The Hurricanes have named their squad for the 2023 edition of the Bunnings Warehouse Super Rugby U20 tournament set to be played in Taupo from 19-25 March.
The third edition of the tournament sees the Hurricanes retain 17 players from the 2022 team and four players return for their third crack at the competition.
With matches on Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday – the Hurricanes kick-off their campaign with a clash against Moana Pasifika, who are getting their first taste of the action.
The team – assembled from the Hurricanes regional academies – features players who have already featured for the Hurricanes senior side, as well as a raft of rising talent looking to make their claims for a spot in the NZ U20s for the World Cup in July.
Hawke’s Bay’s Cooper Flanders will captain the team, assisted by Wellington’s Dominic Ropeti and Harry Godfrey, with the latter making his senior debut in week one against the Queensland Reds.
Godfrey, into his second year as part of the National Development Contracted group, heads up a group of five who train full-time alongside the Hurricanes senior squad. Lock/loosie Hunter Morrison, half-back Jordi Viljoen, Flanders and Wellington tighthead Siale Lauaki round out that group.
Eight school leavers join the side, Konradd Newland, Vernon Bason, Senio Sanele, Tom Allen, Matolu Petaia, Sam Coles and Jack O’Brien will be looking to make their mark early on.
Hurricanes Recruitment and Development Manager and U20 Head Coach, Darren Larsen, said: "We have plenty of experience at the Super 20s level to be able to unite the playing group, and with our balance of young players we will be set to excite in Taupō.”
The Hurricanes U20s open their campaign against Moana Pasifika at 12.55pm on Sunday 19 March, at Owen Delaney Park in Taupō.
Hurricanes 2023 U20 Squad:
Konradd Newland (Hawke’s Bay), Malakai Hala-Ngatai (Manawatū), Vernon Bason (Manawatū), Raymond Tuputupu (Manawatū), Senio Sanele (Wellington), Siale Lauaki (Wellington), Bradley Crichton (Wellington), Tom Allen (Hawke’s Bay), Hunter Morrison (Hawke’s Bay), Matt Monaghan (Hawke’s Bay), Dominic Ropeti (Wellington) (VC), Kusitino Savea (Hawke’s Bay), Cooper Flanders (Hawke’s Bay) (C), Toby Crosby (Wellington), Matolu Petaia (Wellington), Jordi Viljoen (Manawatū), Sam Howling (Wellington), Harry Godfrey (Hawke’s Bay) (VC), Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula (Manawatū), Jack O’Brien (Wellington), Meni Manase (Hawke’s Bay), Epeli (Waqa) Waqaicece (Manawatū), Bethel Malasia (Hawke’s Bay), Josiah Sakaria (Hawke’s Bay), Sam Coles (Manawatū), Chicago Doyle (Wellington), Tofuka Paongo (Wellington)