Australian schools rugby championships: Favourites, squad lists, Zach Fittler and players to watch at ASRU

He might already be connected with a famous NRL club but this son of a rugby league great isn’t lost to rugby - just yet at least.Australian schools rugby favourites, squads and guns to watch.

He might already be connected with a famous NRL club but this talented son of an Australian rugby league great isn’t lost to rugby - just yet at least.

Zach Fittler will front up for the NSW Schools II side at the Australian schools rugby championship on the Sunshine Coast this week.

The Scots College student made a big impact - on the scoreline and on social media thanks to a rampaging run - when he played for the NSW Waratahs in the Super Rugby U16s two seasons ago.

Now he’s tipped to turn plenty more heads when he takes the field at the annual schools rugby championships showcasing the best young talent in the country.

Fittler, associated with the Sydney Roosters and a member of the NSW Junior Blues in 2022, appears set to follow his bloodlines into rugby league but is still expected to make a big splash on what is expected to be a wet and wild pitch in Queensland thanks to a predominantly wet weather forecast.

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Zach Fittler scoring to the delight of fans in the match between the NSW Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels Academy teams two years ago. Pics: Julian Andrews

While Schools 1 are looking the team to beat, it is now Schools II who will benefit from the unexpected injection of the footy talent to their side.

“I watched Zach Fittler playing (at trials). He’s strong well balanced and his running is great,” said NSW Juniors rugby coach James Barkell.

“He’s a chip off the old block. He’s special

“He’s a different built (to father Brad), he’s big but he’s got great balance. I remember when Freddy used to sidestep, he had great balance.

“He had a good fend and sidestep and I see that in the son, he can keep speed in contact.”

NSW’s Tom Farr-Jones scoring last year. Picture: Julian Andrews

Fittler was originally selected in the Schools I side but a late change on the weekend will see him run out for Schools II instead.

Schools I coach Mark O’Brien said Fittler will be a loss after being moved from his bench to Schools II.

“It’s disappointing to lose him in a sense, he’s very versatile,” O’Brien said.

“He covers almost the entire back line and it’s hard to lose him.”

But O’Brien, whose side boasts an assortment of top NSW talent, many of them connected to the NSW Waratahs Academy, is excited to see his players in action at the event, including Nathaniel Gallagher from Westfield Sports High.

“He from Randwick and the No. 8,’’ O’Brien said of his

“He will really compliment the forward pack.

“We have some very talented backs and players in the wing.”

Others to watch include Narrabri talent Jonty Fowler who was in the NSW Waratahs’ U16s academy squad last season, Riley Caswell from Knox who turned plenty of heads in the Super Rugby U16 comp with his try-scoring escapades and his teammate Hayden Lavercombe.

Zach Fittler playing in an SG Ball Cup trial in January.

Barkell also has a NSW Juniors player he’s keen to watch under pressure and against top competition at the championships and who reminds him of a football great.

“We have Sebastian (Elizondo), our smallest, and I saw him trial for Sydney and thought he was something special,” Barkell said.

“He’s small but his defence is fantastic.

“He will be one to watch. He’s a bit of a dark horse but he might get noticed up there.

“He reminds me of a young Johnathan Thurston and is very elusive.

“He’s a great ball carrier and has lots of confidence and doesn’t shirk away from contact.”

The NSW Juniors also have some familiar surnames on their team sheet in Tom Farr-Jones, the nephew of Wallaby Nick and a Waratahs U18s player.

His NSW Juniors and Randwick teammate is James Finegan, son of Wallaby Owen and younger brother of Ben who made the side last year.

A fierce battle in a Queensland 2 v Victoria game last year.

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Marcus Mastro, also from Randwick, is another to watch after making the Australian U16 team.

Taite Howell is back after making the Australian Barbarians side selected at the end of the 2023 tournament.

The Barbarians/Combined States side this year boast a young gun on the rise and on the comeback from injury in Dane Mitchell from West Harbour.

Mitchell played in the winning NSW Juniors team last year and then for Sydney in the City v County matchup.

Another to watch from the Barbarians is Ravubale Ponipate from Eastwood who played Schools 1 last year.

