Class secondary school leavers sidelined for start of Swindale Shield

Above: TJ Va’a (Scots College) making a break and getting away from Jared Adams (St Pat’s Silverstream, headgear) in last year’s Wellington First XV final. Both players could feature in Wellington club rugby this year.

TJ Va’a and Malo Tuitama from the National Top Four winning Scots College First XV and Lui Okeamoa-Luamanu from St Pat’s Silverstream were all selected for New Zealand Schools’ last year, but all of them are injured.

Tuitama, who is Ories bound, might miss the entire season with a knee and Achilles complaint. Tuitama is the nephew of Alapati Leiua and scored 60 tries in 37 games from wing and centre for Scots, which says plenty about his ability.

Va’a is a first five-eighth headed to Wainuiomata. The son of former Samoan pivot Earl Va’a, TJ possesses all the silky skills of his dad and in the last two years scored 372 points for the First XV. Va’a is an especially talented passer of a football with precision, length and trickiness, which confused many opposition defences.

Lui Okeamoa-Luamanu is a lock with the explosiveness and speed to cover flanker or eight. He scored a 40-metre runaway try in the NZ Schools’ v Samoa test and impressed with his abrasive play. Lui will represent Hutt Old Boys Marist and debut at some point during the Swindale Shield when he recovers from a shoulder injury.

Hurricanes contracted loose-forward Hugh Renton hasn’t played a game since October 5, 2013, but the son of former All Black trialist Paul Renton is highly rated. He has been in the Hawke’s Bay representative system since the age of 10 and was a Hurricanes Under-18 rep as a 15 year old. The former head boy of Lindisfarne College is headed to Old Boys University and is recovering from a nerve and shoulder complaint.

St. Pats Town Captain Quaid Martin-Laumatia will miss the entire season with injury. The lock forward’s mature leadership and abrasive play was a big reason why Town returned to the semi-finals last year. Martin-Laumatia is aligned with Marist St. Pats. Town have 19 returnees to their First XV this year so are not highly represented among first year school leavers.
Petone well served by youth.

Jared Adams is a bustling midfielder and winger from St Patrick’s College Silverstream. He played 53 games and scored 19 tries, earning selection for the NZ Barbarians who he co-captained with Tom Hardy against Fiji Schools. Adams is dangerous from set moves and possesses an especially powerful-fend.

Lester Maulolo is another Silverstream midfielder who missed the entire fifteen aside season with a shoulder injury. He returned for Silverstream’s successful sevens campaign which saw them capture the Wellington title. A powerful runner with tidy passing skills

Piri Paraone is a first five-eighth originally from Auckland who played for Wellington College. Quick footwork, an eye for the gap and superior passing skills saw him attain Wellington under-18 honours and represent New Zealand at age group level in touch.

Nic Mannix from St Pats Silverstream who can cover halfback, first five-eighth and kick goals should be a valuable asset to when he returns from shoulder surgery.

Wellington College cohort Tawa bound

Tawa is a club not usually associated with Wellington College old boys, but they have gained three this year: Bradd Forster (lock), Pepesana Patefilo (centre) and Sharn Robinson (second five-eighth)

The latter two earned Hurricanes under-18 camp selection, with Patefilo starting the game against a Wellington under-19 selection at Porirua Park in June.

Patefilo was captain of the First XV and impressed with his solid defence and mature leadership of a young side. Patefilo was a halfback in the Wellington College rugby league team and possibly showcased his speed, kicking game and ball skills best in the 13-man code.

Robinson originally hails from Johnsonville and caught the eyes of regional selectors immediately with his pace and flair. He scored two long-range tries against Napier Boys’ High School in Palmerston North, but probably played his best rugby of the season at the start rather than the end.

Forster was an honest toiler all-season. He is not a flashy player, but he hits rucks regularly and hard and improved as a lineout jumper throughout the season.

St. Pats Silverstream represented strongly at Upper Hutt Rams

Coached by old boy Nathan Williams, Upper Hutt Rams have acquired the services of Daniel Schrijvers (openside), Delano Morkel (prop) and Kaide McCashin (halfback).

Schrijvers was named Silverstream’s forward of the year in 2014 which was some feat given there were six Silverstream players represented in the Hurricanes under-18 camp, but Schrijvers failed to make the cut.

Daniel is the younger brother of Wellington Sevens captain Hayden Schrijvers and like Hayden, Daniel is a smart, rangy and skilful footballer. He is quick to the loose ball, strong on his feet for a slight man and a capable lineout forward with good ball skills.

Morkel is of South African extraction and can cover both sides of the scrum. He isn’t an explosive ball carrier, but is known for his work in tight, aggressive defense and solid scrimmaging.

Kaide McCashin is the younger brother of Upper Hutt wing Reid McCashin. Father Tony has coached Wellington age group sides and another relation Terry was an All Black hooker.

Best of the rest

Anthony Pettett is a two-metre tall lock who was named in the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ training squad out of Newlands College. The unassuming Pettett has committed to Johnsonville and was spoken of highly by Wellington Rugby development co-ordinator Dave King in the?Dominion Post?last year King said:

“He showed real improvement at the Hurricanes camp this year. He’s extremely good in the air and not afraid of the contact areas. He’s also very tall, which is a good quality to have and not one you can coach.”

Patrick Fenika from Scots College is headed to Northern United. The No.8 was one of the unsung heroes in Scots success last year. A hard worker, Fenika carries strongly and stings in defence.

Joe Walding-Karaitiana from Hastings Boys’ High School was unlucky to miss Hurricanes under-18 selection last year. The bustling 106kg hooker has a real presence about him. He was the captain of the most improved First XV in New Zealand last year. Between 2005 and 2014, Hastings played 56 Super 8 games and lost 53 times by an average score of 38-10. Hastings lost 33 consecutive games between 2005 and 2010. Under Walding-Karaitiana, Hastings won three Super 8 games and held joint National Champions, Hamilton Boys’ High School to a draw.?

Joe Apikotoa from St. Pats Silverstream has returned from a failed bid to made the Melbourne Storm and will line up at prop for Hutt Old Boys’ Marist. The College Sport Wellington All-rounder of the year award winner represented the Kiwis at under-18 level in rugby league and is strong carrying should be an asset for the defending Jubilee Cup champions.