First camp of the year for NZ U20 players

The country’s best (uninjured and not playing Super Rugby) junior players will assemble in Palmerston North tomorrow for a training camp as New Zealand prepares for its assault on the Junior World Cup in Italy in June.

New Zealand last won the Junior World Cup in 2011, the year it was last staged in Italy. They were subsequent beaten finalists in 2012 (losing to host team South Africa) and finished fourth in 2013 and third last year when the tournament was staged in Auckland.

This initial camp will take place at the Massey University Sport and Rugby Institute from 5 to 9 March.

As part of the preparations for the World Cup in Italy, New Zealand will have other training camps in April and May, with a short tour to Australia coming up? as part of this.

The players assembling this week are:

Forwards Isileli Tu'ungafasi - Auckland? Morgan Poi - Wellington Aidan Ross - Bay of Plenty Tom Hill - Canterbury Liam Polwart - Auckland Ricky Riccitelli - Otago Travis Taylor - Manawatu Steven Misa - Waikato Atunaisa Moli - Waikato Blair Princep - Canterbury Tau Koloamatangi - Waikato Mitchell Dunshea - Canterbury Hamish Dalzell * - Canterbury Joshua Goodhue - Canterbury Jamie Lane - Auckland James Blackwell - Wellington Ethan Blackadder - Tasman Mitchell Jacobson - Waikato Sam Godwin - Canterbury Mitchell Karpik - Auckland Dillon Hunt - Otago Alex Fitzgerald - Otago Teariki Ben-Nicholas - Wellington Akira Ioane - Auckland Joshua Dowsing - Waikato

Backs Harrison Levien * - Waikato Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi - Taranaki Luke Campbell - Wellington Sam Malcolm - Manawatu Daniel Hollinshead - Bay of Plenty Mitchell Hunt - Auckland Fletcher Smith - Otago Tinoai (TJ) Faine - Auckland Jonathan Faauli - Canterbury Jason Thomasen - Waikato Jack Goodhue - Canterbury Wes Goosen - Wellington Pryor Collier - Auckland Shaun Stevenson* - Waikato Gavin Stark - Otago George Bridge - Canterbury Luteru Laulala - Canterbury Nathaniel Apa - Canterbury Jonah Lowe* - Hawkes Bay Isaac Te Tamaki - Waikato Jordon Trainor* - Waikato

Unavailable for selection for this camp due to injury: Henry Stowers - Wellington Lisati Milo-Harris* - Auckland Sam Nock* - Northland Patelesio Tomkinson* - Otago Chase Tiatia - Wellington Reuben O'Neill - Taranaki Sean Wainui - Taranaki Fletcher Matthews - Tasman

Unavailable for selection for this camp due to Investec Super Rugby duty: Leni Apisai* - Hurricanes Geoffrey Cridge - Hurricanes Blake Gibson - Blues Otere Black - Hurricanes Damian McKenzie - Chiefs Anton Lienert-Brown - Chiefs Tevita Li - Blues Vincent Tavae-Aso - Hurricanes

Unavailable for selection for this camp due to All Blacks Sevens duty: Rieko Ioane* - Auckland * Indicates players who will also be eligible for selection in 2016