Tima Faingaanuku & Isaiah Miller named in NZ U20 development camp
Tima Faingaanuku enjoyed an impressive debut season with the Tasman Makos.
Tasman's Tima Faingaanuku and Isaiah Miller are among a talented group of 49 players selected to attend a New Zealand Under-20 rugby development camp in Palmerston North next month.
The two former college stars will be vying for a place at next year's Under-20 world championship in Georgia, with ex-Nelson College player Faingaanuku coming off a successful debut season as a winger with the Tasman Makos in this year's Mitre 10 Cup national provincial competition.
Faingaanuku's younger brother, Leicester, was selected in this year's New Zealand Schools team. Leicester also plays for the Nelson College First XV.
Isaiah Miller provides a powerful presence at No 8.
Miller played for the Marlborough Boys College First XV before joining Tima Faingaanuku in the Nelson senior club side. A powerful No 8, Miller played for Tasman at this year's Jock Hobbs Memorial National Under-19 tournament in Taupo before injury intervened.
Meanwhile, Hawkes Bay and previous New Zealand Under-20 assistant coach, Craig Philpott, steps up to replace Scott Robertson as the new head coach.
"I'm excited about this coaching opportunity. Identifying and assisting in the development of the next crop of New Zealand rugby talent is extremely rewarding," said Philpott.
"Playing for New Zealand Under-20 can be the launch pad to a professional rugby career, and this development camp is an integral component of the player development system in this country.
Ten players from this year's team have been selected for Super Rugby squads in 2017 and 23 of the players on the All Blacks' Northern Tour have previously been part of the Under-20 programme.
"The message to the boys is clear, if you work hard and show determination you have a real chance of turning rugby into a profession. The development camp introduces them to a high-performance environment and the higher level of expectation, fitness and discipline that goes along with that.
"These players will need to work hard on their individual development plans over the summer if they want to stay in contention for the next two development camps and selection for the World championship squad to go to Georgia in May and June."
Philpott will have two assistant coaches with him for the 2017 campaign. Taranaki's Willie Rickards has been re-appointed along with new assistant coach Cory Brown, head coach of the Otago Mitre 10 Cup team.
New Zealand Under-20 will hold further camps in March and April next year, before taking part in the Oceania Tournament on the Gold Coast in April and May. A squad of 28 will be selected to go to the Under-20 world championship in Georgia from May 25 to June 18.
