Southland’s Flynn Thomas & Jay Renton To Play Fiji In Under 20 Oceania Championship
New Zealand Under 20 Coach Craig Philpott has rung in the changes ahead of their second Oceania Rugby U20 Championship match, with six players set to pull on the black jersey for the first time and a total of 18 changes to the squad.
The team face Fiji tonight at 5pm (NZT) at Bond University, Gold Coast, their second of three matches in the competition.
The team is;
1. Sione Asi – Manawatu
2. Flynn Thomas – Southland
3. Suetena Asomua Counties – Manukau
4. Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa – Auckland
5. William Tucker – Canterbury
6. Devan Flanders – Hawke’s Bay
7. William Tremain – Hawke’s Bay
8. Hoskins Sotutu – Auckland
9. Xavier Roe – Waikato
10. Ciarahn Matoearanaki – Taranaki
11. Ngane Punivai – Canterbury
12. Harry Plummer – captain – Auckland
13. Billy Proctor – Wellington
14. Tanielu Tele’a -Auckland
15. Jamie Spowart – Tasman
16. Ricky Jackson – Otago
17. Kaliopasi Uluilakepa – Wellington
18. Tevita Mafileo – Bay of Plenty
19. John Akau’ola-Laula – Auckland
20. Tom Christie – Canterbury
21. Tom Florence – Taranaki
22. Jay Renton – Southland
23. Scott Gregory – Northland
Suetana Asomua, William Tucker, Ngane Punivai and Jamie Spowart take positions in the starting line up after sitting out the first match, while Jay Renton and Scott Gregory join the bench.
Captain Tom Christie moves to the bench which will see Harry Plummer lead the team from second five-eighth. Plummer is just one of four players, along with Flanders, Proctor and Tele’a to retain starting positions.
Philpott said the intention was to make sure all members of the squad got game time during the series, with the aim of giving everyone a run-on start by end of the competition.
“This is about selection for the World Championships first and foremost, so we need to give players the opportunity to put their best foot forward.”
Schedule for Oceania Under 20 Championship:
Friday 27 April v Tonga, 7.00pm NZT
Tuesday 1 May v Fiji, 5.00pm NZT
Saturday 5 May v Australia, 9.00pm NZT
Watch the Oceania Under 20 Championship
All games will be live streamed on Live Stream Here and the Oceania Rugby facebook page.