Who are the next generation Queensland Reds contesting the Super Rugby Under-16s tournament? Here is an insight into the Reds squad.
Rugby rookies: Here is an insight into the Queensland Reds Under-16s players primed to contest the Super Rugby Pacific title. Meet all 30 here.
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The next generation of Super Rugby Pacific players will be glimpsed over the coming weeks when the annual Super Rugby Pacific Under-16s and Under-19s begins on Saturday.
Queensland’s Under-16s, featuring talent from all across the state, will be vying for their first title after falling at the hands of the Waratahs in the grand final last year.
The Reds first game will be on October 5 against the Brumbies in Canberra, with both academy matches streamed on Stan Sport.
The Reds Under-16s only have four training sessions together before travelling away for their first fixture in round two. Get an insight into the 30-man squad below, a squad boasting size, power and plenty of excitement machines.
Two of which are The Southport School rookies Dylan Terblanche (wing or fullback) and No.8 Agapetos Lote-Felo.
Watch for these two, teammates earlier this year in the school’s First XV, to influence matches for the Reds.
Lote-Felo has the workrate, dynamic ball running and size to be a force at this level while the game awareness of Year 10 outside back Terblanche is sure to stand out at some point.
Terblanche, a high IQ player of South African heritage, has an acute awareness and feel for the game that sees him pop in the right positions.
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MEET THE REDS UNDER-16S SQUAD
FORWARDS
Harrison Asi
He is big, strong and loves the physical battle.
The Brisbane Boys’ College student, if partnered with big bipper Sio Kite, could form an imposing front row unit that can swing games at scrumtime.
Ritchie Bourne
The big bodied loosehead prop from Noosaville impressed at the Emerging Reds Cup (ERC) with his strong carries and brutal scrummaging.
Reds supporters can expect more of the same when the tournament kicks off with Bourne an exciting prospect, brutal at scrumtime and skilful for a big unit.
Visesio Kite
There’s a healthy chance the Reds will unleash the biggest player of the Super Rugby tournament in mountainous 15-year-old Sio Kite.
The Year 10 prop from Churchie has the build to make rugby a living and impressively, he has the silky smooth handling skills and soft hands that allows him to be a key link between his big men and the backs.
He adds fear factor.
Tyrece Herniman
An integral piece of Brisbane State High’s high achieving First XV that thwarted all before them except Nudgee College in this year’s GPS rugby competition, Herniman has form behind him.
The Abraisive Year 11 student is a prolific attacking prop, a ferocious type who doesn’t care where he puts his head.
He was a fine performer at the ERC, a wide channel operator who excelled in open space.
Gavin Wilson-Tyers
The Downlands College enforcer will be eager to make up for lost time after injury prevented him from making an impact at the ERC.
A big bopper, Wilson-Tyers knows his role back to front and does it well.
William Adrian de Klerk
Without jinxing the Reds lineouts, de Klerk is an elite lineout thrower who didn’t miss the mark once at the ERC.
The Sunshine Coast Grammar hooker does the basics very well. He is no flash dan but his work rate, core skills and toughness are standouts of his game.
Aiden Luke
A highlight of hooker Aiden Luke’s first rate ERC campaign was when he came away with man of the match honours in the first game.
He scored four tries in 35 minutes and that was an early indication of his knack for scoring.
Watch for the mobile No.2 to do a bit of everything for the boys in maroon.
Ruben Kruger
Kruger comes from a high achieving sports family where his older brothers have held the lantern.
Older brother Wihan Kruger is a classy playmaker who has previously represented the Waratahs Under-19s while Ewald Kruger, 18, has represented the Reds Under-16s and Under-18s at hooker.
Ruben, a Year 10 student, is quick on his feet for a hooker and a chief communicator defending lineouts.
Jack Calleja
From the sporting rich town of Innisfail, south of Cairns, Calleja has become a force to be reckoned with in this age group.
After a top notch showing at last year’s ERC, the towering lock repeated the dose in 2024 to be a front runner for the No.4 jersey.
