The Blues have named their 27-strong team for the Super Rugby Next Gen presented by Bunnings Warehouse to be held in Taupo starting this weekend.

This week-long event provides a great development experience for New Zealand’s best young players and features six teams, five from the Super Rugby clubs – Highlanders, Crusaders, Hurricanes, Chiefs, and Blues - as well as a New Zealand Barbarians selection. The tournament is broadcast live on Sky with three match days featuring three games on each day.

The Blues region has been hard hit for development chances with the Covid pandemic and therefore the squad, led by head coach Steven Bates, are excited with the opportunity of the tournament.

Leading the squad is No 8 Wallace Sititi, who is son of Semo Sititi, the former Manu Samoa captain who also played in UK and Japan and is a well-known coach in Auckland. Wallace, who played for the Blues Under-20 in 2000, is an outstanding leader for his De La Salle college side.

There is excitement in the backline ignited by Kelston Boys player Essendon Tuitupou, who is the son of former Blues and All Black midfield Sam Tuitupou, who also had a career spanning more than a decade in the UK. Essendon is an exciting young player who can play midfield, wing or fullback.

Watch out for the fast feet of Che Clark from Kings College, who is involved fulltime in the New Zealand Sevens programme, but has been released by coach Clark Laidlaw to play in the tournament.

Two players in the team have been in the apprentice group training with the Blues this season.

They are Northland lock Allan Craig, the former Whangarei Boys and St Kentigern product Chlayton Frans, the South African born former Westlake College loose forward.

The team will meet the Hurricanes in the first game at 11am on Sunday at Owen Delaney Park, before taking on the Highlanders at 3pm on Wednesday and the Crusaders at 11am on Saturday.