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'Oh bugger’: Why Blues U20 captain thought he'd missed New Zealand call-up

Tristyn Cook from New Zealand U20 speaks with RugbyPass. (Picture: RugbyPass/Ned Lester)

“Oh bugger.” That’s what Blues U20 captain Tristyn Cook thought after believing he’d missed out on the opportunity to wear the black jersey at the inaugural Rugby Championship U20 tournament on Australia’s Sunshine Coast.

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But sometimes, being wrong can be both a relief and a second chance of sorts. Cook expected any good news about selection for the New Zealand U20 squad to come on the Friday but it doesn’t seem that was the plan.

That Friday came and went, and so did the Saturday that followed. Instead, it was on Sunday that Cook’s phone rang. In the car with his younger brother at 9 am in the morning, the backrower answered the call he probably wasn’t expecting.

Baby Blacks assistant coach Jarrad Hohepa, who also played a few matches for the All Blacks during his playing days, was on the other end. Hohepa then informed Cook he’d been selected as one of 31 players in the prestigious squad.

“I thought we were getting the call on the Friday so I was like, ‘Oh bugger I’ve missed out.’ Then got a call from Hoey and found out which was a pretty unreal buzz,” Cook told RugbyPass.

“Yeah, it was pretty cool, you sort of get this real weird tingle. It’s pretty unexplainable – you sort of have to experience it to know it.”

The New Zealand squad was picked after some training camps late in 2023 but also the all-important Super Rugby U20 Tournament in Taupo. Cook led the Blues into battle during that entertaining competition a couple of months ago.

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Blues U20 head coach Steven Bates described Cook as “a man of action” who “expects others to do the same” in a statement after the franchise unveiled their impressive young squad on March 11.

The Blues defeated Moana Pasifika 42-16 in their quarter-final clash before falling to eventual champions the Crusaders 22-26 in a thrilling semi-final. That left the Blues to battle it out with north island rivals the Hurricanes for the bronze medal.

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“We had a real good crew, we all had a lot of respect for each other, especially within the senior players on that team,” Cook said when asked about the Blues U20.

“It was a really good crew to captain. There wasn’t anyone that caused heaps of trouble or was a real difficult person to deal with.

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“it was a real honour but it was also the boys who made it a really easy job.”

The Westlake Boys High School product clearly did enough to impress New Zealand selectors at that competition – even if he didn’t think so before the call eventually came – and was rewarded with the opportunity to represent his country on the international stage.

Cook didn’t take the field during New Zealand’s 13-all draw with South Africa or their 43-20 win over Argentina, but the loose forward will be unleashed against an Australian side that has a renewed sense of confidence.

For the 23 players selected to represent the Baby Blacks in any match, there’s a sense of expectation that follows them. Not only have All Blacks coaches Jason Ryan and Leon MacDonald been in camp, but the youngsters are representing a rugby-mad nation.

But nobody has to tell them that.

“There’s a lot of weight on your shoulders when you step into that black jersey,” Cook explained. “You’re representing your country at this level so it’s just upholding that and wearing it with pride.

“We’ve got a competitive forward pack which I think is really healthy,” he added later. “It means no one gets complacent which is really healthy for a team.

“We set our standard from that South Africa game with how we fought back but that’s just another game,” he added.

“We’ve moved on from that. We’ve got another game ahead of us in a couple of days so that’s our new target.”

But away from the rugby, the New Zealand U20 squad is just a group of Kiwis who have “come together to play some good code.” They seem to be enjoying each other’s company offthe field at the Sunshine Coast, and that shows on the field with their chemistry.

There were a few players playing ping pong and just generally having a laugh before the interview with Cook, and the backrower also commented on how the squad have been spending time together away from the training pitch.

This is a group of young men who seem to be making the most of their opportunity.

“It’s been pretty unreal. It’s a real buzz to be here with the boys, with some of the best in the country at our age.

“It’s one of those teams that you always look up to, especially after leaving high school, it’s where you want to be in a couple of years’ time.

“It’s pretty cool to be able to step into those shoes and live up to it.

“Everyone has the same mindset. You’re enemies when you’re playing against each other but when you come together on the same team, everyone seems to gel pretty well.

“At the end of the day, we’re all just Kiwis who come together to play some good code so it’s pretty cool to see that. No one has any past tensions with each other.”

New Zealand U20 to take on Australia

1. Will Martin

2. Vernon Bason (c)

3. Joshua Smith

4. Tom Allen

5. Liam Jack

6. Tristyn Cook

7. Johnny Lee

8. Malachi Wrampling

9. Dylan Pledger

10. Rico Simpson

11. Stanley Solomon

12. Tofuka Paongo

13. Xavi Taele

14. King Maxwell

15. Isaac Hutchinson

Replacements:

16. Manumaua Letiu

17. Sika Pole

18. Kurene Luamanuvae

19. Andrew Smith

20. Jeremiah Avei-Collins

21. Ben O’Donovan

22. Sam Coles

23. Aki Tuivailala

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flyinginsectshrimp 437 days ago

Who's Jarrad Hohepa?