The Barbarians boast players from across the country, including Immanuel Summerfield from Hobart College, Wyatt Van Dingen from Trinity College Gawler, Charles Boman from the Hutchins School, Rowan Nichols from Sunshine Coast Grammar, John Paul Sia from Ipswich Grammar and Charlie McCaughey from Cabra Dominican College and Jasper Tipper from Matthew Flinders Anglican.

At the Australian schools rugby championship in 2023 the under 18 NSWJunior side won the event by beating Queensland II 42–15 in the grand final in Sydney.

Queenslander Manaaki Bateman on the burst last year. Picture: Julian Andrews

EVERY SQUAD LIST FOR AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP

NSW 1 SQUAD

1. Hayden Lavercombe The Kings School 2. Max Meagher Trinity Grammar 3. Keegan Daly Barker College 4. Arthur Greer St Joseph’s College 5. Aron Brennan St Augustine’s College 6. Charles Ulcoq Scots College 7. Oliver Aboud Waverley College 8. Nathaniel Gallagher Westfields Sports High School 9. Darcy Brown St Joseph’s College 10. Jonty Fowler St Joseph’s College 11. Reilly Caswell Knox Grammar School 12. Troy Patea Waverley College 13. Louis Fenwicke The Kings School 14. Max Roach Knox Grammar School 15. Jai Callaghan Shore School 16. Luke Muriti Oakhill College 17. Harrison Davies Newington College 18. Daniel Osborne Riverview College 19. Thomas Alloggia Oakhill College 20. Jacob Harder Pittwater High School 21. Jeremy Rath Barker College 22. Henry Conick Shore School 23. Baxter Warner Newington College. Coach Mark O’Brien Callaghan College - Wallsend Campus, Asst. Coach Anthony Calavassy St Patrick’s College Strathfield, Manager David Harkins Richmond High School

NSW 2 SQUAD

1 Cameron Paull St Augustine’s College 2 Charlie Ghattas St Joseph’s College 3 Flynn Clatworthy Newington School 4 Ed Baxter Shore School 5 Phoenix Graham St Ignatius College, Riverview 6 Tom Haslam Knox Grammar 7 Charlie Blank St Augustine’s College 8 Oscar Cleary Kinross-Wolaroi 9 Chayse Geros St Augustine’s College 10 Tye Jecks Knox Grammar 11 Oliver Metcalf St Augustine’s College 12 Zacharia Fittler Scots College 13 Cooper Watters St Stanislaus’ College 14 Ethan Tombs St Joseph’s College 15 Tallis McEwen-Welsh Newington College 16 Matthew Harrison Barker College 17 Harper Strachan Knox Grammar 18 William Lloyd Knox Grammar 19 Nathaniel Thomas Barker College 20 Dylan Simmons Newington College 21 Jack Binnie Shore School 22 Lance Tovio Cranbrook School23 Tamoko Berryman-Duff St Augustine’s College. Coach Matt Crawford Scot’s All Saints College, Asst. Coach Will Brame Westfield Sports High School, Manager Oliver Knight Waverley College

NSW JUNIORS SQUAD

1 Taione Saukilai Sydney / Two Blues 2 Rico Ross Illawarra 3 Felix Harvison Sydney / Manly 4 Marley Chandra NSW Country / Illawarra 5 James Finegan Randwick /Waverley College 6 Jacob Colwell Sydney / Southern Districts 7 James Nestor Randwick / Waverley College 8 William Picken Lennox Head 9 James Thompson Sydney / West Harbour 10 Oscar Godwin Lennox Head 11 King Manu Sydney / Sydney Uni / Waverley College 12 Joe Harvey Eastwood 13 Mitchell Holmes Sydney / Eastwood 14 Tom Farr-Jones Sydney / Randwick 15 Sebastian Elizondo Randwick 16 Henry Burke Hunter 17 Joseph Eli Sydney / Two Blues 18 Marcus Mastro Randwick 19 Michael Vandros Mid North Coast 20 Mitchell Langley Sydney Uni 21 Taite Howells Eastwood 22 Mitchell Balzer Hunter 23 Oliver McCracken Warringah Head Coach James Barkell NSWJRU. Asst Coach Angus Anderson NSWJRU Asst Coach Luke Hurdtich NSWJRU Manager Ben Kooyman NSWJRU

