Tough lessons learnt for U19 side at Jock Hobbs tournament
The need to develop players in certain positions has been further emphasised after Taranaki fell to their worst ever position at the national under-19 rugby tournament in Taupo on Saturday.
Taranaki finished 14th at the Jock Hobbs Memorial Tournament after they lost their last match 36-31 to Otago after they had led 21-17 at halftime.
The loss follows their inability to qualify for the top eight for the first time and their first-up loss to Southland at the tournament that meant the best they could finish was 13th.
Coach Tim Stuck did not want to comment about what needs to be done to improve Taranaki’s situation until after their season review but there appears to be some real work needed through the union’s academy and at secondary schools across the province to develop players in a number of positions.
Taranaki’s cause is not helped by the province’s low playing numbers in that age bracket and a colts competition that is teetering on becoming extinct or irrelevant given most of the best players leaving school and staying in the region go straight into the premier grade.
Despite the results, Stuck believed there was not much between finishing possibly as high as ninth and their final position and there would be some valuable lessons for the players involved.
‘‘It’s just so critical to win your first game and we blew a 15-point lead and they [Southland] had a red card that almost galvanised them,’’ he said.
Stuck was pleased with the way Taranaki bounced back and beat Auckland Development 34-26 in their second match but was again left frustrated they could not finish things off against Otago.
‘‘We were just guilty of not being able to finish teams off. We did everything right but couldn’t get over the line against what was a good team.
‘‘That’s the nature of the tournament, it’s pretty brutal. If you don’t get it right on the day, you’re in trouble and we didn’t get it right on the first day.’’
On a more positive note, Taranaki Mitre 10 Cup squad members Tom Florence and Ciarahn Matoe, along with hooker Bradley Slater, had excellent tournaments.
Florence was nominated for player of the tournament.
‘‘He was immense, absolutely immense,’’ Stuck added. ‘‘Hopefully those boys get a sniff of a [New Zealand Under-20] camp because I’d be surprised if they didn’t.’’