Seven Auckland youngsters will don the black jersey next month for the New Zealand Under 20 team at the Oceania Championships.

Dalton Papali'i is back for his second year and is joined in the loose forwards by Adrian Choat and Sam Slade. Front rowers JP Sauni, Ezekiel Lindenmuth and lock Jacob Pierce are the other forwards in the mix, while Caleb Clarke is the lone Auckland player selected in the backs.

The players represent six Auckland clubs, Pakuranga, Waitemata, Ponsonby, College Rifles, Suburbs and Grammar TEC respectively.

The squad is: 
Harrison Allan - Canterbury
Asafo Aumua - Wellington          
Sam Caird - Waikato
Adrian Choat - Auckland      
Tom Christie - Canterbury      
Ryan Coxon - Waikato      
Tim Farrell  - Hawkes Bay
Alex Fidow  - Wellington
Luke Jacobson (C) - Waikato
Ezekiel Lindenmuth - Auckland      
Marino Mikaele -Tuu - Hawkes Bay 
Dalton Papalii  - Auckland      
Jacob Pierce - Auckland                  
John (JP) Sauni - Auckland      
Samuel Slade - Auckland
Pouri Rakete-Stones - Hawkes Bay
Isaia Walker-Leawere  - Wellington   
Jordie Barrett (VC) - Taranaki
Caleb Clarke - Auckland  
Ereatara Enari  - Canterbury          
Braydon Ennor - Canterbury      
Tima Faingaanuku - Tasman      
Tiaan Falcon - Hawkes Bay
Will Jordan  - Canterbury
Kemara Hauiti-Parapara - Wellington         
Orbyn Leger  - Counties         
Josh McKay - Canterbury      
Jona Nareki - Otago      
Carlos Price - Wellington      
Tamati Tua - Northland

New Zealand Under 20 Head Coach Craig Philpott said that he was pleased with the talent available for the tournament which will see them play Test matches against Australia, Fiji and Samoa in an expanded Oceania Tournament starting on April 28.

“This is a very experienced squad we are taking to the Oceania under 20s. 13 players have been in the Under 20 environment before and nine played in last year’s World Championship in Manchester. That previous experience of an international competition will come in valuable on the Gold Coast. 

“Up to this point we have had 50 odd players at our previous training camps and we had to make some tough calls to whittle the squad down to 30. The camps highlighted we have good depth in most positions, and selections were particularly competitive in the loose forwards and outside backs, where a number of players will feel rightfully disappointed that they didn’t make the squad.  

“Oceania provides us a great opportunity to prepare for the Under 20 World Championship in Georgia in June, especially because both tournaments follow the same format. We will play three test matches in the space of 12 days, which is something many of the players won’t be used to. It is also an opportunity to get together as a team and get to know each other better, play and train together in a tournament environment and develop our team culture.

The New Zealand Under 20 squad to compete in the World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Georgia in June will be named in May after the Oceania squad returns to New Zealand.

The squad will travel to the Gold Coast for matches against Fij on 28 April, Samoa on 2 May and Australia on 6 May. All matches will be played at Bond University, Gold Coast Rugby Fields.