Watch: TJ Perenara, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Patrick Tuipulotu shine in star-studded 2010 clash between Blues U18 and Hurricanes U18
New Zealand’s famed conveyer belt of talent has been attributed as one of the many reasons the All Blacks and the nation’s five Super Rugby franchises have been so dominant in recent years.
That particularly holds true in the last decade, when the All Blacks claimed two World Cup crowns while the Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders won combined seven Super Rugby titles of the ten on offer between 2010 and 2019.
A large number of players from those championship-winning sides also came through New Zealand’s esteemed schoolboy rugby system in that same period as well.
Over half of last year’s All Blacks World Cup squad played secondary school rugby at some stage over the past ten years, illustrating the efficiency of the development schemes currently in place for youngsters in New Zealand.
Those players include the likes of TJ Perenara, Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Patrick Tuipulotu, all now established All Blacks who featured in the final of the 2010 Regional U18 tournament.
The four-team competition was composed of youth sides from the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes and a South Island team made up of players from the Crusaders and Highlanders catchment regions.
Showcasing the best high school talent New Zealand had to offer, the Blues and Hurricanes U18 teams faced off in the tournament final ten years ago, which comes as little surprise given the breadth of talent and potential laden across both teams.
Three future All Blacks – Tu’ungafasi of the Blues and Perenara and future Highlanders lock Jackson Hemopo – were named in their team’s respective starting lineups, while Tuipulotu made an appearance off the bench for the Blues squad.
Other notable names throughout the starting sides include Jordan Taufua and Bryn Hall, both of whom were representing – and, in Hall’s case, captaining – the Blues at the time and have since gone on to be named in All Blacks squads, although neither have a test cap to their name.
Current Worcester Warriors and ex-Hurricanes lock Michael Fatialofa lined up against his future side in Blues colours, and he was joined by an additional six players who went on to play professionally either in Super Rugby or in Europe.
Accompanying Hemopo in a strong Hurricanes forward pack was future Chiefs and Munster hooker Rhys Marshall, NRL player turned one-time Highlanders loose forward Tupou Sopoaga and ex-Highlanders, Gloucester, Bristol and current Suntory Sungoliath lock Joe Latta.
Former Crusaders and Hurricanes props Donald Brighouse and Eric Sione anchored the scrum, while ex-Blues utility back Hamish Northcott started at first-five and former Highlanders and Sunwolves midfielder Jason Emery was named at centre.
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In an entertaining affair played at Hamilton’s St Paul’s Collegiate, both halfbacks – Hall and Perenara – proved to be influential figures throughout the contest.
Hall, who has gone on to win three Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders, slotted 13 points from the kicking tee, while 64-test All Black Perenara assisted one of his side’s two tries.
Both tries were scored by second-five Opetema Peleseuma, which handed the Hurricanes a 16-13 lead at the break, but a Blues team inspired by Tu’ungafasi and Tuipulotu fought back staunchly.
The All Blacks duo showed immense power to register on the score sheet, with a late try to replacement player Sam Quinn sealing a 33-16 victory as the Hurricanes were held scoreless in the second half.
Perenara, Tu’ungafasi, Hall, Fatialofa, Sopoaga, Latta and Peleseuma all went on to make that year’s New Zealand Schools squad that defeated Tonga and Australia, while Tuipulotu and Emery were selected for the national side the following season.
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments