The U18 Knights as they are called have a very good spread of players from different schools and from different areas in the country as well. I have a player from Auckland as well as from Cambridge in the mix and so it does add a bit of a different look to the team coming with their unique styles. This is the Pre Season select team and guys that I feel will get better over this year from their efforts of last year. These are the players that I think will have some strong games this year and put out some huge talent for us to see but I do know there will be some late boomers as well that will shoot up the Rankings and come out of no where to make it but this is my early pick.
The Props this year are very strong in the UC Cup and a lot of them are returning players as well which makes the scrums a lot more enjoyable to watch and also the general play around the rucks and clean outs a bit more cleaner and controlled. Jack Rose and Patrick Thacker to me are NZSS Framed players and they will be watched closely every game over the whole year by selectors or those that watch for the selectors however you want to put it. Jack and Patrick are some strong boys with a very solid “Scrum Game” and because both are very fit players they will be seen doing a lot of work around the park. They both tend to be drawn to important moments in games and always kind of play a role in how things end up, which shows to me they have the hustle to get in the game. The other two massive Props maybe not as mobile but man they are some “Mountains” in the Alps these two. I think they have a huge effect on the game with how much they take out of players trying to tackle or even move them, and if your dumb enough to take a hit from them? That’s your fault. Look out for Jacson Edie from St Andrews College and Shane Fikken from Timaru BHS, hold up? If you go to the games you will have no choice but to see them they are the biggest dudes on the field, and I cant wait for that match up too when they go at each other. I went with a couple of guys that I think fill the role pretty well and that can also handle the physical side of it too. The Hookers are different and some what new because both did not get much playing time and were following such good Hookers. Thomas Broughton from STAC and Jack McDonald-Hill would be the best pick for me because of the way they play the game and because of their experience of being in that environment. Thomas has had a lot of time in Rep Rugby and always was shining with his grind it out attitude and solid runs that way heavy on defenders. Jack mobile and busy getting around the work on the field and making tackles, we should see more of him and what he can do through out this whole season.
Sam Darry from Christs College and also Jarrod McKay from Nelson College. Sam one of the tallest in 1st XV Rugby and a guy who knows how to play the position and compete with the most talented around the country. Even though he is the “Sky City” building on the field, he is more then just height because he does tackle and dose know how to clean up rucks with technique and drive. Jarrod will be one that I want to see how well he goes this year as he grows a bit taller and he can also apply his weight and work rate around the field, it will be interesting to see what he becomes come end of the year, he might be that “Dark Horse” come selection time. I have Angus Fletcher from Rangiora HS on the bench because there is a lot of loose forwards and because he can cover both Blind Side and Lock he would be perfect for the role. He is a hard working player that can also make some meters at the same time with the ball in hand. Angus will fit into this range of Loose Forwards as well so he is going to be a great option no matter what happens. Then you have Jadyn Holdaway from Marlborough BC who I would have had starting but because of his injury last year I want to see what he returns back like this year. He is a big strong dude who works hard on defence and smashes his way through tackles on offence. I had Corban Harding as the starting No.8 because of his selection last year and what he means to the team when he runs that ball. He gets a lot of meters and breaks tackles all the time, also very alert when he’s out in the open too. Chris Bainbridge going to St Bedes is the best move he made because it allows him to be in a stronger rugby program where he can make a difference to the overall scale of the program. I think him as an open side is going to not only make that loose trio deadly but also give him a strong platform to grow stronger as an open side. Anton Segner I think is in line to have a very strong year building upon what he did last year. The thing is the second year round coaches and players now know who you are and what you can do that they build plays around taking you out of the game and that is what he is going to go through this year, but im still confident in him to be one of the best in his position.
