Rugby: Experienced NZ U-20s squad named

Gareth Anscombe. Photo / Getty Images

Canterbury's Luke Whitelock and Waikato's Glen Robertson who helped New Zealand win a third under-20 world rugby title last year have been named in this year's team seeking to make it four-in-a-row in Italy in June.

Whitelock and Robertson will be joined by Super 15 players Lima Sopoaga from the Highlanders, Chiefs loose forward Sam Cane and Hurricanes fullback Beauden Barrett.

The squad for the June 10-26 tournament also include a sprinkling of players with national provincial championship experience in Hawke's Bay prop Ben Tameifuna, Wellington loose forward Brad Shields and halfback TJ Perenara, Auckland winger Charles Piutau, first-five eighth Gareth Anscombe and lock Steven Luatua.

Also picked in the backs was Mitchell Scott, the son of late former All Black halfback Steve Scott.

"One of the biggest challenges for us was to get the balance right throughout the team as the format of the competition is such that we play five games in 17 days," coach Mark Anscombe said.

"It is also vital that we have versatile players that allow us to spread the workload throughout the team."

New Zealand won the last three junior world championships in Wales, Japan and Argentina respectively.

The New Zealand squad for the world junior rugby championship in Italy from June 10-26 are: Forwards: Carl Axtens (Bay of Plenty), Dominic Bird (Canterbury), Heiden Bedwell-Curtis (Taranaki), Sam Cane (Bay of Plenty), Michael Kainga (Wellington), Steven Luatua (Auckland), Greg Pleasants-Tate (North Harbour), Brodie Rettalick (Hawke's Bay), Solomona Sakalia (Wellington), Sefo Setefano (Waikato), Brad Shields (Wellington), Ben Tameifuna (Hawke's Bay), Codie Taylor (Canterbury), Luke Whitelock (Canterbury).

Backs: Gareth Anscombe (Auckland), Beauden Barrett (Taranaki), Nathan George (Waikato), Rhys Llewellyn (Canterbury), Waisake Naholo (Taranaki), TJ Perenara (Wellington), Charles Piutau (Auckland), Glen Robertson (Waikato), Francis Saili (Auckland), Mitchell Scott (Tasman), Lima Sopoaga (Wellington), Brad Weber (Otago).

- NZPA