The Crusaders Juniors of 2023
A group of promising young rugby players have been selected to attend the annual Junior Crusaders camp, shoring up the franchise’s talent pipeline for another year.
The 53 under-18 players will attend the three-day camp starting Monday 7 October, with a focus on on-field skills as well as building an understanding of professional off-field skills. The group includes 16 players that attended the 2023 camp.
Coaches will then select 35 players to play the Hurricanes under-18 team in Wellington on Friday 11 October.
Johnny Leo’o returns as head coach for 2024, alongside Matt MacDougall (Attack), Jono Phillips (Defence), Ross Kennedy (Set piece) and Daniel Kahura (Strength and Conditioning).
Johnny Leo'o returns in 2024 to coach the Junior Crusaders
Guy Lemon, Junior Crusaders campaign manager, said there was “some excellent rugby played this year, and the level of competition was strong”.
“Well done to all those selected to attend the Junior Crusaders camp. Together with coaches and management, we’re looking forward to gathering as a group to help these young men further their on and off-field skillset,” Lemon said.
“A huge thank you must go out to our dedicated talent identification team across the Crusaders region.
“They give up their time to watch games and provide player feedback, and their input is invaluable to our collective decision-making process. This player group is a credit to their educated rugby eye.”
Johnny Leo’o said the group was a “very promising and exciting group of young men”.
“These players have been selected for their individual performance as well as their work ethic. I’m excited to see their growth during the camp,” Leo’o said.
