Downlands College scores sole invite to 2023 SANIX World Rugby Youth Tournament

The prestigious SANIX World Rugby Youth Tournament is back in 2023 after a three year hiatus and a major Toowoomba College is the lone Australian high school invited to take part.

The Downlands First XV rugby team will start their preseason early in 2023 when 28 of their finest schoolboys fly to Fukuoka Japan for the prestigious 2023 Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament.

The tournament, back after a three-year pause due to Covid, is almost a mini World Cup with eight countries chosen to play as well as eight Japanese teams.

Downlands College was the only Australian team chosen to participate in the competition, taking place from April 26 to May 6.

Downlands First XV rugby co-captain Rhys Chadburn at the O'Callaghan Cup played at Downlands College in August.

Downlands Principal Stephen Koch said it was a huge honour.

“We’re excited that 28 of our boys’ rugby players are able to gain international rugby experience and play other competitive schools across the likes of New Zealand, South Africa, England and Japan,” he said.

“Our boys will go head-to-head with some of the world’s best rugby schools, across six days. “We can’t wait to see how they perform throughout the tournament.”

Downlands has fielded Old Boy Super Rugby and Wallaby representatives such as Greg Holmes (Western Force and Wallabies), Tim Horan (Queensland Reds and Wallabies) , Garrick Morgan (Wallabies) and Brett Robinson (Wallabies).

More recently, fleet-footed fullback Mac Grealy made inroads in the Queensland Reds camp. The 20-year-old Old Boy of 2019 has two caps next to his name, a handful of Junior Wallabies selections and it is safe to say the future of the Reds are in safe hands with Grealy at fullback.

Their participation in the tournament was a further boon for the college community and ambitious young rugby stars.

This year, Fijian prop Trevor King shone like a beacon, showcasing his skills in the Queensland Reds academy games, as well as the Australian Schools and Under 18s team.

Trevor King in action for the Queensland Reds U18 team. Picture: Tom Primmer

The tournament first began in 2000. In previous years, the following Australian schools have were invited to participate in the boys’ competition:

•2000 The Kings School

• 2001 Joeys

• 2002 Randwick Boys High

• 2003 St Edmunds Ipswich

• 2004 St Stanislaus

• 2005 The Southport School

• 2006 Marist Canberra

• 2007 Westfields Sports

• 2008 St Edmunds Canberra

• 2009 Prairiewood HS

• 2010 The Hills Sports HS

• 2011 Cancelled due to Asian tsunami

• 2012 St Stanislaus

• 2013 Nudgee

• 2014 St Edmunds Canberra

• 2015 Brisbane Boys College

• 2016 St Edmunds Canberra

• 2017 No Aust team invited

• 2018 St Augustine’s College

• 2019 Waverley College

• 2020 Cancelled due to Covid

• 2021 Cancelled, Covid

• 2022 Cancelled, Covid

In 2023, Downlands College Rugby will go international.