Three Hawke’s Bay players have been chosen in the New Zealand Secondary Schools rugby squad to prepare for two matches against Australia Under 18 in Canberra.
They are Hastings Boys’ High School First XV prop Isireli Qaranivalu and centre Triumph Voice, and Lindisfarne College national schools side selection and centre Noah Rogers.
The 17-year-old Rogers is the first from his school to make the national secondary schools rugby squad since 2006, when Israel Dagg was included, having already made his debut for the Hawke’s Bay Magpies.
Rogers has also been a NZ Under 16 softball representative.
He has been in the Lindisfarne First XV at least three years, starting at first five-eighth and moving out to centre.
Coach Andre Bell says he is possibly a candidate for fullback in the national team.
Another five Hawke’s Bay players have been chosen in Under 18 squads, which will train and play with the schools team in a NZ Rugby Under 18 programme pathway camp in Hamilton later this month.
Named in the NZ Barbarians Under 18 squad are Hastings BHS prop, Nehemiah Lauvao and Napier Pirate club flanker Drew Berg-McLean.
The three others, named in the NZ Under 18 Māori squad, are Napier Pirate and former St Patrick’s College Silverstream hooker Jericho Wharehinga, Hastings BHS wing Raef Robinson, and flanker Richie Stephenson, who has already had two Premier rugby seasons for Dannevirke club Aotea.
The squads, totalling 76 players, were announced by NZ Rugby on Monday, for a series of three matches at the September 16-25 camp, including a September match between the Schools and the Barbarians, before the Schools play their matches in Canberra on September 29 and October 4.