Southland players book trip to World U20 tournament
The selections are another positive step for Rugby Southland in terms of its development of future Stags.
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Tayne Harvey and Shaun Kempton’s ticket to the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship has been confirmed.
The Southland players were part of the New Zealand U20s squad that attended the Rugby Championship tournament in South Africa this month.
On Monday, the selectors named a new 30-man squad for the pinnacle world event in Italy, and Harvey and Kempton have both retained their spots.
The tournament will run from June 29 to July 19.
The selections are another positive step for Rugby Southland in terms of its development of future Stags.
Harvey and Kempton’s national selections mean their contracts with Rugby Southland are automatically upgraded from development contracts to fulltime contracts with the Stags for the 2025 NPC season.
Harvey, a midfielder, got a taste of NPC late in the 2024 season. He will be looking to push for more game time among other midfield contenders including Matt Whaanga, Faletoi Peni, and Isaac Te Tamaki.
Kempton will sit in behind the likes of Jack Taylor and Nic Souchon in the hooking ranks with the Stags.
Southland has also brought in Augustino Salanoa, a former Aucklander who had been a standout playing for Zingari-Richmond in Dunedin this season.
Salanoa has now made the shift to Southland to link with the Star club and as he pushed for some game time with the Stags in 2025.
The Stags are set to assemble in early July for an August 2 NPC kick-off.
With the World U20 tournament scheduled to finish on July 19, there is every chance Harvey and Kempton won’t be options for the Stags’ season opener against Otago.
On top of Harvey and Kempton’s selections, Southland first five-eighth Mika Muliaina has also been named as a non-travelling reserve for the New Zealand Under-20s team.
Having retained The Rugby Championship U20 trophy played in South Africa in May, the team will be looking to better last year’s third-place finish at this year’s showpiece event.
Unavailable for the Rugby Championship in South Africa, were All Blacks Sevens players Oli Mathis and Frank Vaenuku and they will return to the squad for the World Championship.
Jayden Sa, Aisake Vakasiuola, and Logan Wallace have also been included in the 30-player squad after stints on the sidelines due to injury.
NZ U20s SQUAD
Hookers
Shaun Kempton, Highlanders/Southland
Manumaua Letiu, Crusaders/Canterbury
Eli Oudenryn, Crusaders/Tasman
Props
Tamiano Ahloo, Blues/Auckland
Robson Faleafa, Blues/Auckland
Dane Johnston, Chiefs/Taranaki
Sika Pole, Blues/Auckland
Logan Wallace, Hurricanes/Manawatu
Locks
Jayden Sa, Chiefs/Taranaki
Josh Tengblad, Highlanders/Otago
Aisake Vakasiuola, Chiefs/Bay of Plenty
Loose Forwards
Mosese Bason, Hurricanes/Manawatū
Micah Fale, Chiefs/Waikato
Oli Mathis, Chiefs/Waikato
Xavier Treacy, Crusaders/Canterbury
Caleb Woodley, Blues/Auckland
Finn McLeod, Crusaders/Canterbury
Halfbacks
Dylan Pledger, Highlanders/Otago
Charlie Sinton, Chiefs/Bay of Plenty
Jai Tamati, Hurricanes/Manawatū
First five-eighth
Will Cole, Hurricanes/Hawke’s Bay
Rico Simpson, Blues/Auckland
Midfield
James Cameron, Crusaders/Canterbury
Tayne Harvey, Highlanders/Southland
Cooper Roberts, Crusaders/Tasman
Jack Wiseman, Chiefs/Taranaki
Outside Backs
Maloni Kunawave, Crusaders/Tasman
Harlyn Saunoa, Blues/Auckland
Stanley Solomon, Hurricanes/Wellington
Frank Vaenuku, Chiefs/Bay of Plenty
Non-travelling reserves
Dylan Eti, Harry Irving, Raharuhi Palmer, Aio Keith, Mika Muliaina, Taniela Maisiri, Riley Tofilau, Ollie Burra, David Lewai, Randall Baker, Israel Time
Match schedule
Monday 30 June, 6:30am NZT
New Zealand v Italy – Stadio San Michele, Calvisano
Saturday 5 July, 4:00am NZT
New Zealand v Georgia – Stadia Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana
Thursday 10 July, 4:00am NZT
New Zealand v Ireland – Stadio San Michele, Calvisano