'It’s not so much what they’re doing, it’s what we do': New Zealand u20s looking to end title drought
New Zealand Under 20 are the most successful nation in the World Rugby U20 Championship winning the title six times since its inception in 2008.
However, since 2017, New Zealand’s trophy cabinet has been bare and last year’s seventh place reinforced the balance of power has shifted to the Northern Hemisphere.
France have won the last three tournaments with beastly packs stifling a typically fast and expansive New Zealand approach.
Former Waikato, Chiefs, and All Blacks loose forward Jono Gibbes is New Zealand coach for the first time.
Gibbes has extensive experience coaching in France with Clermont Auvergne (2014-17, 2021-23) and La Rochelle (2018-21). Clermont Auvergne won the Top 14 in 2017 and in the 2021-22 season La Rochelle won the European Cup. How does New Zealand regain age group supremacy?
“It’s not so much what they’re doing, it’s what we do. Amplifying our areas of strength and learning lessons from past campaigns and putting them into action will be essential,” Gibbes told RugbyPass.
“It’s hard to compare New Zealand to France because of the different calendars and, international and amateur structures.
“Where France have made a significant shift is in the amount of work they put into their Under 18 group. The Under 20’s in France is a two-year process where players are identified at 18 and kept together longer.
“The TRC is great solution around a lack of game time. You want more opportunities for these players to get matched up against quality international opponents. More games are better for long term careers and good preparation for the tournament.
“Fast and expansive rugby is our hallmark, but a challenge is mixing up our style, adjusting to different defensive pictures and territorial challenges. There was some good rugby in Super Rugby Under 20. The teams were well coached and built a good spirt, but there was no Wales or South Africa so being able to adjust tactics when required will be key.”
In France there is no national secondary schools team. New Zealand plays Australia annually in schoolboy Tests but has little else exists in the high performance space at Under 18 level. Is it time to reformat the New Zealand Schools program?
“That’s a great question. It’s not for me to answer. We have the talent; we have a good history of rugby in our schools and clubs. It’s about working with the calendar and structures we have, to develop the considerable talent we have.
Another difference between New Zealand and the Northern Hemisphere is that some clubs academies are “fully integrated” with the senior team. That means the Academy players train with the seniors and a ready to step up for matches at any time.
This is true at Irish powerhouse Leinster where Gibbes was forwards coach between 2008 and 2014. In that period Leinster won 205 of 294 matches under head coaches Michael Cheika, Joe Schmidt, and Matt O’Connor. That includes three United Rugby Champions and European Cups.
Gibbes identified World Rugby Player of the Year (2022) Josh van der Flier (62 Tests, 48 wins) and loosehead prop Jack McGrath (56 Tests, 38 wins) as two of the best Leinster Academy youngsters he worked with.
The TRC on the Sunshine Coast (May 2-12) will provide the first opportunity to test the talent ahead of the World Championships in Cape Town in July. Three fixtures against South Africa, Argentina, and Australia, replace the Oceania Championship which typically featured weaker Pacific Island countries.
New Zealand’s 31-man squad for TRC features three players who have played in the NPC, 18 players who are on National Development contracts, six returnees from last year’s New Zealand Under 20 Rugby World Cup squad, and 21 players who have been a part of the New Zealand Secondary Schools programme. Players from across ten provincial unions are represented. What was the biggest selection challenge?
“The make-up of the squad; the number of backs, the number of forwards, how many locks we take, how many halfbacks,” Gibbes responded.
“There were good options and different styles of players. The selectors have done a great job identifying the talent. Getting the squad makeup and combinations right is the next challenge.”
In December 2023 Gibbes was appointed Resource Coach for the Chiefs which means he heads the Chiefs Development XV and works in the Development Pathways programme. His other interaction with squad members was in November 2023 at a New Zealand Under 19 camp. Gibbes didn’t provide any clues on who’d be captain but said that will “work itself out when we put the boys in different situations and see how they react.”
The final squad of 30 for the U20 World Rugby Championship in South Africa will be announced following the Rugby Championship Under 20 tournament.
New Zealand Under 20 Squad:
Props
William Martin* (Chiefs, Waikato)
Sika Pole (Blues, Auckland)
Joshua Smith (Hurricanes, Hawke’s Bay)
Kurene Luamanuvae (Blues, Auckland)
Konradd Newland (Hurricanes, Hawke’s Bay)
Hookers
Vernon Bason* (Hurricanes, Manawatu) – NPC
Manumaua Letiu (Crusaders, Canterbury)
A-One Lolofie (Highlanders, Otago)
Locks
Tom Allen* (Hurricanes, Hawke’s Bay) – NPC
Liam Jack (Crusaders, Canterbury)
Cameron Christie (Blues, North Harbour)
Loose Forwards
Jeremiah Avei-Collins (Hurricanes, Wellington)
Mosese Bason (Hurricanes, Manawatu)
Jonathan Lee (Crusaders, Canterbury)
Matt Lowe (Crusaders, Tasman)
Andrew Smith (Chiefs, Waikato)
Tristyn Cook (Blues, North Harbour)
Malachi Wrampling-Alec* (Chiefs, Waikato) – NPC
Halfbacks
Ben O’Donovan (Crusaders, Canterbury)
Dylan Pledger (Highlanders, Otago)
First-Fives
Cooper Grant (Crusaders, Tasman)
Rico Simpson (Blues, Auckland)
Midfielders
Toby Bell (Crusaders, Canterbury)
Xavi Taele (Blues, Auckland)
Josh Whaanga (Highlanders, Otago)
Outside Backs
Sam Coles (Hurricanes, Manawat?)
Stanley Solomon (Hurricanes, Wellington)
Isaac Hutchinson* (Crusaders, Canterbury)
King Maxwell (Blues, Auckland)
Giancarlo Tuivailala* (Chiefs, Waikato)
Frank Vaenuku (Chiefs, Bay of Plenty)
* denotes New Zealand U20 in 2023. Solomon can cover ten and most of the loose forwards are lineout options.
Comments on RugbyPass
I reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
1 Go to commentsHaha did he always say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
43 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
123 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
6 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
123 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
43 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
6 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
123 Go to commentsThis Outiniqua boy has played sublime rugby and deserves a spot in BI LIONS team. Well played son
4 Go to commentsI don’t like to see players miss big matches but this ban looks to be tailored to allow him to compete in the final. In principle a suspension for a very dangerous tackle in a semi should warrant missing the relevant final. Done now. One the flip side having both teams with very strong squads/teams available for the final will add to the occassion hopefully.
1 Go to commentsTalent to burn and a huge engine..hope he gets a shot at higher honours
2 Go to commentsIf anything like his dad he has a bright future, Soane was the best ball carrying props ive ever seen using a combination of pace power and footwork.
1 Go to commentsThose who saw Sharks vs Clermont and Ox N'Che vs Rabah Slimani should have a good idea of the best scrumagers… May be not the best props…
2 Go to commentsIt's been an unusual era of unpopular, highly competitive, domineering, fairly big fly halves in the home nations with Farrell, Sexton and Biggar. Russell is different in personality and player I think. I'd rank Sexton first of the three because he is just as good a game controller but also has a great passing game. And his competitiveness never seems to cause problems with refs.
43 Go to commentsThank goodness he wasn't born in Scotland, he'd have been a great candidate for the Scottish Barbarians. I wouldn't put it past them to push for a “where the player was conceived” rule 😂
2 Go to comments