Teams Set For Brisbane Tens
The Hurricanes and Crusaders have confirmed their squads for the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens, with wingers Julian Savea and George Bridge to lead the charge for the Kiwi heavyweights at Suncorp Stadium. Savea, the second highest All Blacks tryscorer of all time, will captain the Hurricanes as he bids to break back into the Test team, while Bridge will skipper a young Crusaders outfit featuring Ethan Blackadder, the son of former All Blacks captain Todd Blackadder. The Crusaders won the 2017 Super Rugby title after finishing runners-up to the Chiefs at the inaugural Brisbane Tens last year. The 2018 tournament kicks off on Friday.
“It’s awesome to be heading to Brisbane once again for the Tens,” Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said.
“Last year’s tournament provided some valuable lessons for us leading in to the start of the Super Rugby season, and I’m confident we have a side full of exciting young talent who will be keen to showcase their skills against some quality opposition.”
Drawn in Pool C, the Crusaders begin their campaign with a showdown against Savea’s Hurricanes, followed by a match against Will Genia’s Brumbies on Friday evening.
They then meet Olympic sevens champions Fiji in their final match of pool play on Saturday afternoon.
The Hurricanes squad boasts former New Zealand sevens star Ben Lam and trys-coring prop Alex Fidow.
A star-studded Pau line-up, meanwhile, features six former All Blacks, including Conrad Smith and Carl Hayman, former Wallabies captain Ben Mowen and former England flanker Steffon Armitage.
Other big names include Berrick Barnes and Digby Ioane (Wild Knights), Samu Kerevi and Taniela Tupou (Reds), Henry Speight and Andrew Walker (Brumbies), Liam Messam and Charlie Ngatai (Chiefs), Elliot Dixon and Luke Whitelock (Highlanders) and George Moala and Akira Ioane (Blues).
HURRICANES
Julian Savea, Brayden lose, Ben Lam, Alex Fidow, Fraser Armstrong, Tolu Fahamokioa, James O’Rielly, Murray Douglas, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Will Mangos, Liam Mitchell, Sam Henwood, Chase Tiatia, Finlay Christie, Jamie Booth, Losi Filipo, Jackson Garden-Bachop, Malo Tuitama, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Jonah Lowe, Trent Renata, Hunter Prescott
CRUSADERS
Jone Macilai, George Bridge, Manasa Mataele, Braydon Ennor, Jack Stratton, Zach McKay, Brett Cameron, Tima Faingaanuku, Ngane Punivai, Richard Judd, Andrew Makalio, Billy Harmon, Ethan Blackadder, Tom Christie, Jordan Manihera, Hamish Dalzell, Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Ben Morris, Dylan Nel, Harrison Allen, Nathan Vella
REDS
James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Sef Fa’agase, JP Smith, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Andrew Ready, Angus Blyth, Harry Hockings, Kane Douglas, Angus Scott-Young, Michael Gunn, Liam Wright, Tai Ford, Reece Hewat, James Tuttle, Moses Sorovi, Tate McDermott, Hamish Stewart, Nick Jooste, Teti Tela, Tony Hunt, Samu Kerevi, Filipo Daugunu, Jayden Ngamanu, Izaia Perese, Lachlan Maranta
PAU
Conrad Smith, Colin Slade, Ben Mowen, Steffon Armitage, Tom Taylor, Lourens Adriaanse, Frank Halai, Jamie Mackintosh, Ignacio Calles, Lucas Rey Quentin Lespiauq, Jeremy Hurou, Daniel Ramsay, Giovanni Habel Kuffner, Pierrick Gunther, Baptiste Pesenti, Martin Puech, Thibault Daubagna, Clovis Lebail, Bastien Pourailly, Brandon Fajardo, Mathias Colombet, Watisoni Votu, Florian Nicot, Carl Hayman
