Luke Watson selected for NZ Heartland U19 Squad
“Congratulations to Luke Watson on his selection into the New Zealand Heartland Under19 team”
The first national Heartland Under 19 squad to compete in the inaugural Jock Hobbs Memorial National U19 Tournament has been named today.
The New Zealand Heartland Under 19 squad includes representatives from each of the 12 Pink Batts Heartland Championship provinces, with 13 players already playing in the Pink Batts Heartland Championship.
New Zealand Rugby General Manager Community and Provincial Union Rugby Brent Anderson said the Jock Hobbs Memorial National U19 Tournament will showcase the best young talent in the country.
“This is a really exciting opportunity for our Heartland Unions. To have each of the 12 provinces represented in this team shows how much talent there is in this age group, across the regions.
“Many of the players are already attached to Pink Batts Heartland Championship teams so their combined force will bring some fierce competition to this new tournament.
“It’s fantastic to see the Heartland Unions getting behind this tournament by releasing their players for this team, because the tournament is an important and unique opportunity for these young men.”
Tournament details
The Jock Hobbs Memorial National Under 19 tournament is a new competition introduced to provide further opportunities for young school leavers, 16 teams from provinces around New Zealand will play on three tournament days; Sunday 28 September, Wednesday 1 October and Saturday 4 October at Owen Delany Park in Taupo, with players taking part in development programmes on non-game days.
Games kick off at 11.05am on all days.
Regional qualification tournaments have been taken place around the country for a number of weeks, with final seedings to be decided tomorrow, Saturday 20 September.
Broadcast: Matches will also be broadcast live on Sky Sports 1 & 2
For further information follow the official facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NationalUnder19s
Join the conversation #JHU19
The NZ Heartland Under 19 squad is:
| Name | Provincial Union | |
| Luke Watson |  |
Buller |
| Te Whetu Waitoa |  |
East Coast |
| Jesse Halls |  |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
| Trent Reti | |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
| Scott Anderson | |
Horowhenua-Kapiti |
| Nic Barnes |  |
King Country |
| Dion Peterson | |
King Country |
| Michael Foden | |
King Country |
| Adam Williamson |  |
Mid Canterbury |
| Seta Korotimana | |
Mid Canterbury |
| Sione Palaa |  |
North Otago |
| Sean Taylor |  |
Poverty Bay |
| Dennis Te Kahika | |
Poverty Bay |
| Bryce Shearer |  |
South Canterbury |
| Nicolas Judd |  |
Thames Valley |
| Josh Turner | |
Thames Valley |
| Cody Cunningham |  |
Wairarapa Bush |
| Chaz Matthews | |
Wairarapa Bush |
| Daryl Pickering | |
Wairarapa Bush |
| James Brett |  |
Wanganui |
| Mitchell Overton | |
Wanganui |
| Zyon Hekenui | |
Wanganui |
| Kameli Kuruyabaki | |
Wanganui |
| Logan Winter |  |
West Coast |
| Josh Costello | |
West Coast |
