Hautapu Sports’ Andrew Smith has become the club’s latest international with his inclusion in a New Zealand U-19 squad to tour South Africa.
Head Coach Mark Hammett has named 30 players to play four fixtures against age group representative teams from the Stormers, Sharks, Lions and Leopards.
Smith has played his way into the national squad after progressing from Hautapu’s Premier squad into this year’s Waikato’s Juniors side.
This is the first New Zealand U-19 squad selected since the side that won the 2007 U-19 World Championships.
From 2008, the New Zealand U-19 and New Zealand U-21 sides were disbanded to form the New Zealand U-20s to compete at the annual World Rugby U-20 Championship.
Fixtures
The New Zealand U-19s will play the following games:
New Zealand v Stormers
Monday September 19, 2022
Stellenbosch
New Zealand v Sharks
Saturday September 24, 2022
Kings Park, Durban
New Zealand v Leopards
Thursday September 29, 2022
Potchefstroom
New Zealand v Lions
Tuesday October 4, 2022
Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Squad
The New Zealand Under 19 squad is:
Ajay Faleafaga (Otago)
Ale Aho (Auckland)
Andrew Smith (Waikato)
Bradley Crichton (Wellington)
Byron Smith (Auckland)
Cody Nordstrom (Waikato)
Cooper Flanders (Hawke’s Bay
Dylan Irvine (Tasman)
Epeli Waqaicece (Manawatū)
Essendon Tuitupou (Auckland)
Finn Hurley (Otago)
Gabe Robinson (Waikato)
Hunter Morrison (Manawatū)
Isaac Hutchinson (Canterbury)
Jack Taylor (Southland)
Jordi Viljoen (Manawatu)
Keran van Staden (Counties Manukau)
Leo Gordon (Auckland)
Mefi Poseti Tupou (Hawke’s Bay)
Nic Shearer (Canterbury)
Riley Williams (Auckland)
Rory Woods (Northland)
Sam Hainsworth-Fa’aofo (Auckland)
Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa (Otago)
Siale Lauaki (Wellington)
Tahlor Cahill (Canterbury)
Taine Kolose (Bay of Plenty)
Toby Taylor (Bay of Plenty)
Torian Barnes (Canterbury)
Will Stodart (Otago)
Book here for Friday’s NPC game
Waikato play Auckland in the Bunnings NPC on Friday September 9 (7.05pm).
For more details and to book online, go to:
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