Queensland’s top U15 rugby talent revealed in Reds’ side set for Waratahs tussle on Sunday at Ballymore Stadium

Queensland’s top under-15 rugby rookies have been revealed in the Reds’ side set for a blockbuster bout against the New South Wales Waratahs on Sunday. See who has been picked here.

The top under-15 rugby players in Queensland will be glimpsed on Sunday when the Queensland Reds and New South Wales Waratahs teams go head-to-head at Ballymore.

The Reds under-15s representative side will host the first of a two-match series against their interstate rivals.

“It has been hard to narrow it down to the 23, everyone in the squad has contributed towards the preparation. Our mindset is we want to go out there and we want to beat them,” said coach Sean Graham.

Sunday’s skirmish will be followed by a return bout in Sydney on Saturday, October 12.

In the front-row the Reds have named a trio of exciting youngsters, including a speed demon from Nudgee College.

Nudgee College prop Billy Campbell flying in the hurdles event during the 2023 GPS Track and Field Championships. He will wear jersey No. 1 on Sunday.

Loosehead prop Billy Campbell is the athletic top gun who ran, and placed, in the GPS under-14s hurdles event at the track and field championships last year.

A big bodied lad who moves like a back, Campbell’s athleticism for a front rower was described by coach Graham as “just crazy”.

Billy Campbell takes the ball forward for Nudgee College. Picture credit: Brody Grogan Photography.

His hooker will be Nudgee College classmate and Sunshine Coast product Xavier Hill. 

Leading the side into the fray as skipper will be GPS Galloper and Brisbane Boys’ College tighthead Jeremiah Kite.

The son of GPS Hospital Cup coach Sio Kite, Jeremiah has demonstrated strong leadership qualities at training and has been honoured with captaincy duties.

In the second-row, Nudgee College young gun Denver Bradford and Brisbane State High’s Fraser Boakes will look to leave their mark in the set-piece.

Bradford is a young giant coming through the ranks at Nudgee College. This year towering locks Ed Kasprowicz and Bennett Armistead led the way in the First XV and named on the bench in the Reds Under-16s was another tall timber, Jack Burton.

Boakes and Bradford are tough as teak types.

Charlie Grieves, a Gregory Terrace student, has been selected at blindside flanker. A versatile forward, Grieves can also play lock with ease.

Watch for the athletic utility to mimic a rugby league edge forward in the wider channels for the Queenslanders.

Nudgee College weapon Keanu Saron will wear jersey No.7.

Saron captained his school team to the 15As premiership where his sheer speed for a flanker provided a point of difference.

He could be a winger, that is how fast he is.

Rounding out the pack is wrecking ball No. 8 Teauariki Siaoloa, a damaging ball carrier who attends The Southport School.

An “absolute beast” according to coach Graham, Siaoloa was a prime mover in the under-16s age group for TSS despite being eligible for the under-15s.

His Reds teammates will look to him to create some front foot ball and leave a dent in the Waratahs defensive line.

Providing crisp service from scrumhalf will be Rockhampton rookie Ralph Labor. 

A newcomer to Brisbane Grammar School, Labor has been “excellent” in preparation for this series after first showing his class in the Capricornia representative side that contested the state championships earlier this year.

A student of the game, Labor has impressed with his decision making, high IQ and productive left-foot box kick.

TSS playmaker James Smith will don the No. 10 jersey.

A key figure in his school’s 15As team, Smith’s toughness on defence and accurate kicking game were trademarks of his.

Watch for the Canberra product’s stoic defence.

Arguably the best back in his age group in the AIC competition, Harrison Taylor, will be stationed on the left wing for Sunday’s clash.

A centre, Taylor can play anywhere in the backline where his speed and footwork can create for himself and others.

He is Versatile with a capital V.

In the midfield Billy Spicer (Nudgee College) and Harlem Faalafi (Padua College) will hold down the fort.

Spicer, an exciting player from Goondiwindi, prides himself on the defensive end where he can make a difference.

The pacy Year 10 student will be in the mix for Nudgee College’s First XV team next year hoping for a fourth consecutive premiership.

Met North representative Faalafi is a proven leader and will be the team’s vice-captain.

A more than capable fullback, Faalafi can play the destructive crash running game and also be a skilful distributor of the ball.

Big bodied Brisbane State High student Jack Phinney has been picked on the right wing. A centre at heart, Phinney gives the side another crash running option while also being an athletic finisher with the finesse to finish backline shifts.

The Reds will have a sprinkle of x-factor in the form of fullback Chilli Tonelli-Smith.

The Nudgee College flyhalf or fullback is an impressive goal kicker with a football background.

Watch for his astute kicking game.

The finishing touches will come from reserve front rowers Matti Gill ((Brisbane State High, hooker), Viliama Tuli (Ipswich Grammar loosehead prop) and Luke Van der Nist (Brisbane Boys’ College, tighthead prop).

Together, this physical trio will look to bring energy, physicality and strength in the scrum.

Watch for hooker Gill over the ball.

Backrow cover will come in the form of No. 19 Will Slater, another Nudgee College rookie currently in Year 10.

The flanker or No. 8 hits and sticks on defence and in attack runs hard onto the ball.

Brisbane State High’s Henry Willis will wear jersey No. 20. He is one of the top on-ballers in this squad and will set a high standard with his tireless work ethic.

He could go all day and remain a threat at the breakdown.

Isaiah Nuku has been named in jersey No. 21 where his running game could provide the spark the Reds need from scrumhalf.

Ipswich Grammar duo Angus McPhail and Tom Purcell have also been picked in jersey No. 22 and No. 23 respectively.

McPhail can cover flyhalf, inside centre and fullback and rarely makes mistakes while Purcell is a speed demon.

The track whiz could come on and light up the hallowed Ballymore turf.

The game will start at 1.05pm

Originally published as Queensland’s top U15 rugby talent revealed in Reds’ side set for Waratahs tussle on Sunday at Ballymore Stadium