Churchie Trio dominate Queensland selection in Australian Schoolboys
A young gun flyhalf from Quade Cooper’s old club has been selected for the Australian Schoolboys rugby team along with three Churchie Year 12s. Hear what the Queenslanders selected have to say.
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Three Churchie schoolboys are among the eight Queenslanders selected in the Australian Schools and Under 18s squad to play in Canberra on Sunday.
Churchie First XV premiership players Ben Daniels, Charlie Brosnan and Dre Pakeho have been selected in the 25-player squad on the back of impressive campaigns in the GPS competition.
Colts 1 troopers Joe Liddy and Nick Bloomfield have earned selection having landed a shared premiership for Easts. Downlands College prop Trevor King, exciting Norths fullback Will McCulloch and Queensland’s Under 20s Player of the Year Harry McLaughlin-Phillips were also selected after strong seasons in Colts.
So, let’s hear from the boys who boltser what shapes up to be an exciting future for rugby union in Queensland.
Harry McLaughlin-Phillips (Queensland Reds, Souths Rugby Club Brisbane)
What Souths Colts 1 coach Cian O’Connor said: He’s been excellent since he came in. The big thing with him is he’s a tough man. He loves learning. Loves getting around the boys. Harry was the best player and everyone loved him so he was appointed captain.
He’s a great kid and a natural footballer. You don’t control him. You give a shape around him and he runs everything. He ran all the previews, reviews and pre-game meetings and delivered them to the team. His leadership as an 18-year-old was incredible.
He’s an outstanding young man. He was in the shadows in school but this year he has taken off. He was the U20s player of the year.
It’s because of his ability to see things, move fast and make decisions quickly mixed with his toughness and strength in contact.
“The next best thing I’d suggest coming out of Queensland.”
What McLaughlin-Phillips said: It was really exciting to receive the news and it’s cool to have the Queensland boys with me and do the state proud.
I think everything is starting to pay off with selections but being selected doesn’t mean much. The work does not stop now, I have to keep going.
It’s really good here in Canberra everyone’s a good bloke and the coaches are helpful, allowing us to better ourselves on and off the field.
I want to lead the team and implement the structures we are trying to play and be a good leader. Just do my job.
On the field, (All Blacks star) Beauden Barrett is someone I look up to. He’s skilful and takes the line on. He’s a lot quicker than me but I try to implement how he takes the defence on into my game. Being the Under 20s Player of the Year was super unexpected and a very humbling award to receive.
Trevor King (Queensland Reds, Downlands College)
King, a 17-year-old Downlands College senior, was born in Fiji and only began his rugby journey when he arrived in Australia as a Year 2 in 2012.
What Souths Colts 1 coach Cian O’Connor said: King, who has joined Souths for the 2023 season, is a young kid with great leadership qualities. He is physical and I’m excited to see what he does next year.
What King said: It’s very humbling. Hearing my name get announced I felt that the hard work that I put in gave the result that I wanted.
The experience in Canberra has been great, playing with different players and learning aspects of their games then applying it to mine.
I just want to play to my best ability without putting pressure on myself. I hope to take it to the next level by doing the extra stuff— working harder than my opposition. I love the sport of rugby union.
Will McCulloch (Queensland Reds, Norths Rugby Club Brisbane)
What Norths Colts 1 coach Daniel Ritchie said: I’m so excited for him. He’s a quiet achiever. He came to us at the start of the season, having played for Redcliffe in the Mal Meninga Cup (rugby league).
He came in and bought into the group and environment. He started in Colts 2 then made his way into 1’s. He finished the season with 11 tries and he was huge for us. It’s a great reward for a kid that puts his head down and works hard.
Ritchie was extra happy for the Padua College Old Boy, being a Padua Old Boy himself.
What McCulloch said: Honestly it feels surreal to be given this opportunity. It’s on the back of good performances from all the Queensland reds boys. It’s led to us getting this spot now.
It’s been a great experience hre in Canberra. We’re blending together well for a group from all around Australia. We’re becoming great mates.
I just want to go out there and play the footy that has got me to this position. That’s what the coaches are trying to instill in us. Just give it a good crack and try to play my best.
It’s been a good year going back to Norths, catching up with some familiar faces. We had a great season for a club that hasn’t been successful for a while. We’re putting together a good team and I look forward to next year.
Dre Pakeho, Ben Daniels and Charlie Brosnan (Queensland Reds, Anglican Church Grammar School)
Centre Dre Pakeho, lock Ben Daniels and No.8 Charlie Brosnan spearheaded Churchie to a shared GPS First XV premiership this year.
Brosnan and Daniels were lineout weapons and workhorses on both sides of the ball while Pakeho was a powerhouse in the No.12 jersey with his ball-carrying and kicking game.
What Pakeho said: Being selected is a good reward after all the effort and hard work with Churchie, training, gym and the preseason. It’s good to see it’s finally paying off. I want to put my best foot forward and play my role as best I can.
It’s so humbling to have made it. It made me sad to see a few Queensland boys not make it but having the Churchie boys here with me is great. It’s so special, especially having gone through the whole year with them.
It’s great meeting new people and making new bonds—it’s great for my game.
What Cloncurry product Ben Daniels said: It’s made it more comfortable having familiar faces around me. My parents back home in Cloncurry have been supporting me throughout the whole process.
It’s good getting to know the New South Wales boys and sharing stories. my goal is simple win set piece.
I have been in the dorms with Brosnan since I started at Churchie in Year 7. He was too big for his age group so he moved up to play with me and we have been together ever since.
What St George product Charlie Brosnan said: It’s a surreal feeling. I did not expect it. I was in shock and it has taken a while to sink in. I have learned heaps over the last few days but it’s pretty crazy I can’t believe I am here. It’s a bonus having the boys here with me on the journey. The coaches have been world class, “bloody awesome.”
Joe Liddy and Nick Bloomfield (Queensland Reds, Easts Rugby Club Brisbane)
Prop Nick Bloomfield and flanker Joe Liddy were vital pieces of the Easts Tigers Colts 1 team that came out of the woodwork to win the premiership with University of Queensland.
Bloomfield was a scrum king while Liddy was a breakdown specialist, relieving pressure off his side with an incredible amount of jackals each outing.
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