Canterbury Under 19 team named

Photo Credit - Dave Lintott

Canterbury Under 19 Head Coach Mark Brown has named his squad for the upcoming South Island Qualification fixtures.
 
The 29-man squad has been named ahead of the side’s warm-up match against Canterbury Metro on Saturday 12 August, with the first qualification match for the red and blacks to be played the following week.
 
Canterbury will play Southland, Tasman and Otago between 19 August and 2 September. The top two sides at the conclusion of the Southern Region matches will qualify for the Premiership division of the Jock Hobbs Memorial National Under 19 Tournament later in September, while
the third and fourth ranked teams will compete for the Championship title. 
 
Head Coach Mark Brown said the qualifying matches would provide his team with important experience leading in to the national tournament: “These South Island matches are crucial in terms of how we are placed for the nationals in September.

“We want to ensure we are in the best position to compete for the Premiership title and I believe we have named a squad that has the ability to do that. Just five players are returning from the 2016 team that finished as top qualifier in the South Island, but there is plenty of energy in this new group and they are embracing the challenge”, Brown said.
 
Flanker Tom Christie will captain Canterbury, having recently won the World Championship title in Georgia with the New Zealand Under 20 team.
 

Canterbury Under 19 South Island Qualification fixtures:
 
12 August 2017, 2:30pm, Linfield Park, Christchurch
Canterbury U19 v Canterbury Metro (warm up)
 
19 August 2017, 12:30pm, Invercargill
Canterbury U19 v Southland U19
 
26 August 2017, 1:00pm, Christchurch Park, Christchurch
Canterbury U19 v Tasman U19
 
2 September 2017, 1:00pm, Linfield Park, Christchurch
Canterbury U19 v Otago U19

Canterbury Under 19 team for South Island Qualification fixtures:
 
Forwards
Cam Russell - Burnside
Connor Gordon - Lincoln University
Darragh McGregor - Marist Albion
Dom Devine - Lincoln University
Ewan Milnes - Lincoln University
Joe Robins - Waihora
Josh Archer - New Brighton
Kale Thatcher - Lincoln University
Milan Bonkovich - Lincoln University
Perry Karati - Lincoln University
Sam Matenga - Linwood
Sam Porritt - Lincoln University
Sean Youngman - Lincoln University
Thomas McKay - Lincoln University
Tom Christie - Christchurch (C)
Will Tucker – Christchurch
 
Backs
Atu Manu – Christchurch
Connor Collins – Lincoln University
Connor Garden Bachop – Lincoln University
Dallas McLeod – Christchurch
Derek Stowers – Sydenham
Josef Meek – Lincoln University
Logan Bell – Lincoln University
Ngane Punivai – Lincoln University
Rameka Poihipi – Lincoln University
Ryan Neill – Lincoln University
Sam Gilbert – Lincoln University
Samson Seinafo – Linwood
Zach McKay - Christchurch
 
Injury Cover:
Sam Lester – HSOB
Mosese Fifita – Sydenham
Keanu van Staden – Sydenham
Ben Renton – Lincoln University
 
Unavailable due to injury:
Ray Nu’u – Sydenham