Hautapu trio return to NZ U20 squad
‘‘He's one of those guys that demands respect and week in, week out then goes out and delivers.’’
It’s de´ja` vu for Hautapu as their production line continues to roll.
Three of the Cambridge club’s players have been summoned to the New Zealand under-20s squad for the world rugby championship for the second year running.
Luke Jacobson will captain the Baby Blacks with Hautapu teammates Ryan Coxon and Sam Caird among the 28-man squad bound for Georgia on May 24.
All three were brought up in Cambridge with Jacobson attending Cambridge High School, while Caird and Coxon were schooled at St Peter’s.
Jacobson and older brother Mitch, who are both loose forwards, played with prop Ayden Johnstone in the last tournament alongside Chiefs winger Shaun Stevenson and Hurricanes and potential All Blacks star Jordie Barrett.
Waikato juniors lock Caird just missed the cut in 2016 but makes it this time, while Ciarahn Matoe, a Hautapu first five-eighth from the Chiefs development squad, is on standby.
New Zealand finished an underwhelming fifth last year and relinquished their world title to hosts England, which leaves Jacobson leading the troops for the next edition in Georgia that starts on May 31 (June 1 NZ time).
Jacobson was named captain in April - following in the footsteps of Atu Moli, Ardie Savea and Luke Whitelock - and scored two tries as the Baby Blacks retained the Oceania title by beat- ing Australia 43-6 on the Gold Coast, after big victories over Fiji and Samoa.
Hautapu head coach Craig Stevenson said Jacobson has a big future, particularly after impressing in Chiefs colours at the Brisbane Tens in February.
‘‘Over the last few years, he’s taken that responsibility and he’s learning as a captain, but what he does do is lead by example and he’s a real role medal within his peers,’’ he said of Jacobson, who led Waikato’s juniors to the national title last September.
‘‘In terms of New Zealand under-20s, it’s a no-brainer for him to be captain because he’ll have a good leadership group around him.
‘‘But for someone to follow and someone to lead, there’s no better person than Luke Jacobson.
‘‘He’s one of those guys that demands respect and week in, week out then goes out and delivers.
‘‘I’d say next year, we’ll see him in the Chiefs and he’s good enough.’’
This is Jacobson and Caird’s second year with the squad, but’s it’s the first for Chiefs development prop Coxon.
Caird has bounced back from missing out on last year’s world rugby championship.
‘‘Sam’s very tall but what he’s also done in the last 12 months is put on a lot of size,’’ Stevenson said.
‘‘Someone with that height and now with his size has got the world in front of them.
‘‘It’s a great opportunity and hopefully he’ll come back and finish the club season with us before hopefully playing for Waikato.’’
The three Hautapu lads are Waikato’s only representatives after eight made Craig Philpott’s first 49-man training squad he named as head coach last November.
Stevenson expects higher honours, starting with Waikato’s Mitre 10 Cup squad.
‘‘That’s the pathway and we’re hoping that all those three can do that. They’ve kept working hard and now they’re going to experience a world cup. It’s really exciting and we’re really proud of them.’’
New Zealand have been drawn in a pool with Scotland, Italy and Ireland.