Ten different schools are represented in the Hurricanes U18 team named to play the Crusaders Region U18s at Rugby Park in Christchurch on Saturday.
Hurricanes U18 head coach Darren Larsen has picked a squad of 23 after a week-long development camp in Masterton that saw a team of selectors cast their eye over 60 nominated players.
"It's been a demanding process to select a squad of 23 players from the huge pool of talent that was available to the team's selectors," Larsen said. "We're looking forward to the boys implementing their learnings from the development camp this week, resulting in a quality performance on Saturday."
The final squad was settled on after a scenario based match at Memorial Park in Masterton on Wednesday that saw a Perenara XV play a Coles XV under the watchful eye of the Hurricanes Super Rugby coaching staff, who had also helped prepare the two sides.
Wellington and Hawke's Bay are most heavily represented in the squad named to play the Crusaders with seven players each, while there are six players from Manawatu, two from Poverty Bay and one from East Coast.
The highly successful Hastings Boys' High School first XV provides the highest number of players with five including first-five Lincoln McClutchie, a player who set himself apart during the development camp both on and off the field.
McClutchie received a place on an upcoming 21-day Outward Bound course after being singled out by the coaches and selectors as the player who best took the opportunities present at camp to grow himself, lead others and contribute positively to the culture and environment of the camp.
The other schools represented in the 23-man squad are Palmerston North Boys' High School with three, Feilding College, Wellington College, St Kentigern's College, Gisborne Boys' High School, and Napier Boys' High School (two each), and Scots College, Rongotai College and St Patrick's College.
The squad also contains four players who do not currently attend secondary school in the Hurricanes region, but who qualified under the team's eligibility criteria due to their age and provincial union affiliation.
Hurricanes High Performance Manager Chris Stirling said the conduct of the players during the camp, as well as the make-up of the final team, reflected the immense talent and character in the region.
"The Hurricanes club is extremely fortunate to be able to select a team that represents some of the best youth talent in the region every year. The boys selected will value their opportunity to wear the Hurricanes jersey and become part of a growing tradition of recognising our emerging players."
The U18 team is one part of a comprehensive programme for teenage rugby administered by the Hurricanes Youth Rugby Council on behalf of the region's eight provincial unions.
Youth Council chairman Gordon Noble-Campbell said the U18s provided a link between the region's schools and the professional game and an important pathway to success.
The Hurricanes U18 team to play the Crusaders U18s on Saturday is:
15 Connor Garden-Bachop (Scots College), 14 Vilimoni Koroi (Feilding High School), 13 Reece Plumtree (Wellington College), 12 Denny To'o (Rongotai College), 11 Mosese Dawai (Feilding High School), 10 Lincoln McClutchie (Hastings Boys' High School), 9 Carlos Price (St. Kentigern's College), 8 Brayden Iose (Palmerston North Boys' High School), 7 Naera Tipoki (Gisborne Boys' High School), 6 Matene Ruawai (Palmerston North Boys' High School), 5 Liam Bauckham (Hastings Boys' High School), 4 Naitoa Ah Kuoi (Wellington College), 3 Tim Farrell (Napier Boys' High School), 2 Jacob Devery (Hastings Boys' High School, 1 Xavier Numia (St. Patrick's College). Reserves: Te Ariki Te Puni (Palmerston North Boys' High School), Keanu Kereru-Symes (Hastings Boys' High School), Sam Matenga (Gisborne Boys' High School), Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta (St. Kentigern's College), Will Tremain (Napier Boys' High School), Regan Sword (Marist St. Pat's RFC), Ueta Tufuga (Massey University RFC), Danny Toala (Hastings Boys' High School).