Hurricanes

Hurricanes Schools team named to defend national title

A 23-strong Hurricanes Secondary Schools team has been named to defend its National U18 Secondary School Tournament title next week.

The tournament, contested among four teams representing the South Island (combined Crusaders and Highlanders), Hurricanes, Chiefs and Blues franchise regions, is being held at St. Paul’s Collegiate in Hamilton on Tuesday 13 July and Thursday 15 July.

The Hurricanes U18s will play the Chiefs U18s on Tuesday, while the South Island U18s take on their Blues counterparts. On Thursday the two winning teams from Tuesday will play each other in the final, with the other two will playing off for third and fourth. 

The Hurricanes side has been selected following their camp in Feilding earlier this week.

The side comprises players representing the Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu, Taranaki, Poverty Bay and Wellington provinces and features players from10 different secondary schools throughout the region - including four from Feilding High School, three each from St. Pat’s Silverstream, St. Pat’s Town and Wellington College,  two each from Napier Boys’ High School, Palmerston North Boys’ High School, Mana College and Gisborne Boys’ High Schools and one each from New Plymouth Boys’ High School and Rongotai College.

The team is coached by Darren Larsen, Joe Payton and Thomas Perenara, who take the reins this year from Braedon Whitelock, Jason O’Halloran and Kerry Whale. Nick Reid from Manawatu is the manager.

From this tournament the New Zealand Secondary Schools team is named, making it a significant competition on New Zealand rugby’s landscape.

The Hurricanes won last year’s National U18 Tournament for the third time in four years, defeating the South Island selection 29-0 and the Chiefs 13-6 en route to retaining the Barbarian Shield.

The Hurricanes U18 team is:

Thomas Alosis (St. Pat’s Silverstream, Wellington)

Donald Brighouse (St. Pat’s Town, Wellington)

Eddie Cranston (Feilding High School, Manawatu)

Manihera Eden (Napier Boys’ High School, Hawke’s Bay)

Jason Emery (Palmerston North Boys’ High School, Manawatu)

Jamison Gibson-Park (Gisborne Boys’ High School, Poverty Bay)

Hugh Graham (St. Pat’s Town, Wellington)

Jackson Hemopo (Palmerston North Boys’ High School, Manawatu)

Terrance Hepetama (Mana College, Wellington)

Doug Horrocks (Feilding High School, Manawatu)

Regan Hunt (Feilding High School, Manawatu)

Joe Latta (Wellington College, Wellington)

Rhys Marshall (New Plymouth Boys’ High School, Taranaki)

Josh Nicho (Wellington College, Wellington)

Hamish Northcott (Feilding High School, Manawatu)

Ope Paleasuma (St. Pat’s Silverstream, Wellington)

TJ Perenara (Mana College, Wellington)

Ardie Savea (Rongotai College, Wellington)

Aviata Silago (St. Pat’s College Silverstream, Wellington)

Eric Sione (St. Pat’s Town, Wellington)

Kelvin Smith (Gisborne Boys’ High School, Poverty Bay)

Tupou Sapoaga (Wellington College, Wellington)

Kaleb Sweet (Napier Boys’ High School, Hawke’s Bay)