Young All Blacks fans share Rugby World Cup 2023 predictions in Mount Maunganui

More than 300 eager fans flocked to watch their favourite All Blacks players in a public training session in Mount Maunganui this morning.

The All Blacks are in town for their three-day training camp ahead of the Rugby Championship in July. The public training session took place today at Blake Park.

Scrum training, draw and passes, lineouts, and even a game of touch were watched by school children with rugby balls and Weet-Bix All Blacks cards waiting to be signed.

Not all of the 36-man squad was in attendance with players involved in the Super Rugby Pacific final in Hamilton tomorrow between the Chiefs and Crusaders set to join next week.

The Bay of Plenty Times asked some of Tauranga’s youngest rugby fans for their opinions and predictions for the 2023 Rugby World Cup later this year.

Zeke Korzelius, 10, and Cohen Van Tiel, 10, in Tauranga for the public All Blacks training session. Photo / Alex Cairns

Zeke Corzelius, 10, Cohen Van Tiel, 10, and Boston Foley, 10, are big fans of Beauden Barrett.

Boston Foley brought Barrett’s autobiography to the training camp to be signed by the player.

The young fans were all certain the All Blacks would take home the World Cup later this year, but opinions differed on who was going to be opposing them.

Brent and Crystal Kaua with their sons Ryda, 11, and Kona, 8, in Tauranga for the public All Blacks training session. Photo / Alex Cairns

Zeke and Boston were sure South Africa would make it to the final but Spencer Black thought Ireland and Cohen guessed France.

Crystal Kaua, who was there with her sons Ryda, 11, and Kona, 8, said she wanted to show her boys positive role models.

“It is good to show them what they could be, to dream big and get excited about rugby,” she said.

“It is good for them to see the people they see on TV in real life and inspire them to do great things with their life. Having a half day off school with their mates kicking a rugby ball around is always good too.”

Image 1 of 14: Jordie Barrett and Beaden Barrett in Tauranga during an All Blacks public practice session. 23 June 2023 The Bay of Plenty Times Photo / Alex Cairns

Harriet Laughton is an Auckland University of Technology journalism student.