Australia under 16 rugby team ruled by NSW Waratahs Academy in boost for future success
A special trio from a club in Sydney’s west are among a raft of NSW Waratahs Academy players beating rivals to the punch for Australian U16s rugby selection. TEAM LIST
It was rival states singing the blues when the Australian Under 16 rugby team was unveiled on Wednesday with a special trio from a western Sydney club among 12 players named from the Waratahs.
Waratahs Academy players have dominated the lists of every junior or youth Australian team named this year for matches with the Australian U16s to play Queensland Reds 17s side in Brisbane on Thursday.
Lining up in their first Australian jersey will be three young guns from the Blacktown Scorpions Cordell Arama, Payton Tarau, and Talmage Lemusu.
Also in the side are three young guns from the northern beaches in Wilson Ruthven who attends St Augustine’s College and hails from the Collaroy Cougars, Tom Longland, also from
St Augustine’s College and Izak Holmes from Barker College and Newport Rugby Club.
In total NSW provided 12 - half - of the he playing squad and it could have been ire if nit for an injury to young gun Charlie Xuereb.
The Queensland Reds, who finished second to the undefeated NSW Under 16s team in the Super Rugby competition this year, have seven named.
Next best represented is the Western Force Academy with the ACT Brumbies and Victoria each suppling on payer.
Finn Hannon, another Waratahs player has been named to captain his first Australian side.
AUSTRALIAN U16 RUGBY TEAM 2025
1. Jeremiah Kite (Queensland Reds, Brisbane Boys College)
2. Noah Gaffney (Queensland Reds, Brisbane Grammar School)
3. Moses Faleafa (Queensland Reds, Brisbane Boys College)
4. Bareek Kleine-Deters Ausage (vc) (Western Force, Byford Secondary College, Southern Lions)
5. Denver Bradford (Queensland Reds, Nudgee College, Brothers)
6. Cordell Arama (NSW Waratahs, Patrician Brothers Blacktown, Blacktown Scorpions)
7. Henry Willis (Queensland Reds, Brisbane State High)
8. Hunter Hall (NSW Waratahs, Newington College, Scone Brumbies)
9. Izak Holmes (NSW Waratahs, Barker College, Newport Rugby Club)
10. Kaiawha Heke (Western Force, Aranmore Catholic College, Mandurah Pirates)
11. Julian Minto (NSW Waratahs, St Joseph’s College, Mosman Whales)
12. James Smith (Queensland Reds, The Southport School)
13. Payton Tarau (NSW Waratahs, Waverley College, Blacktown Scorpions)
14. Asher Chapman (NSW Waratahs, Illawarra Sports High School, Kiama Rugby Club)
15. Finn Hannon (c) (NSW Waratahs, St Joseph’s College, Mosman Whales)
16. Talmage Lemusu (NSW Waratahs, Patrician Brothers Blacktown, Blacktown Scorpions)
17. Geoffrey Olivetti (ACT Brumbies, Marist College)
18. Nate Te Whitu (Queensland Reds, Toowoomba Grammar)
19. Will Gencur (NSW Waratahs, Kincumber High School, Lindfield Junior Rugby Club)
20. Leeson Tiakia (Western Force, Yanchep Secondary School, Joondalup Brothers)
21. Hamish Ward (Victoria, Brighton Grammar School, Melbourne)
22. Wilson Ruthven (NSW Waratahs, St Augustine’s College, Collaroy Cougars)
23. Thomas Longland (NSW Waratahs, St Augustine’s College)
24. Cooper Williams (NSW Waratahs, St Stanislaus’ College, Canowindra Pythons)
Player unavailable for selection: Charlie Xuereb (NSW Waratahs, Patrician Brothers Blacktown, Western Raptors) - Injured
