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Izayah Le’afa will be a surprise inclusion in the Tall Blacks squad being named tomorrow
The Tall Blacks team , due to be announced tomorrow will include four debutants. Thirteen players will make the trip to China next week. Tom Abercrombie will meet up with the team on tour therefore 12 are to be named from those that attended the trial over the past two days. An additional place has opened up due to the likely unavailability, at least for the China tour, of Alex Pledger.
All the players with international experience will be named:
Forwards – Mika Vukona, Jeremiah Trueman, BJ Anthony and Casey Frank
Guards – Jarrod Kenny, Corey Webster, Josh Bloxham and Everard Bartlett
Centre Jack Salt, the tallest player in the squad and Reuben Te Rangi are certainties.
That leaves five guards vying for two spots – Dion Prewster, Brad Anderson, Brooke Ruscoe,Marco Alexander and late addition to the squad Izayah Le’afa. Ruscoe will gain one the place as he has more experience than the other three at playing the point guard spot. Cover for the point position looks light following the withdrawal of Lindsay Tait due to injury, therefore the coaching staff will be looking to develop another player to assist with the ball carrying duties. But the bolter will be Wellington schoolboy Le’afa the son of former Wellington Saints point guard George Le’afa. Le’afa will join Salt in having to ask for time off school!
LACEY LOWDOWN 