Waratahs young guns beat Reds, Brumbies to dominate Aussie World Rugby U20 Champ squad

They bowed out of Super Rugby earlier than hoped but the future of the NSW Waratahs still looks bright with almost half the U20 World Rugby Championship squad from their junior ranks

Waratah’s player Hwi Sharples.

They bowed out of Super Rugby earlier than hoped but the future of the NSW Waratahs still looks bright than ever with almost half the new-look U20 World Rugby Championship squad sourced from their junior ranks and programs.

Of the 30 selected 13 are currently from the Waratahs program with a number of others trained up in NSW before a switch to rival programs.

Sevens Rookie of the Year nominee Aden Ekanayake is another player with strong Waratahs connections but is currently with the Australian Sevens program and on loan to new Australian Under 20s coach Chris Whitaker for the upcoming event in Italy.

“Every match we play in Italy will present a formidable challenge however we believe our preparation has set us up to meet that challenge’’ Whitaker said.

Fellow Sevens star Sid Harvey, a former NSW junior country star, is also in the squad captained by fellow Waratahs Eamon Doyle.

Other Waratahs players include Hwi Sharples, the talented Cooper Watters, Liam Grover, Nathaniel Tiitii and Nick Hill.

The ACT Brumbies have, like the Reds, snared seven spots in the squad.

Warringah player: Nick Hill halted by Sydney Uni player: Hamish Grover

Reds centre Dre Pakeho is one of a number of new faces in the squad being aimed at Italy tournament after Australia finished second at the recent U20 Rugby Championships in

The squad meets in Sydney before flying to Italy on June 21 for the tournament which runs from June 29 to July 20.

Australia is in Pool A with defending champions England U20, South Africa U20 and Scotland U20.

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

Cooper Watters is one of 12 NSW Waratahs selected.

U20 WORLD RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP U20 SCHEDULE

Australia U20 v South Africa U20

11.30pm AEST Sunday 29 June

Stadio San Michele, Calvisano

Australia U20 v Scotland U20

11.30pm AEST Friday 4 July

Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, Viadana

Australia U20 v England U20

2am AEST Thursday 10 July

Payanini Center, Verona

Semi-Finals

Monday 14 July - Tuesday 15 July

Play-Offs and Final

Saturday 19 July - Sunday 20 July

Originally published as Waratahs young guns beat Reds, Brumbies to dominate Aussie World Rugby U20 Champ squad