Junior Wallabies World Rugby U20 Cup campaign a labour of love for teen Jaydon Viliamu
When Jaydon Viliamu received a call from the Junior Wallabies coach he was shocked to the core. Now the teenager from Sydney’s south west is muscling up for the challenge ahead.
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Teen rugby star Jayden Viliamu couldn’t believe his ears when former Wallaby Nathan Grey rang to include him into a squad currently in Canberra at an elite training camp.
At just 18 Viliamu though he was too young to be considered.
He also didn’t know he’d been noticed by Grey and selectors.
“I started with the Waratahs Academy last year and found out they were choosing a training squad for the Junior Wallabies and I thought that would be a dream,” said the Campbelltown local who played his junior footy with the local Harlequins club which plays in the Illawarra competition.
“Then they said they would name the 40 man training squad and I got the call from Nathan.
“It was so surreal. I was really shocked, especially being just 18.”
Viliamu was last year part of the Australian U18s side which played against the Barbarians in Canberra.
Since then he has been training with the NSW Waratahs Academy and working part time on a construction site labouring.
“I’m still thinking about what I want to do so I’m trying to help my family while looking for a job,’’ said Viliamu, whose younger brother Iliyaz, just 14, is also a talented rugby pkater.
“I like to help my family out,”
The teenager said while his area is a stronghold for rugby league, it was a simple choice for him to pick up rugby union instead when younger.
“We just love the passion of rugby and we grew up watching it,” he said.
“It is a big rugby league area here but rugby was played on a. Saturday and union on a Sunday.
“We couldn’t play on a Sunday for religious beliefs.”
Viliamu, a Seventh Day Adventist, said his family are fully supportive of him chasing a professional career in sport.
“It’s been tricky, there are some challenges but we can sort it out,’’ he said.
“I have been watching rugby all my like, people like (Michael) Hooper and (Matt) Giteau. I always tough to myself it would be my dream to wear the Waratahs jersey.
“I love the intensity of the game, its fun and aggressive.
I love the feeling of running at someone … it sounds weird but I like it.’’
The Junior Wallabies are being aimed at the World Rugby U20 championships in South Africa in Cape Town and Western Cape from June 24 to July 14.
The tournament is returning after three cancelled event from 2020 to 2022.
The event throws the spotlight on future stars of the game with Australia is in Pool B with England, Ireland and Fiji.
Pool A has France, Wales, New Zealand and Japan in it with Pool C boasting the host nation, South Africa, Argentina, Italy and Georgia.
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Originally published as Junior Wallabies World Rugby U20 Cup campaign a labour of love for teen Jaydon Viliamu
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