Milton Haig is stepping down as New Zealand U20 head coach over a lack of alignment with his fellow coaches.
The New Zealand squad has been named for the World Rugby U20 Championship, and is headlined by a pair of All Blacks Sevens players.
New Zealand rallied from 19-0 behind and survived the dying stages with only 13 players in a herculean triumph. Winger Harlyn Saunoa scored a hat-trick, remarkably replaced at half-time by a first five-eighth, Rico Simpson.
Six players return to the side that won the inaugural competition in 2024, including Crusaders hooker Manumaua Letiu.
HSBC SVNS Series star Sid Havey will start on the left wing when a talented Australia U20 side takes on rivals New Zealand.
The Hurricanes have announced the re-signings of talented outside backs Harry Godfrey and Ngatungane Punivai for at least the next two seasons.
Dylan Pledger made such an impression at King’s High School in Dunedin that former Otago outside back and Sports Director Glenn Dickson declared Pledger, “the most impressive” athlete from the school he’s seen.
Knowing they effectively had a ‘gimme’ versus minnows Spain on match day three, they rested numerous first-choice players but they will now run out at the DHL Stadium with a team that has 10 alterations from last Tuesday in Stellenbosch.
It was January 2023 when a Champions Cup hammering at home to Leicester spelled the end for the 47-year-old at a club he agreed to join for the 2021/22 season on a three-year deal from La Rochelle.