U18 Blues Squad for 2018

Congrats to all the boys that have been selected to the U18 Blues Squad that will be meeting over the holidays at MAGS from Sunday 8th – 12th July. They will be selecting 2 teams that will play against the 2 Hurricane teams at Owen Delany Park in Taupo on Sunday 15 July. This is a very good change from playing the Chiefs teams like have done over the past years. Blues Talent Identification and Development Manager Shane King has picked a very strong group of players that I feel will merge together nicely.

I’m going to do a run down on some of the players that have featured on this team, some you know and some you may not know. I will start with the “Big Boys” who I think they have picked some very good physical players like Saula Mau, Zyon Holo who is on a scoring spree right now with 10 tries this year and Crusader Faletogoai who holds that Sacred Heart scrum tight. There are a couple players that dont get a lot of mentions but Hamdahn Tuipulotu is a strong physical player that just goes about his business and does the hard stuff. Hamdahn and Zyon really make that front row tower over other front rows both over 6’3 as Props. Hamdahn does do all the hard stuff that others dont want to do but along with that he offers a lot when it comes to gaining those short meters around the rucks edge, he has a low body base when taking the ball forward and goes forward all the time. Jack Doyle from the top of the country needs to be seen more but being that far away it’s really hard to get info on him. He returned from South Africa with the Pacific Barbarian having really made the most of his experience and came back stronger in the scrums and really having worked on the toughness of his defence.

With the Hookers listed, 3 of them play other positions for their schools but this is where I would play them if I were grading them which may be different from the selectors. Sila Tuititi and Millenium Sanerviri both play No.8 for their teams and show a lot of attributes and game play along with their physical size of being a Hooker. NZ as a whole are selecting more taller Flankers that double up as jumpers in line outs where both guys wont be able to be an option because of their height but fit the Hooker size perfectly. Sam Rainger has been playing Blind Side this year but to me is better suited as a Hooker and still throws for his team which is a real strength for him. Mahonri Ngakuru was snapped up by the Blues from the Chiefs which is a great move by the Blues because there isn’t a lot of 6’7 players that can move like him around the country. Kali Vaipulu is also a monster that is 6’7 and would both look great together on the field.

Kitiona Vai has been a consistent player this year for De La Salle College from his defencive, running game and line out strength that he’ll bring to this team as well. Kitiona started the season at Lock and then moved to open side where he has really held it down strongly but I am unsure where they are looking to play him. Ray Tuaimalo-Vaega has made the move from Center/Wing last year to No.8 and is killing the game right now and adds so much speed to the position and getting into those running lanes. Ray is still learning the position but I think could be one to watch over the next few years. Jed Melvin out of Orewa College is such a hard working player that I think could make a better Open Side then No.8 but that’s for the selectors to work out. Another guy I think is out of position is Niko Jones because he is playing No.8 but after coming back from the break he dropped a lot weight and his speed around the field is such a factor and I think should be an Open Side. I like the selections of Braedyn Collins, Robert Rush, Zion Tanielu and Tiennan Costley all very similar players with skills and body type and having those kinds of players on a team you could get really creative with your game plan.

Some very strong Half Backs with Taufa Funaki at the Top but the other 3 not far behind him. Thorn Parkes seems like he has been around for ages now and he makes the game look easy when he is on the field. I thought Sam Wye was really unlucky last year not to be picked for the U18 Blues but does get his chance to show his accuracy and game organization on the run. I got to see Jackson Rice a few weeks back now and thought he deserved his spot in the team as well and will be interesting to see who they think he fits with as his 1st 5/8. Tevita Hala to me is the stronger 1st 5/8 in the Blues and with guys like Zarn Sullivan and Josh Jacomb pushing him for that spot it will be a good position battle to watch. We cant count out Ryan Nankivell who I have only seen in Rep games which he did work well with his midfield and wasnt a selfish player by any means so that should be good in a team like this and Oscar Koller has proven himself this year.

I think Corey Evans will be positioned as a 2nd 5/8 but if he went to 1st 5/8 he could push Tevita out of that top spot at 1st 5/8. The player I would watch in the midfield is Christian Tuipulotu who I think is a very strong 2nd 5/8 and worked on the wing at last years U18 Blues. I would love to see Christian and Alfred Nonu in the midfield and seeing how much holes they can blow up in a back line because both have so much power. Chay Fihaki brings a different approach at 2nd 5/8 because he is a play maker as well and can give you a different direction mid move which is great to have a player like that in the team. Terry Pongi and  Apetone Vaka bring that explosiveness at Center and should be exciting to see both guys smash themselves into the defence. Eric Ah Hing in Fullback is a good look for the Blues and with others like Aiden Morgan who has blown up the scene for the last 2 years it should be a good battle for that No.15 Jersey. Caleb Leef has always been a talented player that can create on the run but also has a very good kicking game which makes a massive difference when you look at the make up of a team and fitting a system.

The players attending the camp are:

Prop

Saula Mau (Auckland Grammar)
Zyon Holo (St Peters College)
Hamdahn Tuipulotu (St Peters College)
Matt Graeme – Williams (St Kentigern College)
Crusader Faletagoai (Sacred Heart College)
Jack Doyle (Kaitaia College)
Benet Kumeroa (Auckland Grammar)

Hookers

Sam Rainger (Auckland Grammar)
Millenium Sanerviri (Kings College)
Soane Vikena (Mt Albert Grammar)
Tiaan Tauakipulu (St Kentigern College) Y12
Sila Tuititi (St Kentigern College)

Locks

James Brown (Kings College)
Mahonri Ngakuru (St Kentigern College)
Sam Heilmann (Sacred Heart College)
Aisea Tuifeleaki (Massey High School);
Kali Vaipulu (Aorere College)

Flankers

Kitiona Vai (De La Salle College)
Olliver Parkinson (Auckland Grammar)
Ray Tuaimalo-Vaega (Kelston BHS)
Noah Perelini (Kings College)
Terrell Peita (Mt Albert Grammar)
Jed Melvin (Orewa HS)
Braedyn Collins (Rosmini College)
Niko Jones (St Peters College)
Robert Rush (St Kentigern College)
Cameron Church (St Kentigern College) Y12
Lockie McNair (Takapuna Grammar)
Eliesa Katoa (Tamaki College)
Tiennan Costley (Westlake BHS).
Zion Tanielu (Kelston BHS) Y12

Half Backs

Thorn Parkes (Kings College)
Samuel Wye (St Peters College)
Taufa Funaki (Sacred Heart College)
Jackson Rice (Takapuna Grammar)

1st 5/8’s

Ryan Nankivell (Bay of Islands College) Y12
Tevita Hala (Dilworth School)
Zarn Sullivan (Kings College)
Josh Jacomb (Sacred Heart College)
Oscar Koller (Takapuna Grammar)

Midfields

Corey Evans (Auckland Grammar)
Joel Cobb (Mt Albert Grammar)
Javarne Porter (Rodney College) Y12
Julian Vaea (Rosmini College)
Christian Tuipulotu (St Pauls College)
Apetone Vaka (St Peters College)
Chay Fihaki (Sacred Heart College)
Terry Pongi (Sacred Heart College)
Alfred Nonu (Tangaroa College)

Back 3

Eric Ah Hing (De La Salle College)
Aidan Morgan (Kings College) Y12
Kingi Herewini (Rodney College) Y12
Brian Leliafano (Sacred Heart College) Y12
Caleb Leef (Takapuna Grammar)
Vainikolo Halafihi (Aorere College)