From club rugby to new faces of Australian U20 rugby squad for Lotu Vunipola, Will Guilfoyle
One week they are battling it out in club rugby. Now these young guns are causing a stir as the new faces of the Australian under 20s World Rugby Championships squad
Local Sport
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New Australian U20s coach Chris Whitaker is a man of his word in the hunt for players to represent Australia at the U20 world rugby championships in Italy next month.
Whitaker and his coaching staff have scoured hundreds of hours of local footy footage in the search for any players who might have slipped through the selection net and pounced.
Will Guilfoyle from Sydney rugby club Easts, Lotu Vunipola Sailosi, playing grade for Sydney Uni this weekend after time playing at the club level in the UK, and Sevens young gun Aden Ekanayake are three new faces in the 30 strong squad named for the upcoming international tournament.
Whitaker said the importance of club rugby, whether it be colts or grade, cannot be underestimated at the Under 20s level with local competitions giving players an extra chance to impress selectors and be seen.
Lotu has been added to bolster the forwards following injuries to key players including Kaleb Ah Colt and Will Goddard.
A former Hills rugby junior, The Kings student was part of the NSW Gen Blues back when he was 14 but more recently took himself to the UK to gain valuable rugby experience with Marlborough after playing in the Waratahs U19s.
Whitaker said Guilfoyle stood out in club footy but having played games at the Waratahs “was on the radar’’.
“Will Guilfoyle is a tough country kid who went to Scots, has been playing club at Easts and has been playing as a backup hooker for the Waratahs Academy,’’ Whitaker said.
“We’ve been watching club footy, whether it be 1st colts or grade to see who’s available for the 20s.
“Just keeping an eye on them to see how they’ve been going and what they have been bringing.
Whitaker said he and fellow coaches watch footage of the games each week to monitor anyone they may have overlooked or in hot form.
Whitaker said Ekanyake's value is not just his explosive speed but also the experience of playing in an Australian team and being around a professional culture with the national Sevens program.
“You know he’s going to stand up late in the game,’’ Whitaker said,.
The Junior Wallabies squad meets in Sydney before flying to Italy on June 21 for the tournament which runs from June 29 to July 20.
AUSTRALIAN U20 SQUAD FOR U20 WORLD RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Finn Baxter (ACT Brumbies, Gungahlin Eagles), Nathaniel Tiitii (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs), Nick Hill (NSW Waratahs, Warringah), Edwin Langi (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs), Trevor King (Queensland Reds, Souths), Lotu Vunipola (NSW Waratahs, Sydney University), Will Guilfoyle (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs), Ollie Barrett (Western Force, Associates RUFC), Lipina Ata (ACT Brumbies, Gungahlin Eagles), Ollie Aylmer (ACT Brumbies, Gordon), Charlie Brosnan (Queensland Reds, Brothers). Joe Mangelsdorf (NSW Waratahs, Sydney University), Eamon Doyle (c) (NSW Waratahs, Sydney University), Tom Robinson (Queensland Reds, University of Queensland), Eli Langi (ACT Brumbies, Tuggeranong Vikings), Beau Morrison (ACT Brumbies, Sydney University)
Aden Ekanayake (Australia Sevens), Toby Brial (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs)
Hwi Sharples (NSW Waratahs, Sydney University), James Martens (Queensland Reds, GPS Rugby Club), Joey Fowler (NSW Waratahs, Sydney University), Joe Dillon (ACT Brumbies, Canberra Royals), Boston Fakafanua (Western Force, Wests Scarborough)
Dre Pakeho (Queensland Reds, Brothers), Liam Grover (NSW Waratahs, Sydney University), Xavier Rubens (Queensland Reds, Souths), Nicholas Conway (Queensland Reds, Wests Bulldogs), Cooper Watters (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs), Sid Harvey (NSW Waratahs, Eastern Suburbs), Shane Wilcox (ACT Brumbies, Tuggeranong Vikings)
Head coach: Chris Whitaker. Assistant coaches: Damien Hill, Jeremy Thrush, John Ulugia
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