Junior All Blacks

The Junior All Blacks are a New Zealand rugby union team. The Junior All Blacks are not an age grade side, but the second national team behind the New Zealand national rugby union team. For all intents and purposes, they are the "New Zealand A" team.

Junior All Blacks

Union	New Zealand Rugby Union
Emblem(s)	Silver fern
Coach(es)	Colin Cooper Ian Foster
Captain(s)	Tamati Ellison
Most caps	Anthony Tuitavake (13)
Top scorer	Stephen Donald (59)
Most tries	Hosea Gear Anthony Tuitavake (8)
Team kit
First international
Junior All Blacks 23–19 Australia A (26 June 2005)
Largest win
Junior All Blacks 57–8 Fiji  (2 June 2007)
Official website
www.allblacks.com

The present team is actually the second incarnation of the Junior All Blacks. The first team was an age grade side, being players under 23 years old (U23), and played between 1958 and 1984. Additionally, the team played a tour match, as New Zealand A, against visiting England in 1998. The team was reintroduced and repurposed in 2006.[1]

They competed in the inaugural Pacific Nations Cup alongside Fiji, Japan, Samoa and Tonga. In 2007 Australia A joined the competition.

Squad

Squad for the 2009 IRB Pacific Nations Cup:

• Craig Clarke and John Schwalger called up to the squad as cover for Owen Franks and Bryn Evans after they were called up to the full squad, Clarke takes Evans place as he took his All Black place permanently.[2]
• Stephen Brett takes McAlister's place after he was called up to the senior squad.[3]
• Alando Soakai was also brought into the squad as Karl Lowe went on temporary paternity leave.[4]
• James McGougan was called up as cover for an eye injury to Jamie Mackintosh. If Mackintosh is able to play he will rejoin the squad.[5]
• Alby Mathewson did not travel to Samoa because of a shoulder injury, he will re-join the squad if he re-covers. Sean Romans takes his place.[6]
• Lelia Masaga also called up to the full squad and was replaced by Callum Bruce. Ged Robinson was called up as cover for Aled de Malmanche who was called up to the All Blacks. George Whitelock was additionally called up by the All Blacks, as Karl Lowe returns to the squad.[7]
• Jason Macdonald was called into the squad to replace Ged Robinson, who was feeling unwell.[8]
• Head Coach: Colin Cooper, Ian Foster
• Caps Updated: 8 July 2015

Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.

Player Position Date of birth (age) Caps Club/province Hika Elliot Hooker (1986-01-22) 22 January 1986 3 Chiefs Ged Robinson Hooker (1983-06-20) 20 June 1983 0 Hurricanes Ben Franks Prop (1984-03-27) 27 March 1984 3 Crusaders Owen Franks Prop (1987-12-23) 23 December 1987 0 Crusaders Jamie Mackintosh Prop (1985-02-20) 20 February 1985 2 Chiefs John Schwalger Prop (1983-09-28) 28 September 1983 7 Hurricanes Craig Clarke Lock (1983-08-01) 1 August 1983 2 Chiefs Jeremy Thrush Lock (1985-04-19) 19 April 1985 3 Hurricanes Victor Vito Flanker (1987-03-27) 27 March 1987 4 Hurricanes George Whitelock Flanker (1986-03-27) 27 March 1986 1 Crusaders Alby Mathewson Scrum-half (1985-12-13) 13 December 1985 2 Hurricanes Colin Slade Fly-half (1987-10-10) 10 October 1987 4 Crusaders Ryan Crotty Centre (1988-09-23) 23 September 1988 3 Crusaders Robbie Fruean Centre (1988-07-13) 13 July 1988 2 Hurricanes Tamati Ellison (c) Centre (1983-04-01) 1 April 1983 7 Hurricanes Hosea Gear Wing (1984-03-16) 16 March 1984 4 Chiefs Israel Dagg Fullback (1988-07-06) 6 July 1988 3 Crusaders 1958 - 1998 Date Opposition Score Result Notes 2 March 1958 Japan 3-34 Won 9 March 1958 Japan 6-32 Won 23 March 1958 Japan 3-56 Won 3 June 1968 Japan 23-19 Lost 19 May 1974 Japan 31-55 Won 30 August 1975 Romania 10-10 Drew 5 July 1980 Italy 13-30 Won 13 June 1998 England 10-18 Won as New Zealand A 2006 Programme Date Opposition Score Result 3 June Fiji 17-35 Won 9 June Samoa 12-56 Won 17 June Tonga 10-38 Won 24 June Japan 8-38 Won 2007 Programme Date Opposition Score Result 26 May Samoa 10-31 Won 2 June Fiji 8-57 Won 9 June Tonga 12-39 Won 16 June Australia A 0-50 Won 23 June Japan 3-51 Won 2009 Programme Date Opposition Score Result 12 June Samoa 16-17 Won 18 June Fiji 17-45 Won 23 June Japan 21-52 Won 2 July Tonga 25-47 Won Overall Opponent Played Won Lost Drawn Win % For Aga Diff  Australia A 1 1 0 0 100.00% 50 0 +50  England 1 1 0 0 100.00% 18 10 +8  Fiji 3 3 0 0 100.00% 137 42 +95  Italy 1 1 0 0 100.00% 30 13 +17  Japan 8 7 1 0 87.50% 337 98 +239  Romania 1 0 0 1 50.00% 10 10 -  Samoa 3 3 0 0 100.00% 104 38 +66  Tonga 3 3 0 0 100.00% 124 47 +77 Total 21 19 1 1 92.86% 810 258 +552 Home grounds North Harbour Stadium Yarrow Stadium Carisbrook Stadium Home grounds in New Zealand The Junior All Blacks play their Test matches at a variety of venues throughout New Zealand. North Harbour Stadium was the venue for the first Junior All Blacks Test match in New Zealand against Samoa in 2006. Venues of Junior All Black Tests in New Zealand Ground First Test First Test Last Test Tests at that ground Win Percentage Carisbrook, Dunedin, South Island 2006 v Japan 2006 2007 2 100% North Harbour Stadium, Auckland, North Island 2006 v Samoa 2006 2006 1 100% Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth, North Island 2006 v Tonga 2006 2006 2 100% TOTAL 5 100% See also New Zealand national rugby union team New Zealand Māori rugby union team References Junior All Blacks "McAlister to work his way up". PlanetRugby.com. 31 May 2009. Archived from the original on 6 June 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2009. "McAlister back in the AB midfield". PlanetRugby.com. 7 June 2009. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2009. "Tamati Ellison Named Captain Of Junior All Blacks". Voxy.co.nz. 8 June 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2009. "James-McGougan-earns-Junior-ABs-call-up". Stuff.co.nz. 10 June 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2009. "Strong Junior All Blacks line-up named". Yahoo.com. 11 June 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2009. "Robinson and Bruce to join Junior All Blacks". OceaniaRugby.com. 14 June 2009. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2009. "MacDonald to join Junior All Blacks". Stuff.co.nz. 20 June 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2009.