AFEAKI TO LEAD BLUES U20s COACHING GROUP

Former All Black and current North Harbour NPC head coach, Ben Afeaki, will lead a strong team of coaches for the Blues Under-20 team to contest the Super Rugby U20 Tournament in Taupo next week.

The third annual tournament will be staged in Taupo against U20 squads from the Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders. They will be joined by a New Zealand Barbarians U21 team, and U20 teams from Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika for the tournament from March 19-25 at Owen Delany Park.

Afeaki, who played for the NZ U20, Maori All Blacks and one test for New Zealand, brings a wealth of experience to the role. He was a Blues Assistant Coach from 2018 - 2022 and is the current North Harbour NPC Head Coach, as well as previously an assistant coach for Samoa.

Afeaki will be supported by assistant coaches Jeff Ierome, Matt Howling and Ian Robinson.

Ierome is the Director of Rugby at St Peter’s College and has been involved in the last two Blues U20 campaigns.

Howling is Head of Rugby at Kelston BHS, the Auckland 1A and World Schools Championship winners last year and coached North Harbour U19 side.

Robinson is Head Coach of King’s College 1st XV and a key driver of the Blues Under-18 programme, which is a key development pathway to the Under-20 campaign across the Blues region.

Afeaki said he is delighted to be back in the Blues environment.

“Being back in the Blues environment feels like home. I’m honoured to be head coach for the Under-20 Blues campaign, and I enjoying working with a committed and motivated group of coaches,” said Afeaki.

The Blues U20s programme aims to provide its players with the best rugby experience of their careers to-date, fostering a strong connection to the Blues club, and welcoming them into the Blues family.

The Blues U20s campaign is overseen by Blues Head of Performance Development, Alex O’Dowd.

“We want to challenge these players to operate in a high-performance environment while imprinting the Blues DNA into our youngest athletes,” said O’Dowd.

“The U20s pathway is also a critical component of coaching development within the Blues region. Coaches gain exposure to Blues high-performance methods, enabling them to grow alongside the players.”

“This philosophy ensures a robust pipeline of talent for both players and coaches, setting the foundation for long and sustainable success within the club.”

The U20s Blues final squad will be announced this week.