Candidates for No.1 player in the Country Part 2

Josiah Maraku Center (Feilding High School)

I’m happy to see Josiah (Jah) come back to school and really set himself up for life after rugby and complete more goals education wise. Josiah is going to be one of the best midfielders in the country and likely a Top 10 player in the country too. I have seen him for 3 years now and think he has everything you need in a midfielder. His footwork and attacking skills are so sharp that he really can just leave dudes standing there wondering what happened. He can be physical and go right through you, use footwork to go around you, create separation with a fend and has a great kicking game as well long and short. However, he does it from game to game it really is fun to watch.

Louie Chapman Half Back (Christchurch Boys High School)

Louie is in his 3rd year of 1st XV Level Rugby and so this is going to be something really familiar to him. This year is going to be a big one for him because this year will be his last chance to get to that “Black Jersey” and I think he can with what he has shown over the last 2 years and making the Barbarians last year. Louie is a leader in the Christchurch BHS team and he knows what is needed to win and the attitude and commitment that goes along with it. His leadership and knowing his players around him makes him a very hard player to slow down and suppress his talent to lead the team around the field. I think this is his year, so get down to his games watch him go to work.

Pou Sorenson Prop (Rotorua BHS)

Hard working physical Prop that just gets stuck into it no matter what team it is or what player he is going up against. Pou I really liked from the start but wasn’t sure how well he would do as the year went on because of his size and even though he is this “mobile brick house” getting up and down the field, I wasn’t sure of who much potential growth was left in him. I really started to see growth midseason and thought he has made himself into a scrumming Prop that hold’s them together, the player that cleans out bodies, the tackler that gets off the line fast and meets runners and so this year is going to be interesting what he then builds on from there cause I think he’s got something.

Billy Priestley Hooker (Gisborne BHS)

The first time I saw Billy play was him in the U16 Rep team and I thought right away man “Who is this kid?” and cause he was playing for Poverty Bay there was a 99% chance he was at Gisborne BHS but he might have still been at Tologa Bat Area School. So I find out who he is and then just watching him go from year to year from a physical tackling players, then added a running game, then ruck game and on and on. Billy has made himself into a player that can not be ignored on the field no matter what is happening he is right in there battling for his team. He is a Hooker and a tall one at that cause he looks kind of like a No.8 Blind Side but Hooker is a position I like him at for now. Look for him to be at NZSS level this year.

Matt Timoko 2nd 5/8 (Auckland Grammar)

I don’t care that Matt Timoko is a League dude and he will leave 1st XV to be in the NRL but this kid could actually be one of our best midfielders in the country. Matt is a VERY explosive player that fights to stay on his feet. He has great lines leading to contact and his first up contact is very powerful. He does have a very quick step that he uses sometimes just before contact and it makes a massive difference. His battle with Quin Tupaea last year was what convinced that “Yup ok pay more attention to this dude”. Then seeing him at the Blues U18 game against the Chiefs he really made his presence felt with some really strong runs and even though U18 Chiefs and Blues is a massive step up in levels from League, he was not showing it and I want to see how good he becomes this year.

Tyler Laubscher No.8 (Palmerston North BHS)

I really think Tyler can go far this year and even get that “Black Jersey” and it’s not just because of his natural ability that he has as a rugby player but because of his height and size. Let me explain a bit more, Tyler is very good around the field speed and fitness wise, he tackles hard and tackles all day, the type that will chase down plays even though he maybe too late he still puts effort into trying. He carries the ball very well and doesn’t kill the play too early and always looks for more to do or finding an opening. Then you add his height and size in and for a No.8 that is about 6’4-6’6 but really lean and can be an important option at lineout time Tyler just fits into so many different systems it will be hard not to have him in the “Black Jersey” come selection time.

Liam Udy-Johns No.8 (Hastings BHS)

Hastings BHS after last year looks to have lost a lot of key players but one thing they will be happy about is Liam Udy-John coming back to school. If Liam is in the gym this off season and getting that muscle built keeping his agility and mobility, he is going to be a very hard player to stop this year. Liam I think could easily be a very high option this year for NZSS because he and Tyler have the same sort of qualities and after being in the National Championship game and going the year pretty much unbeaten and only losing a game for two years straight he knows what is needed to win. Liam might be our best No.8 in the country this year so he is definitely one to go down and see for yourself this year.