WILD KNIGHTS
Shohei Hirano, Atsushi Sakate, Asaeli Ai Valu, Ryota Hasegawa, Daniel Heenan, Ben Gunter, Yuji Shimogama, Ryu Koliniasi Holani, Keisuke Uchida, Berrick Barnes, Kenki Fukuoka, Rikiya Matsuda, Yasutaka Sasakura, Akitito Yamada, Digby Ioane, Jack Cornelsen, Emersen Tamura, Masaki Tani, Tevita Tupou, Takuya Yamasawa, Taiki Koyama, Iori Kaji, Yoshikazu Fujita, Yuga Hyakutake, Ryuji Noguchi, Kentaro Kodama
HIGHLANDERS
Aki Sieuli, Greg PleasantsTate, Tyrel Lomax, Alex Ainley, Paripari Parkinson, Elliot Dixon, Dan Pryor, Shannon Frizell, Luke Whitelock, Dillon Hunt, Marino Mikaele Tu’u, Kalolo Tuiloma, Guy Millar, Ash Dixon, Josh Dickson, Kayne Hammington, Josh Renton, Josh Ioane, Fletcher Smith, Tevita Nabura, Teihorangi Walden, Ryan Tongia, Josh McKay, Richard Buckman, Terrance Hepetema, Pita Alatini
CHIEFS
Aidan Ross, Liam Polwart, Sosefo Kautai, Michael Allardice, Lachlan McWhannel, Mitchell Brown, Mitchell Karpik, Liam Messam, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Marty Mckenzie, Solomon Alaimalo, Charlie Ngatai, Tim Nanai-Williams, Toni Pulu, Shaun Stevenson, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Angus Ta’avao, Atunaisa Moli, Taleni Seu, Lachlan Boshier, Jonathan Taumateine, Tiaan Falcon, Johnny Fa’auli, Alex Nankivell
BRUMBIES
Robbie Abel, Ben Alexander, Richie Arnold, Rory Arnold, Tom Cusack, Blake Enever, Mees Erasmus, Lolo Fakaosilea, Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin, Lachlan McCaffrey, Connal McInerney, Faalelei Sione, Darcy Swain, Rob Valetini, James Dargaville, Isaak Fines, Kyle Godwin, Jordan Jackson-Hope, Ryan Lonergan, Matthew Lucas, Andrew Muirhead, Chance Peni, Henry Speight, Lausii Taliauli, James VerityAmm, Andrew Walker
REBELS
Jock Armstrong, Duncan Chubb, Jack Debreczeni, Colby Fainga’a, Sam Figg, Adam Freier, Will Genia, Harrison Goddard, Esei Ha’angana, David Horwitz, Trevor Hosea, Henry Hutchison, Latu Latunipulu, Sama Malolo, Tom Moloney, Hunter Paisami, Rowan Perry, Kitione Ratu, Dom Shipperley, Alex Toolis, Andrew Tuala, Sione Tuipulotu, Ikapote Tupai, Semisi Tupou, Mahe Vailanu, Sam Ward
BLUES
Caleb Clarke, Kurt Ecklund, Jordan Hyland, Akira Ioane, Antonio Kirikiri, Orbyn Leger, George Moala, Melanai Nanai, Sam Nock, Jordan Olsen, Dalton Papalii, Jacob Pierce, Marcel Renata, Jonathan Ruru, Hoskins Sotutu, Carlos Spencer, Michael Tamoaeita, Murphy Taramai, Tanielu Telea, Jordan Trainor, Tamati Tua, Jimmy Tupou
WARATAHS
Cam Clark, Damien Fitzpatrick, Lalakai Foketi, Jake Gordon, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Maclean Jones, Tolu Latu, Mack Mason, Ryan McCauley, Kelly Meafua, Will Miller, Drew Mitchell, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Alex Newsome, Rory O’Connor, Curtis Rona, JP Sauni, Mitch Short, Irae Simone, Lachlan Swinton, Cody Walker
FIJI
Joeli Veitayaki, Rautnaisa Navuma, Mosese Ducivaki, Viliame Rarasea, Filimoni Seru Camaitovu, Mosese Ducivaki, Peni Raidre, Albert Tuisue, Serupepeli Vularika, Jone Manu Taufaga, Aparosa Tabulawaki, Timoci Senaite, Ifereimi Tovilevu, Lepani Rayala, Inia Tawalo, Veremalua Vugakoto, Kalivate Tawake, Vesi Rarawa, Timoci Sauvoli, Levani Kurimudu, Frank Lomani, Enele Malele, Chris Kurandrani, Penasio Kunabuli, Fabiano Rogovakalali, Eroni Mawi.