Wellington Lions Name Wider Training Squad
Wellington Lions Head Coach Tamati Ellison has named his Wider Training Squad, to prepare for the first Ranfurly Shield defence of 2023 against Horowhenua-Kapiti in three weeks.
The 38 players will assemble to prepare for the July 12th match at Levin Domain, with a point to prove before the final Lions squad is announced in the weeks following.
The squad is headlined by eight players from the 2022 championship winning squad, including five who took the field in Wellington’s 26-18 triumph over Canterbury in the final.
Head Coach Tamati Ellison believes this is a good chance for players to put their hand up for selection as the season approaches.
“We have a lot of guys who have been putting their hand up with their performances throughout the club season, and it’s great that we can reward some of those performers in this pre-season window.”
Eight players are backing up from Super Rugby campaigns, experience that will be instrumental amongst a relatively youthful squad. Former All Blacks Dominic Bird and Peter Umaga-Jensen will be instrumental.
Recently signed youngsters Hugo Plummer and Dominic Ropeti will be looking for a strong start ahead of their first full season of provincial rugby, as will the powerful Sione Halalilo out of Oriental-Rongotai.
“The opportunity to play first-class rugby isn’t something that comes around often for most players. It’s exciting for this group to see the number of potential debutants come July 12” said Ellison.
The Wellington Lions first Ranfurly Shield defence of 2023 is against Horowhenua-Kapiti on Wednesday July 12, at Levin Domain.
2023 Wellington Lions Wider Training Squad:
Forwards
Ha’amea Ahio (Johnsonville)
Dominic Bird (Upper Hutt Rams)
Louis Calvert (Old Boys University)
Toby Crosby (Upper Hutt Rams)
James Douglas (Johnsonville)
Joyner Gaualofa (Tawa)
Sione Halalilo (Oriental-Rongotai)
Akira Ieremia (Tawa)
Josiah Tavita-Metcalfe (Northern United)
Anthony Pettett (Johnsonville)
Hugo Plummer (Tawa)
Penieli Poasa (Oriental-Rongotai)
George Risale (Tawa)
Dominic Ropeti (Oriental-Rongotai)
Solomona Sakalia (Northern United)
Senio Sanele (Upper Hutt Rams)
PJ Sheck (Tawa)
Nonu Tuia (Hutt Old Boys Marist)
Keelan Whitman (Marist St Pats)
Backs
Zane Ainslie (Hutt Old Boys Marist)
Sam Clarke (Paremata-Plimmerton)
TJ Clarke (Petone)
Chicago Doyle (Marist St Pats)
Joe Faleafaga (Paremata-Plimmerton)
Losi Filipo (Petone)
Kemara Hauiti-Parapara (Tawa)
Logan Henry (Petone)
Sam Howling (Pōneke)
Luke Kapene (Paremata-Plimmerton)
Aidan Morgan (Marist St Pats)
Louis Northcott (Paremata-Plimmerton)
Ollie Paotonu (Johnsonville)
Pepesana Patafilo (Tawa)
Kyle Preston (Old Boys University)
Isi Saumaki (Tawa)
Jason Tuitama (Johnsonville)
Peter Umaga-Jensen (Wainuiomata)
Ethan Webster-Nonu (Paremata-Plimmerton)