AIC First XV round 1 teams and 64 debut boys revealed

The AIC First XV round 1 teams have been unveiled, including the 64 debut boys who will add plenty to the elite schoolboy rugby competition which starts on Saturday.

Padua College player Damon Humphrys returns this season. Picture, John Gass

An amazing 64 players will make their First XV debut when the elite AIC rugby season starts on Saturday.

PLAYERS TO WATCH HERE

A new era of players have been ushered in the decorated schoolboy competition which in the past has produced six Wallaby captains, countless internationals and Queensland Reds’ representatives.

Padua and St Patrick’s will field the most debut boys - 10 each - in their respective round one matches.

AIC First XV rugby Iona College vs St Peters, Indooroopilly. Picture: Liam Kidston

St Patrick’s have an extraordinary 10 players making their debut, including six members of the forward pack. Prop Hayden Rynn, hooker Mitch Wallis, second rowers Tom Scanlan and Cooper Lynch and flankers Harrison Blake and Tiakina Bateman will all debut.

In addition, halfback Jett Dean, wingers Harry Cairns and Oliver Slater and outside centre Taukura Lewis were also on debut.

Year 11 student Tiakina Bateman follows in the footsteps of his decorated brother, Manaaki, who played Australian schoolboys.

Manaaki Bateman scoring a try.

Padua’s 10 debut boys included brothers Brooklyn (prop) and Harlem Faalafi (centre), one of whom will play in the tight five and the other at outside centre.

Also on debut are Jack Mercer, Preston Patterson, Tom O’Regan, Jacob Grant, Matt McKinless, Billy Atchison, Harrison Vera and Jarah Chaseling.

Chaseling has been contributing to Padua’s First XIII program since being a Year 10 student in 2023, while Vera is coming off a strong club rugby league season with the Tigers.

Padua College players celebrate AIC First XV rugby grand final between St Laurence's College and Padua COllege. Saturday June 8, 2024. Picture, John Gass

St Edmunds will have the most players with First XV on the field this season, with just five new faces being added to the squad. They are prop Markus Iselin, fullback Tomi Wilson, wingers Blair James and Josh Manning, and flanker Charlie Parkes.

Winger Wilson is a Laidley lad coming off a strong season for the Ipswich Jets where he impressed in the Connell Cup, while Manning was one of Eddie’s best in First XIII rugby league season where he impressed with his energetic carries across several positions.

St Laurence’s and Villanova will each have eight players on debut.

St Laurence’s new chums were Brad Smith (hooker), Vin Rix (prop), Nic Nadenic (lock), Henry Page (flanker), Miller Long (winger), centres Gio Koopu and Caelan Mackay and fullback Harry Taylor.

Nadenic is the brother of two time premiership winner Joe (21-21) and also Thomas Nadenic (2024) while Caelan Mackay is the brother of Finn Mackay.

Taylor was one of the best players in the Souths Logan U17 Connell Cup side earlier this season.

St Laurence's College Joe Nadenic in 2021 - his little brother has made the 2025 side. Picture, John Gass

Villanova’s First XV debut boys were forwards Bailey Sheridan (prop), lock Luca Agnola, back rowers Finn Staley, Reid Gapes and Ryder Childs, while halfback Alex Borger, centre Angus Meredith and winger Darcy Kerr.

Borger is also an outstanding club cricketer who scored centuries for Redlands during the summer.

AIC First XV rugby union between Iona College and St Edmund's College. Saturday May 4, 2024. Picture, John Gass

Iona will usher in a new era when nine players enjoy their debut appearances.

Six members of the front eight will debut, with tight five exponents Bailey Swifte (hooker), prop Oliver Gibson, second rowers Liam Whale and Joseph Baker joining flankers Cooper Benvenuti and Oliver Hipwood in wearing the historic jersey for the first time.

Of the outside back division, wingers Oscar Colbert and Luke Coffey will debut alongside of fullback Max Bolton.

Cooper Benvenuti will play for Padua College.

Benvenuti is an interesting selection at flanker. He comes from a rugby league background where he has played with distinction for the Tigers as a prop. Benvenuti will bring that rugby league toughness to the pack while also being a strong runner with good footwork.

Marist College Ashgrove will have nine players on debut, with five members of the forward pack running on for the first time.

Tight five combatants Wylie Gordon, Hamish McAlonan (both props), Liam Farrelly, Kevin Fitialo (both locks) and flanker James Johnston will roar onto No.1, while halfback Harry Graham, centre Liam Rice, winger Joseph Cervetto and fullback Oliver Millard were also on debut.

Rice is a crosscode talent who spends term one playing with distinction for the school’s First XVIII footy side, while Graham and Millard follow in the footsteps of their brothers, Tobias Graham and Tom Millard, who played First XV earlier this decade.

