The Crusaders have announced their Under 20 squad for the inaugural Super Rugby Aotearoa Under 20 tournament in Taupō next month.
A wider training squad has been narrowed down to a Crusaders 26-man tournament team with representatives from the Canterbury and Tasman provincial unions. The Crusaders Under 20s will be coached by Dan Perrin, Anton Segner will Captain the side, and both Zach Gallagher and Ollie Lewis have been named as Vice-Captains.
The tournament will be played across three days at Owen Delany Park, and features Under 20 sides from all five New Zealand Super Rugby regions, as well as a New Zealand Barbarians Club Under 20 team. The Crusaders side have fixtures against the Blues, Chiefs and Highlanders, with the tournament also set to be broadcast live on Sky Sport.
Perrin said he is thrilled to name a squad full of exciting young talent from the Crusaders region: “We are all really excited to have the opportunity to compete in the inaugural Under 20s tournament and to help develop some of the future stars of Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa.
“This tournament has a crucial focus on the development of players, and aims to provide them with a solid platform to launch their professional rugby careers. It’s a massive opportunity for these 26 young men, and I know Crusaders fans will be keen to see the emerging talent from within our region challenge themselves against the best age-grade talent in New Zealand.”
As well as providing a development opportunity for players, the tournament will also provide the national Under 20 coaching group with useful insight before a New Zealand Under 20 side is selected later this year.
Management:
Daniel Perrin (Head Coach)
Gray Cornelius (Assistant Coach)
Alex Robertson (Assistant Coach)
Stephan van Gruting (S&C Coach)
Stu Hunter (Team Manager)
Bede Christey (Physiotherapist)
Nevin Price (Performance Analyst)
Aaron Webb (Campaign Manager)