(Courtesy IRB.COM) Tamati Ellison has been named captain of the Junior All Blacks squad set to compete in this year’s ANZ Pacific Nations Cup.
Over the course of the growing tournament, the Junior All Blacks will face the three-pronged Pacific Island challenge of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga, as well as Japan.
Ellison was co-captain of the New Zealand Maori team that won the 2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup and has represented New Zealand at the Junior All Black, Under 21 and Under 19 levels.
He was a member of New Zealand’s gold medal-winning Sevens team at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006.
McAlister promoted to All Blacks
In other team news ahead of the tournament’s kick-off, Highlanders flanker Alando Soakai will join the squad as temporary cover for Karl Lowe, who is on paternity leave, and Canterbury’s Stephen Brett has replaced Luke McAlister in the JABs after McAlister was called up to the All Blacks squad as replacement for Richard Kahui.
Kahui is to miss rugby for up to six months to undergo surgery on an injured shoulder.
McAlister played for the Barbarians in their loss against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday and will join the All Blacks in Dunedin tomorrow.
25-year-old McAlister, who has played 22 Tests for the All Blacks, re-signed with the New Zealand Rugby Union earlier this year through to 2012 after a stint playing at Sale Sharks in England’s Guinness Premiership.
The NZRU Board exercised its discretion over selection eligibility in April, allowing McAlister to come into the All Blacks squad if injury ruled out players.
“Luke returns to the All Blacks squad better for the rugby experience in the Northern Hemisphere and will provide us with more backline options for the Iveco Series and beyond,” said All Blacks Coach Graham Henry.
Owen Franks and older brother Ben are both named in the squad alongside Jacob Ellison and older brother Tamati.
“We have got a talented squad of established international players plus up and coming players,” said co-coach Colin Cooper.
“The Junior All Blacks have a proud unbeaten record in the Pacific Nations Cup and this year’s team will be keen to maintain that record,” he added.
As New Zealand’s second national team behind the All Blacks, the Junior All Blacks are a key part of the NZRU’s High Performance Plan. The team gives more New Zealand players experience of international rugby and prepares players to step up to the next level if injury or form forces changes to the All Blacks squad.
Making the Grade
Several of the squad have represented New Zealand at Sevens on the IRB Sevens World Series or in Age Grade rugby during the last 12 months, including Israel Dagg, Victor Vito, Rene Ranger and Ryan Crotty, while Anthony Tuitavake is another All Black adding firepower to the side.
2007 IRB Under 19 Player of the Year Robert Fruean also makes a welcome return to representative rugby after recovering from the serious heart complications that resulted from contracting rheumatic fever.
The Junior All Blacks will play Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and Japan in the tournament, which takes place from 12 June to 3 July.
The two opening rounds of matches are to be played in Samoa before the tournament moves to Fiji for a 17-day festival of international rugby spread across three match venues, the National Stadium in Suva, Churchill Park in Lautoka and Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka.
The Junior All Blacks assemble in Auckland on 8 June and depart for Samoa on 11 June. Hurricanes and Wellington prop John Schwalger and Chiefs and Taranaki lock Craig Clarke will assemble with the Junior All Blacks squad below as cover for Bryn Evans and Owen Franks, who are assembling with the All Blacks.
Junior All Blacks squad for ANZ Pacific Nations Cup
- Ryan Crotty, Canterbury
- Israel Dagg, Hawke’s Bay
- Aled de Malmanche, Waikato
- Tom Donnelly, Otago
- Jason Eaton, Taranaki
- Hikawera Elliot, Hawke’s Bay
- Jacob Ellison, Wellington
- Tamati Ellison, Wellington
- Bryn Evans, Hawke’s Bay
- Ben Franks, Tasman
- Owen Franks, Canterbury
- Robert Fruean, Wellington
- Hosea Gear, Wellington
- Sione Lauaki, Waikato
- Karl Lowe, Hawke’s Bay
- Jamie Mackintosh, Southland
- Lelia Masaga, Counties Manukau
- Alby Mathewson, Wellington
- Rene Ranger, Northland
- Colin Slade, Canterbury
- Chris Smylie, North Harbour
- Jeremy Thrush, Wellington
- Anthony Tuitavake, North Harbour
- George Whitelock, Canterbury
- Victor Vito, Wellington
© IRB & Digicelrugby.com 2009
Photos © & courtesy: Bruce Southwick / Zoomfiji
Tags: ABs, captain, junior, tournament
