Willie Ioane off to Under 20 World Cup - Article provided with thanks by Manawatu Standard

Dave Rennie will have more pressure on him when he takes the New Zealand under-20s to their junior world championship in Japan on Saturday.

Last year his team won the world title resoundingly in Wales but he felt he had more depth to choose from then.

The Manawatu coach said up to 19 of those 26 players had been to the now defunct under-19 world event with the New Zealand team which they won in Belfast in 2007.

And while a dozen had played Air New Zealand Cup rugby, only six of this year's crop of 26 have played at that level Manawatu's Ma'afu Fia and Aaron Cruden, North Harbour's Ken Pisi and Nafi Tuitavake, Southland's Robbie Robinson and Auckland's Winston Stanley.

"It is a quite inexperienced side," Rennie said. "It will be great for them to play in the black jersey but my biggest concern is the number of guys who haven't been playing much footie due to injury."

One is Manawatu first five-eighth Cruden who was yesterday named captain and given a medical clearance on his injured knee last Friday.

The New Zealand team is restricted to 19 year olds, the only exception being Hawke's Bay wing Zac Guildford who has been playing Super 14 rugby for the Hurricanes.

He is the sole player returning from last year's team. Manawatu had three men in that side wing Andre Taylor, halfback Aaron Smith and replacement fullback Kurt Baker who didn't get to play a game

Manawatu has another three this time Cruden and former New Zealand Schools team props Ioane (Old Boys-Marist) and Fia (Kia Toa).

Fia is expected to be the No1 tighthead prop on the tour while loosehead Ioane had improved quickly, both players helped by personal tuition from Manawatu assistant coach Bruce Hemara.

Rennie has been keeping tabs on the other teams, some of whom have had a head start.

"The competition is very wide open," he said.

Australia looks strong with nine Super 14 players including the Waratahs' Kurtley Beale and Brumbies flyhalf Matt Toomua. The South Africans have had four tests against France and the northern hemisphere teams have played their Six Nations competition in which Ireland were runners-up to France and beat last year's world runners-up, England, 19-18.

By contrast, the New Zealanders were to get their first hit-out today against the Japan-bound Samoan under-20 team in Auckland.

They play their pool games at Nagoya, the first against unfancied Uruguay on Friday, June 5, followed by matches against Ireland and Argentina.

The final will be at Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo on June 21.