10 budding backs no older than 20 to black book for the 2025 Super Rugby season
Future Wallabies? Here is your Super Rugby Pacific rookie handbook highlighting 10 rookies aged 20 or younger who could fire in the new season. See the emerging talents at your club here.
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The Super Rugby Pacific squads have been revealed for the 2025 season with all four Australian teams naming stronger squads after the talent pool shrunk following the Melbourne Rebels’ demise.
The likes of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Dylan Pietsch and Brandon Paenga-Amosa have made moves already whilst former Melbourne Rebels stars such as Taniela Tupou, Filipo Daugunu and David Feliuai have been recruited to other clubs.
There are also lesser-known rugby rookies waiting in the wings for their chance to arise.
Here we outline 10 young guns, no older than 20, who could feature in 2025 for their respective Super Rugby Pacific clubs - and why you should watch them.
SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC 2025 ROOKIE WATCH
ROHAN LEAHY (WESTERN FORCE)
He made his debut last season for the Force and showed glimpses of his potential but expect winger Leahy to have more of an impact in his sophomore season.
A tall 20-year-old, Leahy is also at home in the centres where he represented the Australian Under-20s in the Rugby Championship on the Sunshine Coast.
He was an entertainment-plus schoolboy outside centre for St Joseph’s College now playing for UWA Rugby Club in Western Australia.
DAVID PALU (WESTERN FORCE)
The Western Force earlier this year signed Australian Under-20s centre David Palu, who joined the squad from the Melbourne Rebels.
A midfielder best suited to playing inside centre, Palu was born in Auckland and raised in Melbourne where the Rebels selectors took note of his footwork and acceleration.
The 20-year-old could feature for the Perth-based team early in 2025 for the Force, alongside new recruits Mac Grealy (Reds) and Dylan Pietsch (Waratahs).
DRE PAKEHO (QUEENSLAND REDS)
The reigning Queensland Rugby Under-20s Player of the Year has taken to playing against men like duck to water since making the transition from colts to first grade earlier this year.
A premiership winner with Churchie in 2022 (GPS First XV rugby) and Brothers in 2023 (Colts 1), Pakeho took his game up a notch in 2024 playing a key midfield role in the Brothers team that snared back-to-back StoreLocal Hospital Cup titles.
A product of the Reds Academy, Pakeho, 19, has been faultless for Queensland since making his debut in strong fashion against Wales at Suncorp. In games against Tonga and the Wild Knights (Japanese League One), the physical inside centre demanded respect with his presence on both sides of the ball.
Reds coach Les Kiss could trust him in the No. 12 jersey if there is an injury to first-choice inside centre Hunter Paisami.
HARRY MCLAUGHLIN-PHILLIPS (QUEENSLAND REDS)
The 20-year-old flyhalf is in line for a much bigger role this season with former Reds playmakers James O’Connnor (Crusaders) and Lawson Creighton (Waratahs) clearing the way for him and Tom Lynagh to take the reins.
McLaughlin-Phillips, a revered running threat in his age group, has improved his kicking game significantly which compliments his incredible off the mark speed that so often sees him scoot away from defenders.
The 2022 Queensland Rugby Under-20s Player of the Year, McLaughlin-Phillips will be reunited with his GPS First XV premiership winning teammate Mason Gordon this year after Gordon signed a one-year deal.
McLaughlin-Phillips played on the wing as a Year 11 student in that 2020 season for Brisbane Boys’ College, with Taj Annan (Newcastle Knights) and Jack Howarth (Melbourne Storm) also key backline players during that season.
FRANKIE GOLDSBROUGH (QUEENSLAND REDS)
Despite being just 18 years of age, this is the second season where midfielder Frankie Goldsbrough will be training in the Reds’ top team.
Signed to the club as a Churchie schoolboy last season, Goldsbrough continued his development this year with Easts as well as the Australian under-18s and under-20s outfits.
More recently the defensive weapon made his Reds debut in Japan against the Saitama Wild Knights, joining Jordan Petaia and Elton Flatley as 18-year-olds to do so. Before this he was a sound performer in the Australian Under-18s that broke a five year drought across the ditch by defeating the New Zealand Schools team.
Indeed Goldsbrough is a project player who played as an edge forward in rugby league before pursuing the 15-a-side game.
WILL MCCULLOCH (QUEENSLAND REDS)
A fullback or winger, Padua College old boy Will McCulloch bided his time in the Reds Academy over the past couple of seasons and as a reward has been promoted to the top squad.
A class act in the club’s under-19s teams of 2022 and 2023, McCulloch is a sleek customer from the Norths club who has been one of the big difference makers in Colts 1 over the past three seasons.
A handy goalkicker, McCulloch isn’t just a fullback that passes and kicks.
He can change a game with his running game, which is most potent in broken play.
JACKSON ROPATA (NEW SOUTH WALES WARATAHS)
The Waratahs have selected 20-year-old Southern Districts talent Jackson Ropata, a centre, in their 2025 squad.
An Australian Under-20s selection, Ropata attended Westfields Sports High School in Sydney after playing his junior rugby with the Campbelltown Harlequins.
He is a product of the club’s high achieving academy program where he represented its under-18s and under-19s sides before being elevated into the top squad.
He is athletic with sharp footwork.
MAX JORGENSEN (NEW SOUTH WALES WARATAHS)
He was responsible for scoring the matchwinning dagger in Sunday morning’s Twickenham success by the Wallabies over England.
It is easy to forget Jorgensen is just 20 years of age.
He is bursting at the seams with star-potential and he could reach a new level in 2025 provided he is fully fit.
Watching Jorgensen, as an 18-year-old schoolboy, representing the Waratahs under-18s against the Reds in Brisbane was mesmerising.
You had the feeling it wouldn’t take the St Joseph’s College product long before he left his mark and a little over two years later he would be the one to kickstart the Wallabies Grand Slam tour of Europe with a win after the siren.
SHANE WILCOX (ACT BRUMBIES)
The ants-pants of the ACT Brumbies champion under-19s cohort that took out the Super Rugby Under-19s title earlier this month.
Wilcox, a smooth moving fullback, was signed on a long term deal alongside fellow outside back and Australian Under-20s talent Kadin Pritchard.
Wilcox has raw talent and training with the top squad will help refine his game.
When he is on, he is on.
KADIN PRITCHARD (ACT BRUMBIES)
Originally from Queensland, utility back Kadin Pritchard was signed by the Brumbies first to their academy and now to its Super squad after the athletic big man caught their eye as an impressive aerial threat, among other things, for Brothers in the Sunshine State.
A St Peters Lutheran College old boy, Pritchard grew up playing flyhalf and fullback but can also play in the centres.
He is a fine prospect with hints of New Zealand and Africa running through him - his dad Dan is of Kiwi decent and his mother Brenda is from Ghana.
Kadin’s younger brother Treyvon, a fullback, is signed to the Reds Academy.
Originally published as 10 budding backs no older than 20 to black book for the 2025 Super Rugby season
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