Te Puke player Lalomilo Lalomilo in action for the New Zealand Under 20 squad. Photo / Photosport
Te Puke player Lalomilo Lalomilo in action for the New Zealand Under 20 squad. Photo / Photosport
The Baby All Blacks will be in town next week.
The New Zealand Under 20 team leave for Argentina at the end of the month for the 2019 World Rugby Under 20 Championship — but before they go, they will have one last hit out against a Bay of Plenty side at Te Puke's Murray Salt Stadium next Tuesday evening.
Bay of Plenty Steamers coach Clayton McMillan also has a foot in the national Under 20 camp.
"The [New Zealand] Under 20s have traditionally held a camp in the Mount pre going to the world championships," he said.
SQUAD NAMING | The New Zealand Under 20s to compete in the @WorldRugby Championship has been named!
"They didn't do it last year, but they are back this year and were keen to have a hit out before they got on the plane."
There are five Bay of Plenty players in the squad - Lalomilo Lalomilo and Cole Forbes (Te Puke), Jeriah Mua and Leroy Carter (Tauranga Sports) and Mount Maunganui's Kohan Herbert.
"I do a bit of work in the New Zealand Under 20 environment as the position-specific coach and David Hill, who has been an assistant with the Steamers for three years, is an assistant coach with that [U20] team, so through relationships and a little bit of good fortune, they have decided to have a camp at the Mount."
A combination of having a good set of lights at Murray Salt Stadium and the fact that Te Puke Sports have two players in the squad made it a good option to play the game in Te Puke.
Te Puke's Lalomilo Lalomilo (right) and Cole Forbes are both in the New Zealand Under 20 squad that will have a game against a Bay of Plenty team in Te Puke next Tuesday.
McMillan said the game was a good chance for Bay of Plenty players to make an early impression.
"There are a number of guys who are contracted to the Steamers who won't play who are in the Super Rugby environment, but it's certainly an opportunity for those who are playing club rugby in the Bay and performing well to get an opportunity against quality opposition."
While the game will effectively be a trial, there will also be a focus on what the Under 20s need to get out of the hit out.
"I'll collaborate pretty closely with the [Under 20] coaches around the sort of game they want us to play. On the one hand it's a trial, on the other we are going into the game essentially preparing them for what they are likely to encounter, so it might not necessarily be the traditional way the Bay of Plenty play."
The New Zealand Under 20s last won the national title in 2017, finishing fourth in France last year.
They will play Georgia, Scotland and South Africa in the group stage of the 2019 championship, starting on June 4.
Next Tuesday's game kicks off at 6.30pm.
The Bay hit out: Who: New Zealand U20 vs Bay of Plenty. When: Tuesday, May 27. Where: Murray Salt Stadium, Te Puke. Time: 6.30pm.
