KEY POINTS:
Four players from the junior world championship-winning New Zealand team have been tipped as future All Blacks by a leading coach.
And team captain Chris Smith has been described as a "great leader, on and off the field".
Zac Guildford, Nasi Manu, Kade Poki and Sean Maitland - all 19 - turned out for this season's Super 14 competition, Guildford on the wing for the Hurricanes, while Manu, Poki and Maitland were part of Robbie Deans' victorious Crusaders squad.
Yesterday, the quartet were part of the winning New Zealand under-20 team which thrashed England 38-3 in the final in Swansea, with Maitland on the reserve bench. The New Zealand secondary schools coach in 2005-06, Tom Coventry, has coached the players and was chuffed at yesterday's result.
He said it was "without a doubt" that some of the country's finest players were still teenagers who were slowly making their way towards the revered All Black jersey.
"Most of those boys are being groomed to become All Blacks. They're right in it," he said last night. "Zac is very elusive, a good chaser of the ball, good defender and has very good timing. Nasi is a very hard worker, gets close to the ball, has a high work rate and he's always in the game.
"Kade is a great finisher and loves to be in the play. Sean, at a very young age is very fast and athletic.
"They've got a lot of developing to do, but I think they've got a lot of what the country's looking for - talent."
Coventry, now assistant coach at Hawkes Bay, acknowledged the role of Smith in the victory and the "exciting talent" coming through.
"Chris is a great leader on and off the field. He's got a lot of strength on the field and he's a very articulate boy who knows how to deal with the media and television," he said.
The championship team also includes Sam Whitelock - younger brother of Crusaders No 8 George Whitelock - and Luke Braid, Blues flanker Daniel Braid's younger brother.
Canterbury's Air New Zealand Cup coach Rob Penney - who has coached burly No 8 Manu and wing Maitland - said it was exciting to see a lot of passionate, mature and hard working players coming through the ranks, especially given their age.
"With Nasi, all the signals would suggest that he will be an All Black one day. He's got very strong values, a strong work ethic and is a well-rounded, grounded young man.
"He's very physical and has a lot of power. He's a fine player and a lovely kid. Now he just needs more time and more opportunities will pop up for him," Penney said.
And Coventry hinted at good things to come. "If they're that dominant now, think of what they'll be like in the next few years. It's a promising time for New Zealand rugby, it sets up a real tough mental view for the current All Blacks."
