Dennon Robinson is one of seven Hastings Boys' High School players who will start for the Hurricanes under-18s tomorrow night. Photo/File
Dennon Robinson is one of seven Hastings Boys' High School players who will start for the Hurricanes under-18s tomorrow night. Photo/File
Nine Hawke's Bay players, including seven from Hastings Boys' High School, have been selected in the Hurricanes under-18 team to play their Crusaders counterparts in Wellington tomorrow night.
It's no surprise Hastings Boys, the country's No 1 secondary schools team which has won all 14 of their games to datethis season including five Super 8 fixtures, has the biggest representation in the team. Feilding High School has the next biggest with four.
Nor is it a surprise that all seven Hastings players, fullback Danny Toala, winger Dennon Robinson, first five-eighth Lincoln McClutchie, halfback Folau Fakatava, No 8 Devan Flanders, captain and hooker Kianu Kereru-Symes and prop Josiah Mecalfe will start.
Napier Boys' High School captain and blindside flanker Josh Bokser will also start for the hosts and his vice-captain, halfback Humphrey Sheild, is likely to get game time off the subs bench. The 23-strong Hurricanes squad was selected from a 58-strong training squad which completed a five-day development camp in Masterton yesterday.
Hurricanes under-18 head coach Darren Larsen said it had been incredibly difficult to select the 23.
"It's been a demanding process to select a squad from the huge pool of talent that was available to the selectors.
"Now we're looking forward to the boys taking the learnings from the development camp this week and putting them toward a quality performance against the Knights."
Hurricanes high performance manager Chris Stirling was thrilled with the ability of the group and the potential they offered for the future.
"We consider the Hurricanes club 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."
In addition to 21 secondary school players the Hurricanes team includes two Wellington-based club players in Petone prop Kaliopasi Uluilakepa and Marist St Pats midfielder Billy Proctor. They qualify under the team's eligibility criteria based on their age and provincial union affiliation.
