Wavell SHS forwards Tuku Hau Tapuha and Jayden Clarkson make Queensland schoolboys

Wavell State High School has supplied two forwards to the open Queensland schoolboy team to compete at the national championships over the June-July holidays. Edge forward Tuku Hau Tapuha and front rower Jayden Clarkson made the side

Wavell State High School has supplied two forwards to the open Queensland schoolboy team to compete at the national championships over the June-July school holidays.

Long striding edge forward Tuku Hau Tapuha and front rower Jayden Clarkson made the hotly contested side.

Clarkson, who is contracted to the Brisbane Broncos, comes from traditional league background, having played a decade in the Redlands’ district where he lives.

Clarkson said it was both the quality academic and rugby league program at Wavell which made the daily commute from the Redlands worth it.

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“The rugby league program makes sure we are on top of the academic side of things so we have a future outside of football,’’ Clarkson said.

Wavell State High School representative forward Jayden Clarkson.

Hau Tapuha, who has been signed by the Roosters, came from a rugby union background and has been a late bloomer.

He said when he first arrived at Wavell he was not a “great player’’. I was in division 3,’’ he said.

“(But) I was fortunate to start playing my league from the under 13s up. At that age you are still learning the fundamentals and it was fortunate for me that I did not have to catch up on too much. I was still young,’’ he said.

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It will be his first time representing Queensland and he thanked his teammates and coach for helping him. “You can’t get a well structured team without a good coach. A good coach plays a big part in the team,’’ he said. Tuku said selection was a confidence booster. “I feel like I can keep pushing forward pushing for more,’’ he said