AIC First XV rugby Iona College vs St Peters, Indooroopilly. Picture: Liam Kidston

St Peters will have the least number of boys making their debut - with just five new faces in the starting First XV although they have a heap on the bench.

Of the starting side, winger Luca Cory, hooker Nomis Fidow, second rower Harry Muir, breakaway Hayden McGregor and outside centre Seamus Casey will make their debuts.

St Laurence's College celebrate AIC First XV rugby grand final between St Laurence's College and Padua COllege. Saturday June 8, 2024. Picture, John Gass

THE TEAMS

St Laurence’s College v Villanova

St Laurence’s: 1. Luka Smith, 2. Brad Smith, 3. Vin Rix, 4. Nic Nadenic, 5. Billy Rowan, 6. Henry Page, 7. Liam O’Callaghan, 8. Thomas Croft, 9. Joshua Madden, 10. Thomas Ahern, 11. Miller Long, 12. Gio Koopu, 13. Caelan Mackay, 14. Zac O’Shea, 15. Harry Taylor.

Villanova: 1. Bailey Sheridan. 2. Jett Tupou, 3. Sam Binney, 4. Matt Linnell, 5. Luca Agnola,6. Finn Staley,7. Reid Gapes, 8. Ryder Childs, 9. Alex Borger, 10. Lachlan Francis, 11. Sean Kelly, 12. Max Rakitovszky, 13. Angus Meredith, 14. Darcy Kerr, 15. Max Green.

AIC First XV rugby union between Iona College and St Edmund's College. Saturday May 4, 2024. Picture, John Gass

Padua College v St Edmund’s College

Padua: 1. Jack Mercer, 2.Harry Walsh, 3. Brooklyn Faalafi, 4. Preston Patterson, 5. Will Ross, 6. Tom O’Regan, 7. Jacob Grant, 8. Matt McKinless, 9. Billy Atchison, 10. Damon Humphrys, 11. Harrison Vera, 12. Nate Clark, 13. Harlem Faalafi, 14. Jarah Chaseling, 15. Joel Whelan

St Edmund’s: 1. Charlie Turner, 2. Fletcher Haspels, 3. Markus Iselin, 4. Seb Kracht, 5. Nate Pearce, 6. Will Tatt, 7. Charlie Parkes, 8. Jack Breuer, 9. Pat Albion, 10. Josh Polkinghorne, 11. Josh Manning, 12. Harrison Vidler, 13. Koda Cuthbert, 14. Blair James, 15. Tomi Wilson

Xavier Howard on the move. Picture credit: Denver Jensen.

Marist College Ashgrove v Iona College

Ashgrove: 1. Wylie Gordon, 2. Josh Heinrich, 3. Hamish McAlonan, 4. Liam Farrelly, 5. Kevin Fitialo, 6. James Johnston, 7. Seb Gardiner (c), 8. Elliott Aldridge, 9. Harry Graham, 10. Joseph Cervetto, 11. Liam Rice, 12. Sean Green, 13. Xavier Howard, 14. Ted Clarke, 15. Oliver Millard.

Iona: 1. Sam Hodder, 2. Bailey Swifte, 3. Oliver Gibson, 4. Liam Whale, 5. Joseph Baker, 6. Cooper Benvenuti, 7. Oliver Hipwood, 8. Diesel Hauff, 9. Keanu Bothma, 10. Blaze Mohi, 11. Oscar Colbert, 12. Lachlan Smith, 13 Matt Doherty (c), 14. Luke Coffey, 15. Max Bolton.

Denzel Savelino.

St Peters v St Patrick’s College

St Patrick’s: 1. Hayden Rynn, 2. Mitch Wallis, 3. Denzel Savelino, 4. Tom Scanlan, 5. Cooper Lynch, 6. Harrison Blake, 7. Tiakina Bateman, 8. Abraham Huxtable, 9. Jett Dean, 10. Onosa’i Cvetko-Leuger, 11. Harry Cairns, 12. Riley Blake, 13. Taukura Lewis, 14. Oliver Slater, 15. Ryan Smallhorne.

St Peters: 1. Paul Deeb, 2. Nomis Fidow, 3. Shaye Batty, 4. Zane Smith, 5. Harry Muir, 6. Peter Gronwall, 7. James Kenny, 8. Hayden McGregor, 9. Tristan Barclay, 10. Will Lovegrove, 11. Will Mounsey, 12. Dylan Nash, 13. Seamus Casey, 14. Luca Vory, 15. Taine Woodbry

Originally published as AIC First XV round 1 teams and 64 debut boys revealed