Rugby: Full steam at development camp

Rotorua Boys' High School halfback Te Ra Whata has made selection for the BOP Under-18 squad.

The next generation of young potential Steamers have been involved in Under-18 development camps run by Bay of Plenty Rugby.

From those camps a wider training squad has been selected. Training begins next week ahead of a busy schedule of matches, including four confirmed pre-season games before the team competes in the Chiefs Under-18 competition.

The players selected are from Rotorua Boys' High School (8), Tauranga Boys' College (11), Opotiki College (4), Te Wharekura o Mauou (3), Whakatane High School (3), Bethlehem College (2), Otumoetai College (2), Aquinas College (2), Te Puke High School (2), Western Heights (2), Mount Maunganui College (1) and Trident High School (1).

Kyle McLean, Bay of Plenty Rugby's player development manager, is pleased he and fellow selectors have picked players from such a wide cross-section of school.

He said he and his assistants ensured they got to see all the players in action throughout the wider region.

"The main criteria was to ensure all the players are worthy of selection, no matter what school they are from," McLean said.

"The head coach is Nick Leask, who is in his first year in the role. He is head of PE department at Papamoa College and is in his second year down from Auckland. He took the Western Bay Under-15 team last year and did such a good job that we shoulder-tapped him to do a rep side.

"He will be a big part of it."

Bay of Plenty Rugby Under-18 Wider Training Squad:

Props: Nico Aandewiel (Bethlehem College), Sione Afu (Mt Maunganui College), Isileli Latuila (Opotiki College), Kadis Hona (Rotorua Boys' High School), Jaya Moore (Rotorua Boys' High School), Sami Veikoso (Tauranga Boys' College), Te Hira Roberts (Te Wharekura O Mauao).

Hookers: Isaiah Leach (Rotorua Boys' High School), Dymond Ioanne (Tauranga Boys' College), Tanati Bidois (Te Wharekura O Mauao), Mareko Fagasa-Nuku (Whakatane High School) Locks: Callum Hoare (Aquinas College), Keagan Mio (Opotiki College), Tiaki Harrison (Rotorua Boys' High School), Valen Keil (Rotorua Boys' High School) (subject to injury status).

Loose Forwards: Matt Leppard (Bethlehem College), Ned Fitzgerald (Opotiki College), Dorso Porima-Horne (Rotorua Boys' High School), Mitchell Holten (Tauranga Boys' College), Paia Lavaka (Tauranga Boys' College), Nick Wilson (Tauranga Boys' College), Kaydin Budd (Te Wharekura O Mauao), Josh Lillas (Trident High School), CJ Reineke (Whakatane High School).

Halfbacks: Jack May (Otumoetai College), Te Ra Whata (Rotorua Boys' High School), Sam Takai (Tauranga Boys' College).

First-fives: Jake Malbon (Tauranga Boys' College), Victor Malik (Te Puke High School), Brad Munro (Western Heights High School).

Midfield: James Wood (Aquinas College), James Tofa (Rotorua Boys' High School), Brad Armstrong (Tauranga Boys' College), Nick Adams (Tauranga Boys' College), Will Ngatai (Tauranga Boys' College), Devin Te Tai (Whakatane High School). Wings/Fullbacks: Rewita Biddle (Opotiki College), Isaiah Duncanson (Otumoetai College), Kini Ormsby (Tauranga Boys' College), Robinson Whareorere (Te Puke High School), Masiu Vanikolo (Western Heights High School).

-Players assemble for the first squad training on Wednesday, July 22 at Gordon Spratt Reserve, Papamoa, 6.30pm.