A new and younger generation of Summit Electrical Whanganui Under 20’s players will attempt to regain the reputation for strong performances in the Hurricanes Youth Council U20’s tournament, starting with the frontrunners on Saturday.

The HYC tournament is three rounds played over two weekends, and after hosting the opening game last year, Whanganui will now have to go on the road to Masterton’s Memorial Park to face two-time defending champions Wairarapa Bush.

Next weekend the competition returns to the Bulls RFC club where Whanganui play 2024 runnersup Poverty Bay on August 9th Saturday, followed by Horowhenua-Kapiti on Sunday.

Returning coach Todd Cowan was choosing his final squad for the Wairarapa Bush game midweek from the extended group of 33 who started training after the end of the club season.

Last year, Whanganui was in the unusual position of going winless, losing at home to Horowhenua-Kapiti 12-10, and then in Bulls against Wairarapa Bush (29-19) and Poverty Bay (34-26).

Meanwhile, champions Wairarapa Bush swept their games, the union having worked hard to develop this group of players, with some other chargers likely to have come up from their 2024 Under 18’s team, who finished runnerup in the HYC U18’s B Division to Wellington Maori U18.

“It will be interesting, obviously Wairarapa Bush were top seed last year,” said Cowan about his side’s prospects.

“It’s been promising the last couple of trainings - we’re going to be using some young guys.”

No less than six members of Cowan’s squad are still age eligible to play for the Whanganui Under 18’s in their HYC tournament in September.

The returning 2024 Under 20’s players are Jeff Dorset, Indiana Ratana, Mat Hammond, Jayden Lower and Akiwa Koro, with Lower and Koro in their third year with the squad.

“It’s a good mixture, we’ve got a few players from most of the clubs and there’s a lot of talent there,” said Cowan.

Being young men, he expected them to be adaptable to playing games on back-to-back days on the August 9-10th weekend, as well as this Saturday on Memorial Park’s unique artificial turf with its higher speed and higher ball bounce.

“Looking at the weather forecast next couple of days, the all-weather ground might not be so bad.”

Kickoff is 12.30pm.

The Whanganui U20 squad is:

Geordie Abernethy (Utiku OB),  Zane Annabell (Border), Archie Dillon (Utiku OB), Jeff Dorset  (Border),  Blane Edwards-Wanoa (Pirates), Lachlan Fisher (Marist Celtic), Te Rangimarie Fonotoe (Ratana), Tearihana Goff (Marist Celtic), Jayden Lower (Marist), Riwaka Maniapoto (Marist Celtic), Jahstice Metekingi (Border), Noah Loma Michael Pa'a (Marist Knights), Teina-Lee Phillips (Ratana), Falcon Proffit (Counties), Indiana Ratana (Border), Jim Rowe (Ruapehu), Harry Rowe (Ruapehu),  Xavius Smith (Marist Celtic),  Tahatika Te Riaki (Ruapehu), Jaydis Hammond (Ruapehu), Mat Hammond (Ruapehu), Taylor Hay-Martin (Taihape), Mason Henry (Kaierau), Ryleigh Joseph (Marist Celtic), Akiwa Koro (Marist), Tyrone Lama (Kaierau), Ranginamu Lambert (Marist Celtic), Mac Lawrence (Border), Jonty Thompson (Utiku OB), Izaiah Webster (Marist Celtic), Angus Wigglesworth (Utiku OB), Chrissy Winter (Ruapehu), Taipari Wirepa (Ruapehu).
 

By Jared Smith