@Bovidae McLeod is a considerable loss, though. I'd like them to bring Fale into the starting team at No. 8: his fitness seems much better this year and he still brings plenty of impact into the carry. I think a Mauga/Woodley/Fale-trio would work quite well, although the lineout would depend on Mauga's ability in the set piece.
Lasaqa is quality so you'd think he'll take the 14 spot. Etuale has got good pace and great feet but he'll need to improve his defence. Against Australia U18 in 2025, he didn't seem too interested in tackling.
Triumph Voice is an interesting inclusion. I wasn't expecting him to be included for NZ Schools last year and now he's in the U20s. Someone in NZ Rugby clearly rates him.
@Mauss said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
@Bovidae McLeod is a considerable loss, though. I'd like them to bring Fale into the starting team at No. 8: his fitness seems much better this year and he still brings plenty of impact into the carry. I think a Mauga/Woodley/Fale-trio would work quite well, although the lineout would depend on Mauga's ability in the set piece.
I think Tocker will take McLeod's place at 6. He is a very good lineout option.
Triumph Voice is an interesting inclusion. I wasn't expecting him to be included for NZ Schools last year and now he's in the U20s. Someone in NZ Rugby clearly rates him.
And IIRC didn't play because of injury.
@Bovidae said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
I think Tocker will take McLeod's place at 6. He is a very good lineout option.
I think that is the most likely option, yeah. But I'd worry about defensive cohesion. Tocker and Woodley don't strike me as a natural flanker combination. Mauga is, in my view, a more obvious foil to Woodley, the former heavily emphasizing the breakdown. Then again, it's been a while since I've seen Tocker play 15s, so maybe the sevens experience has made him more complete in that area.
And IIRC didn't play because of injury.
No, he didn't. I saw footage of him playing for Hastings Boys' a few times. Tall, athletic player with decent pace, not too dissimilar to someone like Tamati Tua I'd say. Should be interesting to see whether he's immediately parachuted into the 13-jersey, although I expect Pahulu to get first crack.
@Mauss said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
@Bovidae McLeod is a considerable loss, though. I'd like them to bring Fale into the starting team at No. 8: his fitness seems much better this year and he still brings plenty of impact into the carry. I think a Mauga/Woodley/Fale-trio would work quite well, although the lineout would depend on Mauga's ability in the set piece.
Lasaqa is quality so you'd think he'll take the 14 spot. Etuale has got good pace and great feet but he'll need to improve his defence. Against Australia U18 in 2025, he didn't seem too interested in tackling.
Triumph Voice is an interesting inclusion. I wasn't expecting him to be included for NZ Schools last year and now he's in the U20s. Someone in NZ Rugby clearly rates him.
Finn McLeod is a big loss. He was great with the hard carries and lineout against the Bok U20 team.
I wasn't overly impressed with Mauga TBH. I take it he's there as the power loose forward/ball carrier but seemed a bit "light" in the contact area. Micah Fale impressed when he came on but he's probably better suited to the impact role.
Aussies selecting players out of the French system now.
@mohikamo said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
Aussies selecting players out of the French system now.
They are big units too.
@TheMojoman said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
I wasn't overly impressed with Mauga TBH. I take it he's there as the power loose forward/ball carrier but seemed a bit "light" in the contact area. Micah Fale impressed when he came on but he's probably better suited to the impact role.
Yeah, I'm not sure Mauga is really suited to that primary carrying role, he seemed a little loose with some of those carries during the U20 TRC. I think he might be more suited to 6: decent defender, good at the breakdown, solid work rate. Could be a good glue guy in a loose forward trio.
My guess is Fale ended up on the bench last year because his fitness wasn't up to scratch. It was pretty noticeable playing for the NZ U20s in 2025 (and in '24 as well, playing for the NZ U18 Baabaas), he would get gassed pretty quickly. To me, his fitness looks a lot better this year, so I'd be intrigued to see how long he can last out there as a starter.
His defensive work rate can still be a bit iffy but I think, with McLeod being out, the team needs a dominant ball carrier in the pack. Having Leota helps but you'd think Findlay will still start after putting in solid performances in South Africa.
