHS said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
Is Triumph Voice in the squad?
He was also selected for the NZ Schools but didn't play because of injury. Quite the career so far.
@Bovidae said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
@ARHS said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
Is Triumph Voice in the squad?
He was also selected for the NZ Schools but didn't play because of injury. Quite the career so far.
Which is why I asked. Odd? Jinxed?
Baby Boks retaining the JWC title. Lots of u19s in this team. Next year will be even better
How good is Ahmed?
Can’t see this tournament lasting much longer it must be costing world rugby a fortune and in most cases like the world 7s circuit it’s played in front of very poor crowds
Would rather money was put back into developing the pacific island region
Tonga and Samoa who have been past quarter finalists have fallen by the wayside
Throw in Canada as well
Five tries amongst the three locks. That may be a first in a while.
A decent end for NZ but they got lucky with that disallowed England try due to obstruction. In saying that NZ were held up over the goal line a couple of times.
I think I could see Triumph Voice when the players were shaking hands post-match. Maybe we'll find out why he never played in time.
@Steven-Harris said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
Would rather money was put back into developing the pacific island region
sadly, there is absolutely no commercial return for investing in the PI region
i'd say the expansion to 16 teams would have been an effort to try and get their like involved
the PIs are shooting themselves in the foot with their administrative disarray
money is already available to them, but it wont be handed over until they stop fighting & scrapping amongst themselves
the 7s circuit has been cut back, but it wont go while it is still an olympic sport
the olympics are a mega opportunity to promote the game
quite a few nations (look at the Aussies) put a lot of resources into 7s for that reason
Finn McLeod and hooker Josh Findlay had great aggressive games in the forward pack.v England
Great result for the Baby Blacks - some of these Nth Hemisphere teams have some absolute units in their teams - 140Kg plus!
Think that by coming 3rd they have done really well and if not for the implosion vs French in final minutes of game, would have been in the final - which when I look at the talent in this team is a great result, as if I look over this team vs. last two years teams - think this is the weakest.
@cgrant Future looks really bright for AB pack - say at the 2031 RWC - when you consider feeding through the likes of in the loose forwards -
Johnny Lee/Oli Mathis @ 7
Malachi Wrampling/Micah Fale @ 8
Bradley Tocker/Finn McLeod @ 6
Then throw in the likes of Eli Oudenryn, Josh Tengblad, Siale Lauaki, Lucas Casey etc - start to see a future WC pack.
Then in the backs @ 10 you have Rico Simpson, Will Cole, Mika Muliaina (still only 19) feeding through - though might have seen the next WC 10 playing First 15 Rugby yesterday in Fletcher Cooper. Commentators were talking about him in the same terms as Will Jordan and Damian McKenzie - think Y12 and he looks serious quality and he just stood out - though have to say first time I watched XV 15 game in awhile, size of some of the players!
@cgrant said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
I'd like to see a few members of this team play in NPC. Frost and Fale have the required physique for that.
Frost was named in the Ta$man squad. Canterbury have often given them players in the past (e.g., Anderson, Lee).
There are more current NZ U20 players in NPC squads than I can remember in previous years.
@cgrant said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
I'd like to see a few members of this team play in NPC. Frost and Fale have the required physique for that. I rate Finn McLeod a lot. He has all the attributes to become the future AB Nr.6 after the RWC. Findlay has a bright future too, so has Connie. I don't see many others FAB though.
Finn McLeod has a Canterbury NPC Contact