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Why two All Blacks coaches attended New Zealand U20 match in Australia
As the New Zealand U20s ran away for a convincing 43-20 win over Los Pumitas on Tuesday evening, All Blacks coaches Jason Ryan and Leon MacDonald watched on from the stands.
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Ryan and MacDonald, who are both part of Scott Robertson’s New Zealand coaching staff, had helped put the Baby Blacks through their paces in Australia’s Sunshine Coast this last week.
With New Zealand U20s coach Jono Gibbes making some headline-changing selection changes following the draw with South Africa, new combinations were tested against the Argentinians.
The new-look halves duo of Dylan Pledger and Rico Simpson impressed in the statement 23-point victory, as did backrower Malachi Wrampling-Alec who ran in for a decisive double.
About 20 minutes after the match, you couldn’t have wiped the smile off Wrampling-Alec’s face. It was a “special” occasion with the New Zealand U20s notching up their first win of the year.
It seems the Baby Blacks have thrived under the tutelage of coaches Ryan and MacDonald while receiving an insight into “what could be in the future” within the All Blacks’ senior set-up.
“They’ve been in and around our camp helping us out, helping our management out this last week, even in Wellington as well,” Wrampling-Alec revealed in an interview with RugbyPass.
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“It’s good to have that knowledge. They bring a lot of knowledge and it’s just exciting to see what could be in the future.
“They bring insight from the top and as young fellas, we’ve always got to take that in.
“I don’t think it’s too intimidating. They’re real nice, down-to-earth fellas and they just want what’s best for us.”
After a 13-all draw with South Africa in torrential conditions last week, New Zealand appeared eager to make amends while getting their Rugby Championship U20 campaign back on track.
The Kiwis couldn’t have gotten off to a better start against the Pumitas at Sunshine Coast Stadium with Dylan Pledger diving over for the opening score of the night after 74 seconds.
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Wrampling-Alec then crossed for a try in both the fifth and 24th minutes as the New Zealanders ran up a commanding lead, and they continued to run away with it after the half-time break.
Andrew Smith scored four minutes into the half, and another two tries for the New Zealand U20’s later on helped secure a bonus point which has seen them rise into first on the standings.
“Yeah it’s our first win as a group this year so (it’s a) pretty special to win anytime but the first one for the year is definitely special,” Wrampling-Alec said.
“We nailed our prep, I think, coming into the week,” he continued. “We knew that this was going to be a grudge match, Argentina were going to come in really emotional, really passionate.
“Just nailing our prep helped out there and it showed.”
With the Junior Wallabies beating the Junior Springboks by five points in the other game on Sunday evening, the New Zealanders sit outright in pole position on the ladder.
Argentina and Australia have a win each while South Africa has a record of one win and a draw from two starts. But it’s all to play for in match-day three at the same venue this Sunday night.
New Zealand U20s can claim the inaugural Rugby Championship U20 crown with a bonus point win over their arch-rivals Australia, but every team is still a mathematical chance to win.
But for the Baby Blacks, the message is simple this week: “We’ll just be focused on ourselves this next week.
“(We’ll) look to finish off our campaign strong. We know the Aussies will be hurting after game one and it’ll be interesting just to see how they go against South Africa today.
“I think we’ll just nail our prep this week and we’re good to go.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Wow, never thought I would read that
1 Go to commentsExcellent match. Great to see Keenan and Ryan back for Leinster. Super result for Ulster. Season is turning around.
1 Go to comments“We need eight or nine new players, who are hard-wearing and durable and experienced Premiership performers”. So why are they scouting a retired fullback who himself admits that his “body is broken”?
1 Go to commentsBrumbies hand, knocked a Crusaders hand. Therefore, knock on in goal. Crusaders, goal line drop out should’ve been awarded. most likely after that 24 each at full time, so extra time would’ve been the right an entertaining outcome. Act Jim
1 Go to commentsSpeell cehck
1 Go to commentsColeman is gaawwwwnnn.
1 Go to commentsnext SA head coach?
3 Go to commentsGreat try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
3 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
6 Go to commentsAlways reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
3 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
6 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
5 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
5 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to comments