Waikato Pre-Season Training Squad Named
13th June 2009 06:30AM
A 32-player pre-season training squad to prepare for two Waikato preseason matches next month has been named today.
Waikato coach Chris Gibbes and assistant coach Scott McLeod have named a squad which will prepare for two pre-season matches in early July. The first preseason match is away against North Harbour on Wednesday 8 July, followed by a game against Auckland on Friday 17 July at Waitakere.
The final 2009 Waikato Air New Zealand Cup playing squad will be announced on Tuesday 21 July. Later that week on Friday 24 July, Waikato will play a pre-season match at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton against Taranaki.
Gibbes said Waikato's All Blacks, Junior All Blacks, and New Zealand Under 20 representative players would join the squad when their respective campaigns are completed.
The Waikato Air New Zealand Cup pre-season training squad is:
Forwards:
Travis Church (Hamilton Marist)
Hikairo Forbes (Hautapu)
Kieran Ramage (Te Awamutu Sports)
Toby Smith (Hamilton Old Boys)
Nathan White (Te Awamutu Sports)
Ole Avei (Hautapu)
Vern Kamo (Fraser Tech)
Kent Fife (Hautapu)
Romana Graham (Hautapu)
Toby Lynn (Te Rapa)
Kevin O'Neill (Hamilton Marist)
Mark Burman (Taupiri)
Ray Allen (Hamilton Marist)
Matt Blain (Hautapu)
Alex Bradley (Morrinsville Sports)
Jack Lam (Hamilton Marist)
Jordan Smiler (Hautapu)
Dominiko Waqaniburotu (Fraser Tech)
Backs:
David Bason (Hautapu)
Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Hautapu)
Josh Sutherland (Hamilton Marist)
Callum Bruce (Hamilton Marist)
Sam Christie (Fraser Tech)
Trent Renata (Hamilton Marist)
Roimata Hansell-Pune (Fraser Tech)
Dwayne Sweeney (Morrinsville Sports)
Jackson Willison (Hautapu)
Sosene Anesi (Hamilton Marist)
Frank Halai (Hamilton Marist)
Tim Mikkelson (University)
Henry Speight (Hamilton Old Boys)
Save Tokula (Fraser Tech)
All Blacks: Stephen Donald (University), Brendon Leonard (Morrinsville Sports), Liam Messam (Hautapu), Mils Muliaina (Te Rapa).
Junior All Blacks: Aled de Malmanche (Hamilton Old Boys), Sione Lauaki (Morrinsville Sports).
New Zealand U20: Latu Talakai (Fraser Tech)
Players not considered due to injury: Malcolm Barnes (knee), Richard Kahui (shoulder), Ben May (knee), Sitiveni Sivivatu (shoulder), Craig West (groin).