@hurrdurrr said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
Are there any u20 kiwis overseas of note?
Pyrenees Boyle-Tiatia went to Bayonne. He might still have been eligible this year. I'm not sure when he turned 20.
They have added other ball-carriers to the squad in Tocker and Hutchings. My concern is that there isn't really another specialist 7 if Woodley got injured.
The Junior Springboks squad to represent South Africa at the 2026 World Rugby Junior World Championship in Georgia was announced by SA U20 head coach Kevin Foote on Friday, with seven players from last year’s successful campaign in Italy included in the group.
South Africa will defend their title at the global showpiece, which takes place in Georgia from 27 June to 18 July.
Captain Riley Norton (lock), Oliver Reid, Rambo Kubheka (props), Siphosethu Mnebelele (hooker), Vusi Moyo (flyhalf), Cheswill Jooste (wing), and Alzeadon Felix (fullback) were all part of the SA U20 side that won last year’s world championship in Italy.
Ten members of the JWC squad were included in the wider Springbok group for the Barbarians fixture and the SA ‘A’ match against Zimbabwe in Gqeberha on 20 June, while Cheswill Jooste remains with the Vodacom Bulls, who have qualified for the next Friday’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship Grand Final.
The Junior Bok squad consists entirely of players who have attended previous training camps in Stellenbosch, as well as the recent U20 International Series and the SANZAAR U20 Rugby Championship, both of which were won by South Africa.
Norton is one of the players included in the wider Springbok group, along with Reid and Danie Kruger (props); Mnebelele and Liam van Wyk (hookers); Moyo (flyhalf); Yaqeen Ahmed (flyhalf/centre); Luan Giliomee (utility back); Markus Muller (centre); and Zekhethelo Siyaya (fullback). They will join the Junior Bok squad as soon as they are released from senior national duty.
Muller and Siyaya are joined by seven other players in the squad who are still U19 and eligible to play in next year’s JWC as well. They are Jordan Jooste and Luan van der Berg (props), Jaythen Orange (lock), Gert Kemp and Wasi Vyambwera (loose forwards), Ethan Adams (centre), and Jordan Steenkamp (wing).
Junior Boks’ 2026 World Junior Championship squad:
Props: Oliver Reid (DHL Stormers), Rambo Kubheka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jordan Jooste (DHL Stormers), Danie Kruger (DHL Stormers), Luan van der Berg (Vodacom Bulls).
Hookers: Siphosethu Mnebelele (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Liam van Wyk (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Locks: Heinrich Theron (Vodacom Bulls), Jaythen Orange (Fidelity Securedrive Lions), Riley Norton (captain, DHL Stormers), JD Hattingh (Fidelity Securedrive Lions).
Loose forwards: Kebotile Maake (Vodacom Bulls), Risima Khosa (Fidelity Securedrive Lions), Luke Cannon (Fidelity Securedrive Lions), Wasi Vyambwera (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Vuyo Gwiji (Fidelity Securedrive Lions), Gert Kemp (DHL Stormers), Thomas Beling (Fidelity Securedrive Lions)*.
Scrumhalves: Hendré Schoeman (Vodacom Bulls), Jayden Brits (DHL Stormers).
Flyhalves: Yaqeen Ahmed (DHL Stormers), Vusi Moyo (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Centres: Ethan Adams (Fidelity Securedrive Lions), Samuel Badenhorst (DHL Stormers), Markus Muller (DHL Stormers).
Outside and utility backs: Luan Giliomee (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Khuthadzo Rasivhaga (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Cheswill Jooste (Vodacom Bulls), Jack Benade (DHL Stormers), Jordan Steenkamp (DHL Stormers)*, Zekhethelo Siyaya (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Alzeadon Felix (Fidelity Securedrive Lions).
** Final inclusion pending the availability of players currently on senior duty.*
7 days later
Mnebelele replaces Norton as Junior Bok captain to Georgia | SA Rugby https://share.google/6rD9xnjmB4qgT9xv2
@Steven-Harris said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
Is this a warm up,game ?