He will win lineouts, take-hit ups and used his dogged defence to give the young Reds their best chance.
Rupeni Baravilala
A Fijian backrower originally from Melbourne, Baravilala is a blindside flanker but will feature at lock. He made the No.6 jersey he made his own in Toowoomba Grammar’s First XV this season.
Formerly a Maryborough SHS student, Baravilala’s rugby development has gone up a notch over the past 24 months and the technically sound flanker will let his actions do all the talking.
Manasa Railati Vunibola
Mobile lock Manasa Vunibola was kept relatively quiet at the ERC but his selection in this squad shows he is just the type of player the Reds want and need for their campaign.
He is tall, moves well across the park and like Reds powerhouse Seru Uru, he is a real handful to bring down when he takes the ball forward.
Jack Burton
The Reds squad is relatively short on height and big Burton adds plenty of that.
A Nudgee College youngster who could soon fill the boots of senior Ed Kasprowicz, Burton’s lineout dependability earnt him a spot here.
Dyer Akauola
It has been a big year for powerful Year 11 athlete Dyer Akauola and he still has unfinished business.
Taming the ‘Tahs will be at the forefront of his mind and if his Connell Cup display for the Norths Devils earlier this year and First XV efforts for Brisbane Grammar are anything to go by, his gusto on both sides of the ball will play a big part.
Earlier this month Akauola was a part of the Redcliffe Dolphins Under-17s team that toured New Zealand and defeated the New Zealand Warriors Under-17s 44-16.
Lincoln Dalton
The hidden heroics of Brisbane Grammar open side flanker Lincoln Dalton went somewhat unnoticed at the ERC because his side struggled to gain ascendancy but on the biggest stage of his fledgling career, they will shine through.
Dalton is a workhorse. He is hard over the ball, always in support and loves an offload.
He will be a big asset at flanker.
Agapetos Lote-Felo
A polished No.8, Lote-Felo is mature beyond his years and his player of the tournament award at the ERC was recognition of this, and of course his unearthly work ethic and natural gifts.
After unearthing John Grenfell (Nudgee College, Year 12) at No.8 in 2022 and Oliver Nasser (Gregory Terrace, Year 11), the Reds will again have plenty of forward thrust with dynamic duo Lote-Felo and Akauola in the engine room.
Keegan Cook
A King’s Christian College lad now honing his craft at Toowoomba Grammar School, Cook delivered in spades from flanker at the ERC and the reward was selection in this squad.
His form was too impressive and consistent for selectors to deny and there will be a strong TGS connection in this pack with Cook, Baravilala and Kruger all youngsters back next year to represent the First XV.
BACKS
Kobi Nouanrasy
A genuine utility, the tall King’s Christian College halfback could be thrust into flyhalf, fullback, flanker and of course scrumhalf and be trusted to do a job.
A Helensave Hogs club man, 16-year-old Nouanrasy was picked in the Under-15s last year so his teammates know what they are going to get and it is of a high quality.
He has a sprinkle of x-factor around the breakdown where his running game can come into play.
Isaac Kefu
There is never a problem finding a good scrumhalf in Queensland.
Last year in this age group there was high achieving St John’s College halfback Will Graham and Toowoomba Grammar’s Jack Brown. The year before that Australian Under-18s squad member Tom Goldie and Nudgee College premiership winner Sam Watson were chosen in this position.
Now it is Kefu, the son of 60 cap Wallaby Toutai, who will look to leave an impression from scrumhalf with his quick decision making.
He sure did in the GPS First XV competition as a Year 10 student.
Rohan Nichol
Flyhalf or inside centre Rohan Nichol put a down payment on a Reds jersey in the first match of the ERC when the fearless Sunshine Coast Grammar youngster implemented his destructive running game.
Nichol has a handle on all the skills needed from a flyhalf and where he can make his mark for Queensland is taking the line on himself and being an extra ball runner when the troops are swamped.
Angus Underwood
Churchie young gun Angus Underwood is another player who could feature at both flyhalf and fullback.
