I had already put out my “Pre Season Top 200 Year 12 Team” and was pretty happy with the selected players, but then I looked at how many players were left back off the team and they were just way to good not to mention. So what I have done is selected my “Year 12 Barbarian Team” which is packed with a huge amount of talented players that could also make the first team too and so I think that this team would be a mean one to put together. Now all these players are players that were 2nd or 3rd optioned players when I was picking my first team and so all these guys will shine for their 1st XV’s this year.
For Kings College last year Komani Paasi and Levi UIuakiahoia were very important for the team coming off the bench as Year 11 because they could add some real size to the game. This year they are a year older and more in tune with what is expected of them and the confidence will be stronger as players. The physicality should have gone up for them both this year and that is something Im keen on seeing come out of them this year on the field. Logan Bainbridge has started at St Bedes College this year moving over from Burnside HS and will get a well needed boost in his game with a better rugby program behind him. He is a solid kid that can take care of things on his own and physically strong too. I think this year he’ll make some big jumps because of the surrounding class that he is in and the talent level in the team will push him to be better as well. Peter Neli has also made a move from St Pauls Collegiate over to Sacred Heart College in Auckland and it might be a good which for him. Peter plays the game very physical, cleans out the rucks and scrums are solid too. Jordan Loschman had a pretty good year last year and started most of the time and got some really good lessons from it too being able to grow into the role and learn more about the game coming over from league. Hakaraia Richards-Coxhead is a typical hard working Hamilton BHS Prop that is fit fast and knows exactly what his role is on the field. Hakaraia is going to be one of the ones to watch for over the next few years.
Ryan Mead and Rocky Momoisea I have picked as my Locks because they both have been playing pretty good over last year and they are both blessed with solid height. Ryan was very good last year as a starting Lock for Rangitoto College and played himself into the Co Ed Top 4 as well as a U17 Blues Selection which was more then well deserved. Ryan has a very good line out game and can easily beat you to the ball and causing a lot of frustration in that area. He knows his roll on the field trucking the ball up doing some of the ugly work but he excels at it too. Rocky also got an invite to the Blues U17 and I think that even though he is at a League dominated school he has managed to shine in the 1st XV. He bring a very solid run game and has a lot of speed as well on him, he is strong in the tackle and once he starts hitting the weights we are going to see a player that is going to be very hard to stop. I have Judda Turahui as my back up Lock, Blind Side and No.8. Judda is an athlete and can do so much different things on the field because he is tall, strong, fast, balanced, has ball skills, can tackle and is a very good team mate as well. He will most likely be No.8 for Kings College this year and so I think he’ll muscle up and then really start making some mean highlights. Aleki Saili was very good last year as a Year 11 player playing 18 and 19 year olds. He was handling himself with ease on the field still making big tackles and still making those all important meters when he ran the ball. He is going to be even better this year and I want to see how many levels he jumps could he’s going to be one to watch. Mateo Taiseni and Cam Church both Open Sides and would both be hard players to beat over the next two years. These two just play with so much more passion then most players on the field and it shows in their games. Mateo I think plays the game a lot more physical and is better at getting to the ball and making the tackle, where I think that Cam is quicker around the field and is better getting over the ball after the tackle is made. Make sure you go and watch Sacred vs St Kents to watch these two go at it as well cause that will be a good one. Vaiolini Ekuasi is going to be a very interesting player because he is so big and so fast that being a part of a forward pack like St Peters School in Cambridge I think he’s going to have a massive break out year. He is a very hard player to put down, he breaks tackles and looks for support and is not lazy to get into he rucks and clear some space for the half back.
Angus Kilmister and Henry Williams may already be setting up for the best 9/10 combo for 2019. Both players are in their second year in the 1st XV and they are both coming off strong Rep performances as well and both got an invite to the Hurricanes U17 Camp as well which will obviously work in their favour this year. Angus a very aggressive and accurate passer will set up Henry all this year with his set pieces and extended plays. Henry will keep the ball moving and keep organizing the Pods to move up the field. I think these two will make each other better over this year and challenge each other to up their games which could be a powerful thing for the both of them and their team. Nathan Hastie is an up and coming half back from Kings HS in Dunedin and he is going to be a real good one too because he already plays like he been around the 1st XV scene and so he’ll come off the bench. I went with Ryeli Samuela as a back up 1st 5/8 and also for Fullback too because he is equally good at both positions and can command direction and create plays from both positions.
Meihana Grindlay was a player I didn’t know much about until I saw him at the St Pauls Collegiate Camp and I was blown away with how good he was at such a young age. He plays a very attractive style of rugby that is full of contact and power, then you add him in with Warren Loulanting and you really got a massive midfield right there. Warren has pretty much started all of last year for Obies and he did not disappoint when he was on the field. He played very physical, very rough, showed how tough he could be as a runner with the ball and a defender even against the older players and I see that happening again this year too. Cassius Masi at Fullback is going to be a problem for anyone trying to bring him down because he is explosive and strong with a quick step too. Cassius will most likely be in the Centers this year for Raukura and so it will be interesting to see how he adapts and to see his skills transition. Ropati So’oalo is an electrifying winger out of Aotea College and would beat most wingers around the country. He is to good with ball in hand and is solid when it comes to defence. Liam Wilson showed at last years Condors 7’s how difficult it can be to stick to a guy like him and just trying to keep up with his pace on the run most guys just cant do it. He has a very good attacking game but does defend well down field when chasing a kick so thats the extra value I think he can bring to a team. BJ Pauga is the cover for everyone I guess and is just way to talented to leave off this list. I see this kid really make a name for himself this year and I think that he will be one to watch over this year because next year he’s going to blow up.
1. Levi Uluakiahoia (Kings College)
2. Komani Paasi (Kings College)
3. Logan Bainbridge (St Bedes College)
4. Ryan Mead (Rangitoto College)
5. Rocky Momoisea (St Paul’s College)
6. Aleki Saili (Southland BHS)
7. Mateo Taiseni (Sacred Heart College)(C)
8. Vaiolini Ekuasi (St Peters School)
9. Angus Kilmister (Napier BHS)
10. Henry Williams (Napier BHS)(VC)
11. Liam Wilson (Hamilton BHS)
12. Meihana Grindlay (Kings College)
13. Warren Loulanting (Otago BHS)
14. Ropati So’oalo (Aotea College)
15. Casius Masi (Rotorua BHS)
16. Peter Neli (Sacred Heart College)
17. Hakaraia Richards-Coxhead (Hamilton BHS)
18. Jordan Loschman (Aorere College)
19. Judda Turahui (Kings College)
20. Cam Church (St Kentigern College)
21. Nathan Hastie (Kings HS)
22. Ryeli Samuela (Auckland GS)
23. BJ Pauga (St Kentigern College)
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