Hurricanes U18 Squad for 2018

Hurricanes Under-18 training camp is going to be held at Napier Boys’ High School starting on Monday, July 9. These here are the boys that have been invited to the camp and will be made into 2 teams which will play off against the Blues U18’s as well in Taupo on Sunday 15th July. For the most part these guys are all at school with 3 players that have been playing Club Rugby which is kind of an unfair advantage but 1st XV teams are so goo these days that they are not far off Top side Club teams full of full grown men.

ANYWAY, lets carry on because there is a lot of talent in this group of players and they have been on form from the start of the season and still going strong. Napier BHS and St Pats Silverstream have both been so strong through the first half of the season that they both have a good number of players in the squad. The whole front row of Napier BHS was selected with Props Patrick Teddy who has been scoring like crazy this year, Jayden Walker a Year 12 Prop that is really putting in that work and making a name for himself and then there is Tyrone Thompson who I feel is so close to NZSS selection this year playing his best rugby. The Silverstream Props also join the Napier front row with Chris Hemi and Luke Chisholm both some massive boys that move the ball up the field grinding the whole way with some massive carries. The size does not stop there with those players because Jordan McFarlane is a Prop that I think is close to NZSS even as a Year 12 player this year,  then Gus Robertson who is a solid Prop every time he takes the field, Antonio Walker-Leawere is a monster, Junior Uelese is monster number 2 and so the Hurricanes have the choice of massive props.

The Hookers that will join up with Tyrone are Billy Priestly, Damarus Hokianga and Flynn Yates but Patrick Teddy is actually a Hooker playing in Prop and could be used as a Hooker as well which is such a good thing to have as a player in the front row. Billy Priestly has been very good over the last couple of years and has continued to get better and has really picked up on defence and cleaning the ruck area. Damarus Hokianga is never without work and is always keeping busy making sure he is being used at all time running the ball, cleaning out bodies, making tackles and supporting the runners. Flynn Yates is also one of those players that can never been seen because of how involved he can get in all the messy rough stuff and then you study the game and he is always in there in a big way. Im not sure what kind of combo they would go with as a front row because there are 4 different combos they could go with and I think will work.

The Locks to me are in the same kind of “Bracket” along with the Loose Forwards because of how much size they do have and how mobile these guys can be. James Bolton to me who has been playing 6 all this year is a Lock to me and fits better there as a player that has to move up in speed when it comes to Rep Rugby I dont see him keeping up the pace and speed at the same time but Lock he will be perfect. His Locking partner could be team mate TK Howden who is playing real well right now, Sione Ki-Nuia has also made a lot of strong plays this year for his Gisborne side. I see some different line ups that could work when it comes to the Locks and Loosies combo because Tyler Laubscher to me is a key player along with Liam Udy Johns then throw in Dylan Hall who is a Young Year 13 and he can really motor around the park. Sam Smith from Wairarapa College has had a big year and is picked because of his constant work rate and drive right through the game. Keelan Whitman and Iona Apineru are the physical guys that you need on your team as well because they demand that heavy contact and welcome the tough stuff. Fa’amanu Siaosi is a player that I cant wait to see in person because he has really made it big for his first year of 1st XV in NZ.

I really like that they have gone with high energy and high paced Half Backs that can keep the ball moving and on the go. Quintony Ngatai was a player I really liked at the St Pauls Collegiate Camp and having seen him on “Film” he has made me think about his upside when he is commanding the pack around. Bryn Wilson is also another guy I think has made some real big waves this year and stepped up a lot. I look at the Half Backs like those two and then Manahi Tipoki and seeing if they match with Stewart Cruden and the way he plays, or with Quinn Collard or Riley Forbes who has really played well in this 1st half of the season. Stewart Cruden would be my first pick for 1st 5/8 and would try and base it off his direction and strengths and then place guys around him in attack, then they work off his run game and kicking style. Again the Napier BHS players become a big time talking point in a position battle and Keegan Christian-Goss who I wasnt sold on early this year has really stepped up over the last 2 months of games and really taking it to the line and using his size to his advantage and making it work for him and Leo Thompson who runs great lines and is very hard to stop. Now for me I would like to see Stewart Cruden with Josiah Maraku and Jaylen Tuapola but the boys from Napier do make a good point of why they should be considered.  Josiah Maraku and Jaylen Tuapola are both in their 2nd year of Hurricanes Rep Teams and so I would count on them to lead the team from the front and be apart of every movement around the field.

I like the players they have selected for the back 3 and with Drew Wild having a top season killing it every game he is in I think he would be a no brainer for Fullback. Drew has a very high rugby IQ that rubs off on his team mates with his communication and keeping everyone informed of whats happening. Now the whole “Back 3” has been selected and I can understand why because they have all been playing so well this whole year. I think the power of Caleb Cavubati and Ethan Webster-Nonu has made things a lot easier for the others in the back line and also with Roderick Solo at Fullback because he knows he can just hand that ball off and those two will break tackles and extend the play. I am a big fan of Rocco Berry and also of Naito’ani Michael and I think that they could play a long side Drew as well and Rocco would be a very good cover for Fullback and 1st 5/8 as well.

Props

Jayden Walker (Napier BHS) Y12
Patrick Teddy (Napier BHS)
Gus Robertson (Palmerston North BHS)
Jordan McFarlane (Gisborne BHS) Y12
Antonio Walker-Leawere (Manukura)
Junior Uelese (Scots College)
Luke Chisholm (St Pats Silverstream)
Chris Hemi (St Pats Silverstream)

Hookers

Tyrone Thompson (Napier BHS)
Billy Priestly (Gisborne BHS)
Damarus Hokianga (Hastings BHS)
Flynn Yates (Palmerston North BHS)

Locks

Tiaki Fabish (Napier BHS) Y12
Sione Ki-Nuia (Gisborne BHS)
TK Howden (Feilding HS) Y12
James Bolton (Feilding HS)
Hugo Plummer (Onslow College)

Flankers

Tyler Laubscher (Palmerston North BHS)
Josh Gimblett (Napier BHS)
Dylan Hall (Gisborne BHS)
Faa’manu Siaosi (Feilding HS) Y12
Luke Russell (Napier BHS)
Liam Udy-Johns (Hastings BHS)
Michael Halatuituia (Massey Uni RFC)
Sam Smith (Wairarapa College)
Phoenix Kairimu (Whanganui Collegiate)
Luke Mannix (St Pats Silverstream)
Iona Apineru (St Pats Silverstream)
Keelan Whitman (St Pats Town)

Half Backs

Quintony Ngatai  (Gisborne BHS)
Bryn Wilson (Palmerston North BHS)
Isaac Bracewell (Carterton RC)
Manahi Tipoki (Scots College)

1st 5/8

Quinn Collard (Gisborne BHS)
Stewart Cruden (Palmerston North BHS)
Riley Forbes (St Pats Silverstream) Y12
Connor Paki (Foxton RFC)

Midfielders

Kegan Christian-Goss (Napier BHS)
Leo Thompson (Napier BHS)
Josiah Maraku  (Feilding HS)
Ruben Love (Palmerston North BHS) Y12
Jaylen Tuapola (Scots College)

Back 3

Ropati So’oalo (Aotea College) Y12
Rocco Berry (St Pats Silverstream) Y12
Roderick Solo (Scots College)
Ethan Webster-Nonu (Scots College)
Caleb Cavubati (Scots College)
Awatere Kiwara (College Old BOys)
Naito’ani Michael (Hastings BHS)
Drew Wild (Feilding HS)