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New Zealand national under-20 rugby union team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

New Zealand
UnionNew Zealand Rugby
Nickname(s)Baby Blacks
Coach(es)Jono Gibbes
Top scorerTrent Renata (59)
Most triesZac Guildford and Tevita Li (8)
Team kit
First international
New Zealand 48–9 Tonga
(6 June 2008; Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff)
Largest win
New Zealand 92–0 Wales
(14 June 2011; Rugby Rovigo Delta, Rovigo)
Largest defeat
Australia 24–0 New Zealand
(5 May 2019; Bond Sports Park, Gold Coast)
World Cup
Appearances14 (First in 2008)
Best resultChampions (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017)

The New Zealand national under-20 rugby union team, nicknamed the Baby Blacks, is the representative rugby union team from New Zealand. It replaced the two former age grade teams, the under-19s and the under-21s. Their first tournament was the 2008 IRB Junior World Championship, which they won after defeating England (38–3) in the final.[1] They have gone on to also win the World Rugby Under 20 Championship in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015 and 2017. The New Zealand under-20s have been nicknamed the "Baby Blacks" after the youthful All Blacks side which played in 1986.

Overall

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Summary of all matches played by the New Zealand Under-20s as of 19 July 2024

Opposition Played Won Drawn Lost % Won
 Argentina 6 6 0 0 100%
 Australia 17 13 0 4 76%
 England 6 5 0 1 83%
 Fiji 7 7 0 0 100%
 France 6 3 0 3 50%
 Georgia 3 3 0 0 100%
 Ireland 9 8 0 1 89%
 Italy 2 2 0 0 100%
 Japan 4 4 0 0 100%
 Samoa 5 5 0 0 100%
 Scotland 4 4 0 0 100%
 South Africa 8 1 1 6 13%
 Spain 1 1 0 0 100%
 Tonga 2 2 0 0 100%
 Uruguay 1 1 0 0 100%
 Wales 11 9 0 2 82%
Total 92 74 1 17 80%

World Rugby U20 Championship record

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Year Round Position Pld W D L PF PA
2008 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0 242 28
2009 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0 215 54
2010 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0 262 52
2011 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0 274 51
2012 Runners-up 2nd 5 3 0 2 148 49
2013 Semi-finals 4th 5 3 0 2 159 116
2014 Semi-finals 3rd 5 3 0 2 196 107
2015 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0 191 63
2016 5th place 5th 5 4 0 1 223 86
2017 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0 282 92
2018 Semi-finals 4th 5 3 0 2 173 84
2019 7th place 7th 5 3 0 2 161 96
2023 7th place 7th 5 3 0 2 188 150
2024 Semi-finals 3rd 5 4 0 1 182 152
Total 14/14 6 titles 70 56 0 14 2,896 1,180

Oceania Rugby U20 Championship record

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Year Round Position Pld W D L PF PA
2015 Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 157 43
2016 Champions 1st 2 1 0 1 54 35
2017 Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 186 32
2018 Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 195 43
2019 Runners-up 2nd 3 2 0 1 140 43
2022 Champions 1st 3 3 0 0 175 26
Total 6/6 5 titles 17 15 0 2 907 222

U20 Rugby Championship record

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Year Round Position Pld W D L PF PA
2024 Champions 1st 3 2 1 0 92 58
Total 1/1 1 titles 3 2 1 0 92 58

Players

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Recent squads

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2024

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On 10 April 2024, Head Coach Jono Gibbes announced the squad for the inaugural U20 Rugby Championship in Australia.[2]

Player Position Region/Province
Vernon Bason Hooker Hurricanes, Manawatu
Manumaua Letiu Hooker Crusaders, Canterbury
A-One Lolofie Hooker Highlanders, Otago
Kurene Luamanuvae Prop Blues, Auckland
Will Martin Prop Chiefs, Waikato
Konradd Newland Prop Hurricanes, Hawke's Bay
Sika Pole Prop Blues, Auckland
Joshua Smith Prop Hurricanes, Hawke's Bay
Tom Allen Lock Hurricanes, Hawke's Bay
Cam Christie Lock Blues, North Harbour
Liam Jack Lock Crusaders, Canterbury
Jeremiah Avei-Collins Flanker Hurricanes, Wellington
Tristyn Cook Flanker Blues, North Harbour
Matt Lowe Flanker Crusaders, Tasman
Andrew Smith Flanker Chiefs, Waikato
Mosese Bason Number 8 Hurricanes, Manawatu
Jonathan Lee Number 8 Crusaders, Canterbury
Malachi Wrampling-Alec Number 8 Chiefs, Waikato
Ben O’Donovan Halfback Crusaders, Canterbury
Dylan Pledger Halfback Highlanders, Otago
Cooper Grant First five-eighth Crusaders, Tasman
Rico Simpson First five-eighth Blues, Auckland
Toby Bell Midfield back Crusaders, Canterbury
Tofuka Paongo Midfield back Hurricanes, Wellington
Xavi Taele Midfield back Blues, Auckland
Giancarlo Tuivailala Midfield back Chiefs, Waikato
Josh Whaanga Midfield back Highlanders, Otago
King Maxwell Wing Blues, Auckland
Stanley Solomon Wing Hurricanes, Wellington
Frank Vaenuku Wing Chiefs, Bay of Plenty
Sam Coles Fullback Hurricanes, Manawatu
Isaac Hutchinson Fullback Crusaders, Canterbury

