Rugby: Heartland youth handed chance

The Heartland Championship will be well represented at the Jock Hobbs Memorial tournament. Photo / Getty

The 2015 New Zealand Heartland team named to compete at this month's Jock Hobbs Memorial National U19 tournament again contains players from every Heartland union.

Twenty-five players have been selected for the squad that will travel to Taupo for the tournament running from September 27-October 3 at Owen Delany Park.

After the successful inaugural tournament last year, New Zealand Rugby is making the tournament a regular on the rugby calendar in order to help develop emerging talent in the Under 19s age group.

NZR general manager of community and provincial rugby Brent Anderson said the tournament was integral to rugby development because it provides players with every reason to stay in the game and aim for higher honours, such as their full provincial union side and New Zealand Under 20.

"This tournament is about providing a great pathway to equip our best young players to develop their skills for the next level of the game."

Anderson said it was also a great "viewing platform" for selectors to keep an eye on emerging talent, particularly after secondary school.

The Heartland team is one of 16 teams competing in the tournament which gathers the best young players nationwide.

Heartland head coach Craig Dunlea said he was ambitious for his young side.

"This is a very exciting time and great honour for these young men to represent their province. The team has representation from every Heartland union within the country and some of the players selected have already represented their Heartland Championship team, so it will be a competitive side," said Dunlea.

"This tournament gives our heartland players the opportunity to live and breathe rugby for eight days. They will be getting great exposure to some invaluable development and position-specific sessions from quality New Zealand Rugby resource coaches that they may not get access to in the smaller Heartland unions.

"They will make some life-long mates over the time in camp but more importantly get a chance to pit their skills against some of New Zealand's up and coming rugby stars."

Used as a stepping stone, the U19 tournament includes 16 teams; 14 provincial union teams, an additional Auckland B side and a Heartland unions side. Teams will compete across two divisions (premiership and championship) for the Graham Mourie Cup and the Michael Jones Trophy.

Each squad will be made up of 25 players who have left school, who currently play club rugby in their provincial union, and who are under 19 as at January 1, 2015.

The New Zealand Heartland Under 19 squad is:
Outside backs: Christian Vainmarere (Mid Canterbury), Nick Robertson (Wairarapa-Bush), Jayden Milner (East Coast), Luke Barrow (Buller); Midfielders: Alex Robinson (Thames Valley), Wez Harvey (Horowhenua Kapiti), Te Peehi Fairlie (Poverty Bay); First fives: James Hawkey (South Canterbury), Jordon May (Thames Valley); Halfbacks: Taylor Transom (Wanganui), Jeff Garland (West Coast); Loose forwards: Hone Haerewa (East Coast), Marcus Ale (Wairarapa-Bush), James Grogan (Poverty Bay), Chris Raymond (Wairarapa-Bush), Filipo Veamatahau (North Otago); Locks: Jason Hayward (Thames Valley), Leslie Hills (Poverty Bay), Dominic Broadhead (Wanganui); Front-rowers: Charlie Henare (King Country), Gabriel Hakaraia (Wanganui), Joe Edwards (Wanganui), Matt Gain (Wairarapa-Bush), Ben Hince (King Country), Meli Kolinisau (North Otago)

Key facts
400 players
16 teams
14 provincial union teams (one from each ITM Cup provincial union)
1 x Auckland B team
Heartland team (combined team with at least one player from each of the 12 Heartland unions)
Three match days (Sun Sept 27, Wed Sept 30 and Sat Oct 3)
24 matches (8 per match day)
9 matches live on SKY Sport
at Owen Delany Park, Taupo