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Blues romp to Super Rugby U20s title
The Blues have emerged victorious in the Bunnings Warehouse Super Rugby U20s Championship, securing a 50-36 win over the Hurricanes in a thrilling final held at Owen Delany Park in Taupo on Saturday. The Blues, coached by Steven Bates, showcased their superiority over three match days by scoring 50 or more points in all three of their matches against the Fijian Drua (51-7), the New Zealand Barbarians (51-26), and the Hurricanes in the final.
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Recent All Blacks Sevens star and outside back Caleb Tangitau played a crucial role in the Blues’ victory, scoring two tries in the final. Hooker Valentino Taito also grabbed a brace, while first five Byron Smith scored 20 points with a try, six conversions, and a penalty. The Hurricanes also displayed a great game, with lock Hunter Morrison scoring two tries in the final and first-five Harry Godfrey being awarded the Sir John Graham Player of the Tournament award.
The scoreline belies the competitiveness of the final match, which remained in the balance until the late stages of the second half. However, Blues openside Sam Hainsworth-Fa’aofo scored off the back of a scrum in the 74th minute to put the match beyond the reach of the Hurricanes.
The Bunnings Warehouse Super Rugby U20s Championship brought together New Zealand’s five Super Rugby club U20s squads, along with the New Zealand Barbarians, Moana Pasifika, and the Fijian Drua, and marked a week of both on and off-field development for the eight competing teams. According to New Zealand Rugby High Performance Player Development Manager Matt Sexton, the third edition of the annual tournament raised the bar on and off the field, providing valuable growth and development opportunities for the players, coaches, referees, and management teams.
Sexton added that the tournament provided an opportunity for players to learn from members of the current All Blacks coaching team, as well as current and former professional players. The Bunnings Warehouse Super Rugby U20s Championship showcased the emergence of great talent from New Zealand and across the Pacific region, and Sexton believes that many of these young men will go on to higher honors in the coming seasons.
2023 Bunnings Warehouse Super Rugby U20 Results:
Location: Owen Delany Park, Taup?
Pool 1: Blues, Crusaders, Fijian Drua, New Zealand Barbarians Under 21
Pool 2: Chiefs, Highlanders, Hurricanes, Moana Pasifika
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Match Day 1 | Sunday 19 March
11.05am Fijian Drua 7 v Blues 51
12.55pm Hurricanes 64 v Moana Pasifika 19
2.45pm Crusaders 27 v New Zealand Barbarians 35
4.35pm Highlanders 28 v Chiefs 18
Match Day 2 | Wednesday 22 March
11.05am Fijian Drua 22 v Crusaders 50
12.55pm Moana Pasifika 20 v Chiefs 52
2.45pm Semi-Final 1: Blues 51 v NZ Barbarians 26
4.35pm Semi-Final 2: Hurricanes 36 v Highlanders 26
Match Day 3 | Saturday 25 March
11.05am 7th/8th Play-off – Fijian Drua 33 v Moana Pasifika 26
12.55pm 5th/6th Play-off – Crusaders 29 v Chiefs 31
2.45pm 3rd/4th Play-off – NZ Barbarians 22 v Highlanders 41
4.35pm Super Rugby Under 20
Final – Blues 50 v Hurricanes 36
Comments on RugbyPass
9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
8 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
8 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to comments