Yes. The tournament starts on Sat. NZ play Japan at 11:30 pm NZT.
@Crazy-Horse Yep. Looks like they were playing footy too.
This is a shame for NZ rugby. I couldn't believe what I was watching. NZ can't seem to produce quality players anymore. Something fundamentally must be changed, and I don't see anyone in NZ media talking openly about that. The last time NZ won the Junior Rugby World Cup was in 2017—what happened after that? Does anyone even ask this question?
@Crazy-Horse even for a warmup game that's appalling. Our scrum got demolished too.
@antipodean said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
Our scrum got demolished too.
Nothing changes here. The scrum and defending the maul. Tocker showed his speed for his try. Lasaqa with a shocking fumble with the tryline in sight.
@zedsdeadbaby said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
It’s been talked about a lot in media.
The NRL is having rugby’s pathways for breakfast and the bigger frames are also gravitating towards basketball plus other sports.
I've heard a couple players in the current squad have NRL offers tabled to them. So potentially more to leave.
NRL sides have always nabbed kids from 1st 15s but I think they are getting some of the higher profile ones more often than they used to, the money on offer, the recentish rise of the warriors and the mixed bag for the ABs all being factors
@taniwharugby sounds like some of the U21 kids like Harry Inch are getting contracts paying similar to what fulltime Super squadies are getting.
The average NRL salary is about 400k. You'd need to be an AB to clear that much.
@zedsdeadbaby said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
Big time - and go through the 1st XVs around the country, heaps are signed to NRL (including from what I am hearing heaps in Christchurch)
You got a list of these players? There was that list of Warriors Jersey Flegg or Harold Mathews players going around last year and the "media" were making out it was rugby players going to league, yet a little bit of research showed the majority were league players anyway but by the nature of NZ they were at rugby schools.
Like @taniwharugby says the NRL has always nabbed young players, it was especially apparent during the paid U20s heyday (I did research for TPK on it) and there was likely more going across then than now.
@SouthernMann said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
sounds like some of the U21 kids like Harry Inch are getting contracts paying similar to what fulltime Super squadies are getting.
Inch would have to be on a contract other than a Jersey Flegg one to be getting that kind of money. Surely the Warriors wouldn't be able to carry U21 players on that sort of money and not have salary cap issues?
@Nepia said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
@zedsdeadbaby said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
Big time - and go through the 1st XVs around the country, heaps are signed to NRL (including from what I am hearing heaps in Christchurch)
You got a list of these players? There was that list of Warriors Jersey Flegg or Harold Mathews players going around last year and the "media" were making out it was rugby players going to league, yet a little bit of research showed the majority were league players anyway but by the nature of NZ they were at rugby schools.
Like @taniwharugby says the NRL has always nabbed young players, it was especially apparent during the paid U20s heyday (I did research for TPK on it) and there was likely more going across then than now.
Only whispers and things - and you may be right that they are leaguies playing Union because it’s there.
@Mamuka said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
NZ can't seem to produce quality players anymore.
I’d strongly disagree with this take. New Zealand still has one of the best production rates, in my view, of great rugby athletes with quality skillsets. The current list of players leaving SR (Flanders, Sotutu, ENS, Papali’i, Fineanganofo, Lam, to name just a few) provides more than ample evidence of the quality of player produced and only Papali’i ever won any silverware at U20 level.
The current biggest hurdle for NZ U20 success, I’d argue, isn’t rugby league scouting or a lack of quality cattle but the shape of the development curve within the NZ rugby pyramid. Taking the players above as an example, most Kiwi rugby players only tend to establish themselves as starters at the highest professional level between the ages of 22 and 24, with some even pushing 26 to truly settle into a position.
