Bay prop makes NZ rugby squad

Aidan Ross. Photo/Rick Moran

Bay of Plenty prop Aidan Ross was named today in the New Zealand squad to compete at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Italy next month.

The 19-year-old is in the Chiefs Development squad, plays his club rugby for Te Puke Sports and was in the Tauranga Boys' College First XV in 2013.

Ross will join up with the squad for a camp in Mount Maunganui beginning on May 22 and includes a game against Chiefs Development on Monday May 25.

Bay of Plenty Steamers assistant coach Rodney Gibbs says after Ross missed out on the initial selection he returned home and never lost focus on his end goal of being a part of the campaign.
"He kept training hard and working on his game. His training and focus paid off when he put in a good performance for the Chiefs Development against the Hurricanes Development team, leading to his section today."

New Zealand Under-20 head coach Scott Robertson and assistant coaches Leon MacDonald and Tana Umaga confirmed their final selections after winning all their matches at the Oceania Rugby Junior Championship in Australia last week.

Robertson said the Oceania tournament had been the perfect preparation for the World Championship.

"We really got to test our combinations and to put the boys under some pressure in both the tournament environment with short turn arounds between games, and the competition for positions," he said.

THE NEW ZEALAND SQUAD:

FORWARDS

Isileli Tu'ungafasi, Auckland, Prop
Tau Koloamatangi, Waiktao, Prop
Aidan Ross, Bay of Plenty, Prop
Atunaisa Moli, Waikato, Prop
Liam Polwart, Auckland, Hooker
Steven Misa, Waikato, Hooker
Ricky Riccitelli, Hawke's Bay, Prop/Hooker
Mitchell Dunshea, Canterbury, Lock/Loose Forward
Geoffrey Cridge, Hawke's Bay, Prop/Hooker
Joshua Goodhue, Canterbury, lock
James Blackwell, Wellington, Lock
Mitchell Jacobson, Waikato, Loose Forward
Blake Gibson, Auckland, Loose Foward
Mitchell Karpik, Auckland, Loose Forward
Akira Ioane, Auckland, Loose Forward
Henry Stowers, Wellington, Loose Forward

BACKS

Harrison Levien, Waikato, Halfback
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Taranaki, Halfback
Otere Black, Manawatu, First-five-eighth
Mitchell Hunt, Auckland, First-five-eighth
Tinoai (TJ) Faiane, Auckland, Midfield
Jack Goodhue, Canterbury, Midfield
Anton Lienert-Brown, Waikato, Midfield
Nathaniel Apa, Canterbury, Wing/Midfield
Tevita Li, North Harbour, Wing
Vincent Tavae-Aso, Auckland, Wing
George Bridge, Canterbury, Fullback
Luteru Laulala, Canterbury, Fullback