Rugby: Five juniors join Hurricanes' camp

Wanganui Collegiate flanker Wanganui Collegiate flanker Te Atuarere Albert has been selected to attend the Hurricanes under-18 training camp for the second time. Photo/Stuart Munro

Five of Wanganui's most talented rugby juniors have been selected for a Hurricanes region training camp next month.

Cullinane's Brett Cameron will attend along with Te Atuarere Albert from Wanganui Collegiate.

Cameron, also a talented cricketer, makes the camp on the back of a call-up for the inaugural national Catholic schools 1st XV last year, which was selected players from 49 Catholic schools from around the country.

For Albert, it will be his second year at the camp as well and has previously been named in an Under 16 Hurricanes tournament team.

Meanwhile, former Wanganui High School player Vilimoni Koroi, who now plays for Feilding High School, will attend after earlier this year being named in the wider All Blacks Sevens training squad in camp at Mount Maunganui at just 16-years-old.

The gifted speedster also played for the Wanganui Under 16 team and was also named Most Valuable Player in the Hurricanes Under 15 tournament.

Former Cullinane student Ollie Brosnahan also gets to run along with Alex Hawira who moved from Taihape area school to Feilding High School.

The camp will bring the top 60 under 18 players in the region to Feilding for the five-day-camp beginning on July 7.

Camp facilitator Darren Larsen said this year's camp was a step up with a bigger emphasis on running a programme which helped players absorb, retain, and apply what they learned more successfully.

"We take a lot of pride in what we do with these young players, and want to let them know how they can continue to progress in the Hurricanes system.

"After all, the future of our top team lies with them," he said.

Larsen said the camp was a chance for players to develop their technical and tactical rugby along with ideas around physical preparation, mental skills and nutritional requirements.

Highlights from the camp will include coaching form ITM Cup coaches, before a day trip to Wellington where they will get a taste of the Hurricanes training base.

"They'll have a full day with the Hurricanes coaching team, and all of the Hurricanes players will take position specific activities.

"That will be a pretty valuable day for them," Larsen said.

Hurricanes Youth Council chairman, Gordon Noble-Campbell, said the calibre of aspiring players attending the regional training camp was outstanding.