Club players rewarded by Taranaki call up

Will Johnston

Photo: New Plymouth Old Boys' prop Mitch O'Neill is one of the new contracted players in the Taranaki Bulls squad. By LDV Photography.

 

Club players who have performed well during the CMK competition have been rewarded with a call up into the Taranaki Bulls squad.

Head coach Neil Barnes has picked 10 new players from the club rugby in his 38-strong-man squad.

Prop Mitch O’Neill and loose forwards Nathaniel Peters and Michael Loft are uncapped players who have been snapped up by Barnes.

Former Chiefs and Bay of Plenty lock Stan van den Hoven was selected to cover for the injured Josh Lord and Fin Hoeata.

Prop Crusader Falatagoa’i, lock-come-loose forward Scott Jury, flankers Hemopo Cunningham, first-five eighth Josh Jacomb and outside backs Josh Setu and Matty McKenzie were given contracts but have played for Taranaki before.

Barnes said funding from the Taranaki Community Rugby Trust enabled the investment into video analysis software HUDL to watch club footage.

“We could offer one on ones to players after every game,” he said about the software.

“Selectors had the ability to analyse players in greater detail and we can continue to offer feedback to those that just missed selection to grow through our other rep programmes.”

With 50 players named in a wider training group during the club season, Barnes said there was a focus on allowing players to grow their skill sets in the areas the Bulls will use.

“We’ve been pleased with the way players have upskill and this quality has been shown on the park every Saturday.”

The remainder of the 38-man squad looks settled which features the Barrett brothers – Beauden, Scott and Jordie. But their contribution, along with the other four Taranaki All Blacks, remains to be seen.

But that will provide other opportunities for the players named.

A backline reshuffle could be on the cards with Jayson Potroz named as an outside back. Potroz played all his matches at first-five eighth last year with Stephen Perofeta at fullback. Daniel Waite was named as an inside back despite playing in the midfield last year. Both were listed in their preferred positions when the initial contracts were named earlier this year.

With Perfoeta likely to be in the All Blacks camp, promising back Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens could play at fullback and Potroz at ten.

In the forwards, there is plenty of depth with a large entourage of loose forwards and locks.

Prop Michael Bent was unavailable for selection because of work commitments, one of the only omissions from last year.

Forwards

Hookers

Bradley Slater (NPOB)
Ricky Riccitelli (Tukapa)
Millennium Sanerivi (Inglewood)

Props
Jared Proffit (Clifton)
Mitch O'Neill (NPOB)
Crusader Faletagoa'i (Inglewood)**
Donald Brighouse (NPOB)
Kyle Stewart (Stratford/Eltham)

Locks
Scott Barrett (Coastal)
Josh Lord (Coastal)
Tupou Vaa’i (NPOB)
Jesse Parete (Southern)
Mickey Woolliams (Inglewood)
Stan Van Den Hoven (New signing)*

Loose Forwards
Pita Gus Sowakula (Spotswood)
Tom Florence (NPOB)
Mitch Brown (Inglewood)
Scott Jury (Stratford/Eltham)**
Michael Loft (NPOB)*
Nathaniel Peters (Tukapa)*
Hemopo Cunningham (Stratford/Eltham)**
Kaylum Boshier (NPOB)

Backs
Halfbacks
Liam Blyde (Clifton)
Logan Crowley (Coastal)

Inside Backs
Stephen Perofeta (Clifton)
Beauden Barrett (Coastal)
Daniel Waite (NPOB)
Josh Jacomb (Inglewood)**

Mid-Fielders
Teihorangi Walden (Clifton)
Daniel Rona (Clifton)
Meihana Grindlay (Southern)

Outside backs
Jordie Barrett (Coastal)
Jayson Potroz (Tukapa)
Josh Setu (Clifton)*
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Tukapa)
Kini Naholo (Clifton)
Vereniki Tikoisolomone (Stratford/Eltham)
Matt Mckenzie (Clifton)**

Unavailable for the 2022 season
Josh Lord (Injured)
Fin Hoeata (Injured)
Michael Bent (Work commitments)

The 38-man squad is as follows:
*denotes uncapped player
**denotes capped player with first full contract