Future Waratahs on show as NRL clubs circle
Waratahs rugby fans got a glimpse into a bright future with NSW 1 dominating their northern neighbours at the Australian Schools Rugby Championships - but but an old enemy emerged in the race to secure their signatures.
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Waratahs rugby fans can look ahead with some confidence following the performance of the NSW at the recent Australian Schools Rugby Championships.
The NSW 1 side went to the top of the class defeating Queensland 1 58-5 in the final and over the course of the tournament a number of players stamped themselves as players to watch moving forward.
But some of the up and coming talent will have to make the big decision about whether their immediate future lies in rugby or rugby league.
One of the players to make an impression was Kaeo Weekes, a winger/fullback from Newington College, who is also in the Manly Sea Eagles junior program.
Centre Norwin Latu from Egervale High School played in the Barbarians team in the championships and really made his presence felt with some fancy footwork.
The rising back also plays in the centres with the Parramatta Eels under 20s.
“Rugby is looking forward to see how he develops,” said Waratahs Head of Talent Management Andrew Cleverley.
The St Joseph’s College midfield of five-eighth Jude Gibbs, the son leading sports physician Nathan Gibbs, and centres Nick Chan and Dan O’Brien had a strong combination and showed the benefits of playing together in the GPS competition.
In the forwards big St Joseph’s secondrower Angus Houston and Riverview backrower/lock Dally Bird also stood out.
Hooker Thomas Maka from Newington is in year 11 and made his mark. He had a cousin who played at the Brumbies and an uncle who played professionally at the Highlanders.
Prop Dylan Saunders from Windsor High who plays Colts for Northern Suburbs also proved a frontrower with a lot of potential.
A significant point is that in the Schoolboy Championships NSW were missing 12 of their top players and Queensland their top 22 who are involved with their state’s under 18 academies.
The Waratahs under 18s, known as Gen Blue, will play the Brumbies Under 18s on September 15 and then Queensland Under 18s on September 22.
The new structure means that good players who are under 18 but no longer at school are eligible for selection for the Australian Schools and Under 18 side to tour New Zealand later this year.
“Rugby Australia in conjunction with its state unions has provided an inclusive pathway that provides all under 18 rugby union players with the opportunity to represent Australia to take on New Zealand and Fiji in October this year,” Cleverley said. “That means boys who may be doing apprenticeships or at TAFE or who finish their HSC when they are 17.”
In the big GPS game on Saturday a crowd of 10,000 is expected at Hunters Hill for the clash between arch rivals St Josephs and Riverview.
Joeys are undefeated and Riverview need a win to maintain a chance of winning the premiership.
In a twist, a number of the rivals on Saturday were teammates in the Australian Schools Championships.
In the other games Scots play Kings and Shore takes on Newington.
In the third round of the CAS competition surprise packets St Aloysius will host competition leaders Barker in what is shaping up as a very interesting tussle.
St Aloysius go into the game after a win over Waverley and a very narrow loss to Trinity and will be looking to spring an upset over the premiership favourites.
They are performing well as a team and playing to their strengths.
Barker hooker Billy Pollard played the Australian Schoolboys last year and was recently selected in the Combined Independent Schools rugby league team and their prop Adrian Brown is one of the form schoolboy frontrowers.
Waverley will be looking to open their account when they take on Cranbrook while Trinity plays Knox.
Originally published as Future Waratahs on show as NRL clubs circle
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