Rebels will unleash local lad Rob Leota against his high school heroes

Rugby conversations weren’t part of Rob Leota’s high school experience but it didn’t stop the hulking lad from Thornbury fulfilling his union dream at Melbourne Rebels.

Rob Leota in action against the Sharks. Picture: AFP

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Monday conversations at Thornbury High School were all about the weekend’s AFL results and Rob Leota was happy to join in.

But Leota got the news he was really after via internet sessions in the library when the hulking teenager would seek out Super Rugby highlights and watch footage of his heroes.

In Wellington on Saturday Leota, now 22, will face a few of those heroes head on when he makes just his second appearance in the Melbourne Rebels starting side against the Hurricanes.

The 110kg back-rower, who has played eight games this season, two years after his only other match for the Rebels in his 2016 debut, will be wearing the number seven jersey for the first time too.

Rob Leota in action against the Sharks. Picture: AFP

It was a role Leota only found out about when the team flashed up during a power point presentation at the club on Tuesday.

“We’ve had a couple of injuries with our flankers and the backrow so I had an idea but I was surprised when the power point got put up and I saw my name at seven,” Leota told the Herald Sun.

“It was a bit of a shock, but a challenge I definitely look forward to taking on.

“A lot of the players that play in my position for Wellington I have been watching since I was about 15. It’s going to be pretty cool going to battle against guys I’ve idolised.”

Being promoted to the starting team is a huge show of faith in Leota who admitted to going through some “dark times” during injury battles over the past two years, which included an ACL injury in 2016.

Rob Leota at training. Picture: Melbourne Rebels

But one of the positives of being from Melbourne was that Leota was able to navigate the tough times with the help of his family.

He still lives at home with his parents in Thornbury and without their support, and that of his four siblings, he may not be where he is now.

“The story could have been a bit different if I was interstate and something like that happened to me,” Leota said.

“Fortunately enough I had my parents and my brothers and sisters supporting me. They have seen me at my absolute bottom, and when I have felt the worst.

“They have seen all the stuff that has gone on behind the scenes, all the hard work when things aren’t going great. My family and closest mates have supported me, helped me get through the past two years.”

Two of those close friends are fellow Victorian Rebels Jordan Uelese and Sione Tuipulotu, who Leota has played with and against “since Under 12s”.

Leota celebrates with Hodge. Picture: AAP

But unlike his teammates, Leota didn’t get to the Rebels via private school rugby programs.

Uelese and Tuipulotu went to St Kevins College, and were standouts in the school competition.

Leota meanwhile stayed at Thornbury High, played soccer and Aussie rules for school sport, only finding enough numbers for a rugby team in years seven and ten.

But he was still good enough to selection to national underage teams, and then the Rebels, via club rugby at the Northern Panthers.

“All my mates went to private school, and I thought I wanted to go, when they were all getting scholarships I thought that was the pathway to making it,” he said.

“But I was public school right through, and I don’t think there’s any difference. And I don’t think any players should think they have to go to a private school to make it.

“Now I’m able to go out and do something I love, for the city I’m from, which is pretty cool as well.”

Originally published as Rebels will unleash local lad Rob Leota against his high school heroes