One of the best players in the country and a player that has shown for the last couple of years that he knows what it takes to lead a team will be in his 3rd year of the U18 Knights Team. Louie Chapman seems to show that every year he is one of the best and this year he will do it again. After being a part of the Barbarians last year I think that it will be his time to make the next jump up and he’ll get that “Black Jersey”. Jackson Youngman is the other player that I went for as the Half Back and to me Jackson is a talented player that can really play any position I think. Jackson passes well, runs the ball well, quick out of the blocks, gets players evolved and he defends really strongly too. A couple of guys I went for as my 1st 5/8’s were Kurtis Weeks from Christs College and also Year 12 Kynan Stowers-Smith. Kurtis has had a good year at 1st 5/8 last year and I think it will carry on to this year. He is a very traditional 1st 5/8 and he’ll keep the flow of the game up beat and let everyone get their touches of the ball and has a kicking game. Kynan is on the other hand a more of a new age kind of 1st 5/8 who will chance the line and bait them to come get him and then run it right to them break tackles to break the line or draw them in take the hit to create the gap. So whatever style you like you would most likely want to see that player in that jersey.
Kynan I would also use as a 2nd 5/8 just to cover but the starting roles would go to Tahu Kaa-Goodwillie from Christchurch BHS and Isaiah Punivai from St Kentigern College. Not really much to say about these two because they are always spoken about and last year both played in the U18 Knights team and so Im sure it’s self explanatory. Tahu a great crash ball player who can also pass the ball and Isaiah great foot work to the outside and can go the length of the field, both can defend too. Now with Isaiah already making the NZSS last year I think that Tahu could also join him this year in that spot and so it’s going to be very interesting to see what happens. Now for their covers? Like I said Kynan could go there and the other option is PJ Latu out of St Peters School Cambridge. Last year he was one of the best defenders in the game and this year I think it will be no different. I have only seen him being beat once and it was a missed read not a tackle, he is in one of the best midfield combos this year and so he’ll be sky high in the confidence when taking the field and showing what he can do. Monty Nixon from Timaru BHS is a do it all guy and he can help in so many areas of the game and I think because he is so short players think he’s an easy target……..Oh no “Buddy Boy” he is not an easy beat at all, Monty can take down almost everyone on defence, break through tackles, step around guys or beat the with the passing game or kicking game. Ryan Barnes is one of the best Fullbacks in the country and being on a stacked back line like Christchurch BHS making everyone shine is what he could do. Ryan is so fast that giving him a gap is the dumbest thing you could do, not shutting him down early would also fall under dumbest thing you could do. Let Ryan link up with Monty, PJ or Isaiah without a set line that could mean 5 points right away. Now Max Huges? He’ll be one of my earliest picks next year for NZSS player but as a Halfback. He is just so quick and talented that he can get the defence to slide just because he moved so quickly and then you see things happen. I can honestly say that there may only be like 5 teams in the country where he wouldn’t start as your No.9, and that’s real talk, watch him and let me know if Im wrong.
1. Jack Rose (St Andrews College)
2. Thomas Broughton (St Andrews College)
3. Patrick Thacker (Christ College)
4. Sam Darry (Christ College)
5. Jarrod McKay (Nelson College)
6. Anton Segner (Nelson College) Y12
7. Chris Bainbridge (St Bedes College)
8. Corban Harding (Christchurch BHS)
9. Louie Chapman (Christchurch BHS)(VC)
10. Kurtis Weeks (Christ College)
11. Monty Nixon (Timaru BHS)
12. Tahu Kaa-Goodwillie (Christchurch BHS)
13. Isaiah Punivai (St Kentigern College)(C)
14. PJ Latu (St Peters School)
15. Ryan Barnes (Christchurch BHS)
16. Jack McDonald-Hill (Nelson College)
17. Shane Fikken (Timaru BHS)
18. Jacson Edie (St Andrews College)
19. Angus Fletcher (Rangiroa HS)
20. Jadyn Holdaway (Marlborough BC)
21. Jackson Youngman (St Bedes College)
22. Kynan Stowers-Smith (St Bedes College) Y12
23. Max Huges (Christchurch BHS) Y12
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