The quick between the ears utility showed his deft short kicking game, crisp passing game and running game at the ERC, Underwood crowned the player of the match in Brisbane Grey’s final game.
That followed a sound GPS First XV rugby season where he filled in for last year’s Under-16s fullback Treyvon Pritchard, who battled injury.
Alfie Bowman
Another Churchie rookie who, like Underwood, stepped up to the plate in the absence of a more senior player (Hugh Rylance)during this year’s GPS First XV competition.
Bowman brings a productive box kick and first class service to the plate. If you are wondering why three halfbacks were picked, it is because the terrific trio were just too good to be left out.
Bowman featured in the Reds Under-15s last year and will be included at some stage across the tournament.
Pierre Poluleuligaga
A few short days after Year 10 student Pierre Poluleuligaga was named in this squad, his father Tino Junior was appointed director of rugby at Brothers.
Pierre, who dazzled at Ballymore with his crash running and ability to find gaps, gets his rugby genes from Tino Junior who represented Samoa on 21 occasions.
This is the second successive year Pierre has been the leading centre in his age group after last year representing the Under-15s in two games against New South Wales.
Oliver Kennedy
Kennedy’s rugby journey has been on a steep trajectory over the last 12 months and the inside centre showed a touch of class at the ERC to give him a shot here.
Last year Kennedy made the Reds Under-15s team as a Coast kid from All Saints Anglican School in Merrimac. This year he took his development up a notch, moving to Ipswich Grammar School where he is part of a promising young brigade of players coming through.
He was a calming influence at No.12 for the Southeast Queensland Barbarians side that won the ERC.
Taione Taka
Taka has been one of the rugby revelations of 2024.
He stormed onto the scene scoring three tries in a trial match for Brisbane Boys’ College’s First XV and despite missing the ERC through a headknock, the Reds coaching staff would have had his name pencilled in.
He is a player of considerable potential, an outside centre or wing of Fijian descent that can deal damage in more ways than one, if he can get involved.
Malakaih Beals
The Brisbane State High student was well contained at the ERC but you can’t deny class.
A Souths Magpie, Beals could cover various positions in the backline and for a tournament like this, he is the perfect utility, well suited at outside centre.
Isaac Fidock
The discovery player of the ERC was smooth moving Somerset College fullback Isaac Fidock.
The Surfers Paradise rugby rook, who played First XV rugby as a Year 10 this year in the premiership winning Somerset side, possesses the ability to create for others with his playmaking skills while also being able to break open a match with his running game.
His form at the ERC demanded a spot in this side and, returning the ball, Fidock looms as a potent attacking threat.
James Grey
Reminiscent of former Queensland Red ‘Rocket’ Rod Davies, James Grey is the fast paced outside back the Reds need to challenge for this year’s title.
He can sizzle this kid, and he showed in the GPS First XV season that he can read the defensive well.
Grey, on multiple occasions, scored long distance intercept tries.
Roldan Waike
Powerful left wing Roldan Waike was the Myles Rosemond of 2023, in 2024,
If you are not familiar, Rosemond last year starred in the Queensland Country side as an Ignatius Park student Townsville and this year continued his development as a Year 11 student playing for Toowoomba Grammar’s First XV.
One year later Townsville Grammar winger Roldan Waike had an impact of his own that earnt him selection in this squad and it was well deserved after a high class showing at the ERC.
Dylan Terblanche
We are looking at one of the high achieving youngsters of rugby in 2024.
Terblanche, a Year 10 student from the Southport School, was at home in the GPS First XV competition and carried over his good form to the Emerging Reds Cup where he was the complete winger or fullback.
Hemi Rakuita
Hailing from Western Ipswich, the dangerous Hemi Rakuita will offer a spark in attack, whether it be from fullback or flyhalf, where he is more than capable.
The 16-year-old has sharp footwork, speed and good awareness of when and where to attack, having played in both positions for Sunnybank and Ipswich Grammar.
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