Non-travelling reserves named were:

  • Logan Wallace (Hurricanes, Manawatū)
  • Nathaniel Pole (Blues, Auckland)
  • Riley Williams (Blues, Auckland)
  • Tai Cribb (Chiefs, Waikato)
  • Tofuka Paongo was initially named as a non-travelling reserve but was subsequently selected to play in the match against Argentina U20.[3]

After winning the inaugural U20 Rugby Championship title, Jono Gibbes named the squad for the 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship on 31 May 2024.[4]

Player Position Region/Province
Vernon Bason Hooker Hurricanes, Manawatu
Manumaua Letiu Hooker Crusaders, Canterbury
A-One Lolofie Hooker Highlanders, Otago
Kurene Luamanuvae Prop Blues, Auckland
Will Martin Prop Chiefs, Waikato
Sika Pole Prop Blues, Auckland
Senio Sanele Prop Hurricanes, Wellington
Joshua Smith Prop Hurricanes, Hawke's Bay
Logan Wallace Prop Hurricanes, Manawatu
Tom Allen Lock Hurricanes, Hawke's Bay
Cam Christie Lock Blues, North Harbour
Liam Jack Lock Crusaders, Canterbury
Tai Cribb Lock/Flanker Chiefs, Waikato
Jeremiah Avei-Collins Flanker Hurricanes, Wellington
Matt Lowe Flanker Crusaders, Tasman
Andrew Smith Flanker Chiefs, Waikato
Mosese Bason Number 8 Hurricanes, Manawatu
Jonathan Lee Number 8 Crusaders, Canterbury
Malachi Wrampling-Alec Number 8 Chiefs, Waikato
Ben O’Donovan Halfback Crusaders, Canterbury
Dylan Pledger Halfback Highlanders, Otago
Riley Williams Halfback Blues, Auckland
Cooper Grant First five-eighth Crusaders, Tasman
Rico Simpson First five-eighth Blues, Auckland
Xavi Taele Midfield back Blues, Auckland
Giancarlo Tuivailala Midfield back Chiefs, Waikato
King Maxwell Wing Blues, Auckland
Stanley Solomon Wing Hurricanes, Wellington
Frank Vaenuku Wing Chiefs, Bay of Plenty
Xavier Tito-Harris Wing/Fullback Blues, Auckland
Sam Coles Fullback Hurricanes, Manawatu
Isaac Hutchinson Fullback Crusaders, Canterbury

Non-travelling reserves:

  • Nathaniel Pole (Blues, Auckland)
  • Josh Whaanga (Highlanders, Otago)
  • Toby Bell (Crusaders, Canterbury)
  • Tofuka Paongo (Hurricanes, Wellington)
  • Tristyn Cook (Blues, North Harbour)
  • Mosese Bason was initially considered unavailable due to injury and Senio Sanele was named as a non-travelling reserve, but they were subsequently added to the squad as injury replacements for Kurene Luamanuvae and Malachi Wrampling-Alec.[5]

Award winners

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The following New Zealand U20s players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2008:[6]

World Rugby Junior Player of the Year
Year Nominees Winners
2008 Luke Braid Luke Braid
Chris Smith
2009 Aaron Cruden Aaron Cruden
Winston Stanley
2010 Tyler Bleyendaal Julian Savea
Julian Savea
2011 Sam Cane
Luke Whitelock
2013 Ardie Savea
2014 Tevita Li
2015 Akira Ioane
Tevita Li (2)
2016 Shaun Stevenson
2017 Tiaan Falcon
Will Jordan

Coaches

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Due to the U20 category only existing since the combining of the U19 and U21 age groups in 2007, the following table only includes coaches appointed since. In the inaugural tournament in 2008, Dave Rennie and Russell Hilton-Jones served as co-coaches in charge of the team. Craig Philpott is the longest serving coach. As of 2024, the current Head Coach is Jono Gibbes.

Updated to: 19 July 2024

Coach Tenure P W D L W%
Dave Rennie 2008 5 5 0 0 100%
Russell Hilton-Jones 2008 5 5 0 0 100%
Dave Rennie 2009–2010 10 10 0 0 100%
Mark Anscombe 2011 5 5 0 0 100%
Rob Penney 2012 5 3 0 2 60%
Chris Boyd 2013–2014 10 6 0 4 60%
Scott Robertson 2015–2016 15 14 0 1 93%
New Zealand Craig Philpott 2017–2019 24 19 0 5 79%
Tom Donnelly 2022 3 3 0 0 100%
Clark Laidlaw 2023 7 4 0 3 57%
Jono Gibbes 2024– 8 6 1 1 81%

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Clutton, Graham. "Final: New Zealand 38–3 England". irb.com. Archived from the original on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2008.
  2. ^ "Rising stars named in New Zealand Under 20 Rugby Championship squad". allblacks.com. 10 April 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  3. ^ "New Zealand U20 team named to play Argentina". allblacks.com (Press release). 6 May 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  4. ^ "New Zealand Under 20 squad named for World Rugby U20 Championship". New Zealand Rugby (Press release). 31 May 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  5. ^ @nzrugbyofficial (16 June 2024). "Mosese Bason and Senio Sanele come into the New Zealand U20 squad for the World Rugby U20 Championship in Cape Town". Retrieved 30 June 2024 – via Instagram.
  6. ^ "Awards Roll of Honour - World Rugby". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
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