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P
PL 27 minutes ago
Lions Tour Aussie takes: Bigger is better, the stars who failed to fire

I find it interesting that journalists who have done nothing in rugby comment on selections & coaching like they are experts

Concussive injury’s will remove insurance cover from the game unless their is strict application of the laws designed to remove MND Parkinson’s and CTE from the game


Head on head I saw red to Adam Coleman as tackler for Irish while unconscious on a stretcher - concussions occur without twitching on the ground or the wobbly boot - I know I had maybe 20 from rugby


The officiating of last feet is non existent

The lack of effective wrap by Lions front rower & that decision had a close relationship with ordure in a toilet

A head on head tackle red for Coleman not even penalty lead to a try in a phase or 2


Powys v Evans lead to a £> 2 mill verdict against the ref personally special leveraged to Hiuse of Lords

Refs will stop reffing with no insurance then no game


About 5 years ago 4 or 5 French colts died from head hits in elite club games - that led to below sternum law - hamlets honoured in breach not observance

Last feet non existent - enforcement favour flowing rugby nor lions meat grinder forwards get momentum and puck & drive NZ Vowel noise


The UK Class Action could be very well be lost WRC will try every dirty trick in case they already used dial a neuros to argue the unarguable is law gossip


I reffed ref coached & assessed for ruffly 17 seasons


The application of laws is like a zig zag on speed

Line out laws not enforced scrums tight pulling loose down one side mirror on other side elbow pointing to ground stretch marks on jersey

Der moment the refs need to go Soec Savers

My bet unless they stop lack of intestinal fortitude game management


Yellow every time head contact or above sternum


Needs sterner GMGs material impact removed set piece caterpillar remove

Last feet to last feet + 1 m


When I reffed I kept them well apart - hated me till they got over yellow and they actually had fun & complemented me post game backs had room and pick and drive had momentum


As for intentional foul play like tackle in air auto red no replacement 100,000 fine player 250,000 club


Treble it for international 26 week suspension & it’s disappear over night

25 were scrum for dissent


Penalty all this rubbish shots at opponents after error


All the s.ite would disappear


The pathetic unsportsmanlike behaviour would lead to standards


Remember Les Boyd’s penalty re Brohman -if that is the way we treat foul play but while foul play with potential serious injury with a feather duster like we are the game is destined to no insurance following that no refs cause would you risk bankruptcy like Powys v Evans

1 Go to comments
S
Soliloquin 1 hour ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

For Fischer, many people in France are still doubting him - it’s the first time he has a full season (31 games). Before, he was always injured at some point. He’s 27, so not the youngest, and you have a younger Boudehent or Jégou behind.

His physicality is incredible, but he didn’t prove he’s got hands. He just proved he was able to defend like a beast.

But you know, even Cros has improved his handling skills lately, so it’s never too late!

And he will play the Champions Cup with a solid Bayonne side, so let’s see!


I don’t agree with ‘only Fischer’: Brennan proved he’s a great 4/7 utility player, and Galthié likes those very much (Woki or Flament). He’s 23, playing for Toulouse with high concurrence, so the prospect is good. I rate him higher than Auradou, who had a few games in the 6 Nations.

For Depoortère, he had a more silent season than the previous one - injured at the worst moment during the Autumn Tests series - but came back strong with a Champions Cup and a solid partnership with Moefana. What could save him would be to start playing as a 12 when Moefana isn’t there, bulking up and become the new Jauzion.

But he’s 22 and an incredible talent at 13. His height makes me think he had more potential than your fan favorite Costes or the utility player that is Gailleton.


As for Montagne or Mallez, with the lack of quality in props, they could find a spot!

Especially Mallez who’s got a good spot to get behind Baille at Toulouse. Neti isn’t the youngest and hasn’t an international level.


And again, as Ugo Mola said, you never play with your best team.

So 30-32 player is more of a 38-40, so you need back-ups.

France knows very well how useful they can be during RWCs.

236 Go to comments
S
Soliloquin 1 hour ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Hastoy was a good prospect before the 2023 RWC, he was the fly-half who led La Rochelle to the victory in the Champions Cup final in Dublin against Leinster.

But he made it to the squad only because Ntamack got his ACL.

He played against Uruguay, which a terribly poor game by the French side, and since then he declined a bit, alongside his club.

Under the pressure of Reus and West at 10, he regained some credit at the end of the season (among all a drop at the 81st minute of a game).

He’s quite good everywhere, but not outstanding.

He doesn’t have the nerves, the defense and the tactical brain of Ntamack, the leadership and the creativity of Ramos or the exceptional attacking skills of Jalibert.


I really hope that:

-Ntamack will get his knee back. The surgery went well. He wasn’t the most elusive player in the world, but he was capable of amazing rushes like the one against NZ in 2021 or the Brennus-winning try in 2023.

-Jalibert will continue to improve his defense. He started working hard since March (after his defensive disaster against England) with a XIII specialist, and I’ve seen great moments, especially against Ntamack in the SF of the Champions Cup. It’s never too late. And it would be a great signal for Galthié.

-Hastoy will build up his partnership with Le Garrec, that La Rochelle will start a new phase with them and Niniashvili, Alldritt, Atonio, Boudehent, Jegou, Bosmorin, Bourgarit, Nowell, Wardi, Daunivucu, Kaddouri, Pacôme…

236 Go to comments
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