2023 U20 Trophy Teams: Pool B
We’re now just a few days away from the Under 20s Trophy kicking off in Kenya, with the first four matches taking place this Saturday, the 15th of July. We took a look at the sides competing in Pool A, and will now turn to Pool B and their four teams. Pool B is made up of Hong Kong, Kenya, Samoa, and Spain.
HONG KONG
Best Finish: 6th (2018)
Coach: Logan Asplin
Most Recent Result: 24-34 Loss to Netherlands
Hong Kong are appearing in their seventh straight Trophy, a streak beginning back in 2014 when they hosted the tournament. Prior to that they had missed the previous six tournaments. They’ve been a steady performer, if not disappointing, finishing 8th four times and 7th and 6th once each. Due to the pandemic, the Junior Dragons have had a difficult time getting matches, but were able to get a warmup against the Netherlands this past weekend.
New Zealander Logan Asplin has had the head coaching job with Hong Kong for about a year now, he came to Hong Kong after leaving his role as Manager of High Performance Sports at Hamilton Boys High. Asplin has also coached the New Zealand U18s Sevens side and the Waikato Chief’s U18 team.
Captain Tyler McNutt, a student at Waikato University and of the Hautapo sports club in New Zealand, is a hard charging forward that will be looking to lead from the front. McNutt is primarily a backrower but can also slot in at lock if needed. Joe Denmark will look to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Max Denmark, a current Hong Kong Sevens star. The speedy fullback is based in England with school side, Millfield. Denmark has a quick step and will leave defenses behind if given an opening. Adam Baber, the son of former Hong Kong and current Fiji Sevens coach Gareth Baber, is another speedy back to watch for. Baber spent some time in his youth playing football, and as such also has an adept boot that he will look to assist his side with.
KENYA
Best Finish: 4th (2009)
Coach: Curtis Aluoch Olago
Most Recent Result: 7-28 Loss to Zimbabwe
Kenya are the hosts for this tournament, their second time hosting. This will only be their third tournament appearance, as Namibia are normally the representative for Africa, and this will actually be only the second instance of the Trophy having two teams from Africa. Back in 2009 Kenya and Namibia participated, this was also a tournament that Kenya hosted. Kenya has finished 4th and 6th in their last two appearances respectively, not bad results by any means but they will certainly be hoping to build off 2019 and ensure that they are more regular participants going forward.
Curtis Olago is the coach for Kenya, and the coach of KCB Rugby Club, in the Kenya Cup league. As coach he has lead KCB to five Kenya Cup titles, including four in a row between 2017 and 2021. Olago will be looking to transfer that title winning success to the Junior Simbas, who finished as runner-ups to Zimbabwe in the Barthes U20 Trophy (Africa’s U20 cup).
Captain Laban Kipsang of the Kenya Harlequins, is a rangy flanker and lock that is powerfully built. Kipsang recently lead his Junior Simbas to a second place finish in the Barthes Trophy, his third season in the competition, Kipsang is experienced in addition to being a great athlete and skillful player. Kipsang’s backrow mate, number eight James Asanga of the Menengai Oilers, is another powerful ball carrier that will cause defenses endless problems trying to bring the big lad down. Prop, Gaylord Ngasi, will be a handful in scrums and in the loose. Ngasi is a big man with huge legs, he was a force come scrum time during the Barthes Trophy, proving a difficult man to move, look for Kenya to use him as a big carrier off their lineouts. Center Michael Wamalwa, of KCB Rugby, is an exceptional ball carrier with pace and agility that can burn defenders.
SAMOA
Best Finish: Champion (2011, 2016)
Coach: Galumalemana Rudolf Moors
Most Recent Result: 8-5 Win over Tonga
This will only be Samoa’s fourth appearance at the Trophy. In the thirteen seasons of play since the tournament’s inception, they have participated in the Championship eight times and have won the Trophy in two of their three previous appearances, and came in second the other year. This is a talented Samoan side that will be itching to return to the Championship level.
The Junior Manu Samoans are lead by coach Galumalemana Rudolf Moors, a former Samoan Sevens player and coach. Moors coached the senior sevens side in the late 2000s, before being replaced and later serving as an assistant coach for the team in the mid 2010s. Moors also played for the sevens national team in the 1997 Sevens World Cup, where Samoa made it all the way to the semi-finals before losing to eventual champions, Fiji.
Malakesi Masefau is only 18 years old and currently attending Aleipata College. The young speedster made his debut for the Samoan Sevens national team this year on the World Series Circuit. Masefau can play either wing or fullback and has already made a name for himself, scoring two tries in the London leg as Samoa took home bronze. Paul Stanley is another young sevens player who will line up in the back threw alongside Masefau. The 19-year-old winger made his debut in 2022 in the Hong Kong leg, but sustained a leg injury that stopped him from playing in the last few legs, he has since recovered. Bitner Tafili, is a Moana Pasifika U20s player that can play in the midfield and on the wing. Tafili uses his skills from football, he is also an age grade player for Samoa’s football team, to great effect at the kicking tee, and uses his ball carrying ability to find the try line often.
SPAIN
Best Finish: 2nd (2016)
Coach: Raúl Pérez
Most Recent Result: 20-43 Loss to Scotland
Spain has only participated in the U20 Trophy once before, in 2016 they finished in 2nd place behind a strong Samoan side. Spanish U20s are on the rise as they have won the last two Europe U20s Championship, and came in second three times in a row between 2017 and 2019. Spain will be hoping to replicate their past success and be more regular players in this tournament going forward.
The Junior Leones are lead by Raúl Pérez, former coach of the Jaguares and former Argentinian international player. Pérez earned 21 caps for his country as a flanker between 1992 and 1999, as a coach he was the first coach of the Jaguares in Super Rugby, and is the head coach of the Paraguayan national team and former head coach of Olimpia Lions (now Yacare XV) in Super Rugby Americas.
Among the key players for Spain is Gabriel Rocaries, a brilliant fullback that displayed his excellent attacking ability against Scotland. This year he scored a try against Uruguay from 50 meters out as he slashed between the defense, likewise against Spain, he scored off a scrum from 60 meters out, leaving the Scottish defense in the dust. Antonio Suárez, of Ealing RC in England, and Jaime Borondo, of Carcassonne in France, will form a formidable pairing in the second row. Borondo stands at 6’5 and 104kg, and Suárez also stands at 6’5 and is of similar weight to Borondo. Manex Ariceta, the eight man from Bayonne is a powerhouse at the back of the scrum, at 6’4 and 106kg he is a handful for any defender to bring down.
Pool B has some interesting talent throughout, similar to the other pool there are a lot of speed in these squads, and some grunt as well. There may be a clear separation of levels into two groups, but nothing is ever certain in U20 rugby, expect some exciting matches and a few teams looking to cause some upsets.