SR starts for some of the current leavers: slow and steady does not win the U20 race
Papali’i (’97) only became an established starter for the Blues at 7 in 2021, Sotutu (’98) was the first-choice No. 8 from 2020 onwards, Lam (’98) jumped from an average of 5 starts across his first 3 seasons to 13 starts in 2024, Nanai-Seturo (’99) became a critical part of the Chiefs’ back 3 during the 2023 and ’24 seasons, Flanders (’99) had his most starts in a single jersey ever at age 26 this year, while Fineanganofo (’02) went from 7 starts last season to 14 this year.
Meanwhile, the trend in professional rugby is to enter players into the highest levels at a younger and younger age. Taking the French U20 wider training group as an example, 17 of the 26 forwards have already played minutes for their senior Top 14 of Pro D2 club. Of the NZ U20s, just two have sniffed the NPC: Johnny Falloon (Wellington, 91 min) and Caleb Woodley (Auckland, 8 min). Just yesterday, Rassie picked two U20 players (Riley Norton and Vusi Moyo) in his Springbok squad. It’s hard to imagine a player of the NZ U20s cracking the ABs.
Again, this is not an indictment on NZR player development. I think players are coming through in New Zealand Rugby. But their development is coming along too slowly in order for the NZ U20s to be consistently competitive at international U20 level. Their opponents are simply more advanced in their development curve, having more senior playing minutes under their belt.
As far as I see it, NZ Rugby really has two options, if it wants to win this tournament again: (1) speed up player development by giving U20 players minutes at the highest level, or (2) maximize the efforts at centralizing player development. Australia is currently moving along the second pathway, having players play together from U16 level onwards. There really is no reason NZ Rugby can’t do something similar, having a core group of around 50-75 players and giving them competitive match opportunities as they advance through the grades. It would at least give them the advantage of cohesion.
It is simply a matter of investment.
Having a full U20 SR competition would also help. This year's new development model meant that the players only played twice in Taupō, compared to three times with the old SR U20 tournament. Most of the NDC players were involved with their Dev teams but that's only a small group amongst the wider pool of players.
@Mauss said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
@Mamuka said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
NZ can't seem to produce quality players anymore.
As far as I see it, NZ Rugby really has two options, if it wants to win this tournament again: (1) speed up player development by giving U20 players minutes at the highest level, or (2) maximize the efforts at centralizing player development. Australia is currently moving along the second pathway, having players play together from U16 level onwards. There really is no reason NZ Rugby can’t do something similar, having a core group of around 50-75 players and giving them competitive match opportunities as they advance through the grades. It would at least give them the advantage of cohesion.
It is simply a matter of investment.
Out of interest, would you be in favour of those ideas mate?
I always have a bit of a worry that centralising and 'youthanising' the development pathways means you are excluding guys who might turn out better, and they might be lost to the game.
@reprobate said in WR U20 Championship 2026:
I always have a bit of a worry that centralising and 'youthanising' the development pathways means you are excluding guys who might turn out better, and they might be lost to the game.
I'll answer this part first: I don't think creating a national rep group means dismantling the entire development pathway. There would still be provincial academies, First XV rugby, SR development camps. If anything, I think a national U16 group would be a good tool for convincing some players that they are in the frame, especially those who might opt for league.
Would a late bloomer like Callum Harkin disappear with a centralized development pathway? I highly doubt it. As far as I can tell, he never made a single national age grade rep team and he's still stuck around. That said, talent identification can still be a whole lot better, but that's a different discussion.
Out of interest, would you be in favour of those ideas mate?
Well, that largely depends on the perspective. From an institutional perspective, professional sports is a performance machine where the wheels only spin faster and faster as time goes on. The idea of choice is largely illusory here: either you get on board or you get left behind. And I would find it strange if NZR is fine with not winning the tournament anymore, so I'd hope they, at least, take some kind of action.
Still, the two options above are largely a false dilemma, as I don't think NZR has the finances nor the desire for the first option. Because that would require either more SR teams or more SR games, and neither look particularly likely.
The second would be pretty achievable, though. And it would help with the kind of attacking rugby NZ Rugby wants to achieve, as that requires connection and understanding between the players. And there seems to be very little of that with the current crop.
Not considered due to injury: Patrick Mauga (Hurricanes/Hawke’s Bay)