COMBINED STATES BARBARIANS SQUAD

1 Ponipate Ravubale Eastwood 2 Cajun Arnfield Hunter / All Saints Maitland 3 Justin Amituani Sydney Uni 4 Ethan Filipo Two Blues 5 Hingano Helu Two Blues / Fairvale High School 6 Joel Couper Warringah 7 Ilikaya Turagavukica Darwin High School, NT 8 Oscar Afleck Hunter 9 Liam Walsh Sydney Uni 10 Ollie Crowther Eastern Suburbs 11 Xavier Stewart Hunter 12 Nate Glendenning Sydney Uni 13 Glassie Glassie Illawarra / Patrician Brothers Fairfield 14 Shaun Collins Armidale 15 Dane Mitchell West Harbour 16 John Paul Sia Ipswich Grammar 17 Wyatt Van Dongen Trinity College, Gawler SA 18 Harry Harrington Southern Country / Scots College 19 Immanuel Summerfield Hobart College, TAS 20 Charlie McCaughey Cabra Dominican College, SA 21 Jasper Tipper Matthew Flinders Anglican College 22 Charles Boman The Hutchins School 23 Rowan Nichol Sunshine Coast Grammar School. Coach Douglas Ryan NSWJRU, Asst Coach Jack Bowditch NSWJRU Asst Coach Tai Glassie, NSWJRU Manager Kwang Arnfield NSWJRU

Last year’s final between Queensland 2 and NSW Juniors. Picture: Julian Andrews

ACT BOYS

1. Jezaiah Sega Gungahlin College 2. Henry Laidler Erindale College 3. Brad Patmore Daramalan College 4. Pat Edwards Daramalan College 5. Ben Martens St Edmunds College 6. Blake Bretton Marist College 7. Lachlan Collier St Mary MacKillop 8. Talia’Uli Latukefu Marist College 9. Grady Woolley Canberra College 10. Nate Pfitzner Erindale College 11. Michael Browne Canberra Grammar 12. Denzel Veikune Daramalan College 13. Isaiah Cornforth Marist College 14. Joey Phillips Marist College 15. Cameron Kirsten Marist College 16. Will Cash Marist College 17. Tipa Vaili St Edmunds College 18. Isaac Foster St Edmunds College 19. Jack Lincoln Marist College 20. Brodie Preston Erindale College 21. George Wawn Canberra Grammar School 22. Harvey McLean St Edmunds College 23. Cam Valadez Daramalan College. Coach Nick Jones Erindale College Ass. Coach Nick Leah Canberra Grammar, Manager Rob Smethills Canberra College

QLD 1 BOYS

1. Will Pamenter Ipswich Grammar School 2. Huw Griffiths St Laurence’s College 3. Kingbenjamin Swerling-Finaipepe John Paul College 4. Saxon Thompson Sunshine Coast Grammar School 5. Andrew Burnicle Matthew Flinders Anglican College 6. Tremayne Patelesio Somerset College 7. Trent Picot Brisbane State High School 8. Ben Davis St Laurence’s College 9. William Graham St John’s College 10. Callum Simpson Somerset College 11. Paddy McInally Brisbane State High School 12. Zac Nichol Sunshine Coast Grammar School 13. Ben Lotz Downlands College 14. Nate Thompson Siena Catholic College 15. Blake Miller Sunshine Coast Grammar School 16. Manaaki Bateman St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe 17. Nate Hepi Sunshine Coast Grammar School 18. Ta’ialalolei’aasasaumani Faalogo Wavell State High School 19. Christian Porreca Villanova College 20. Jake Stephens Downlands College 21. Kobi Nouanrasy Kings Christian College 22. Xavier Santos St Laurence’s College 23. Tanielu Tuu’u Ipswich State High School. Coach Ben Cameron Kingston State College Ass. Coach Eric Smyth Mount Ommaney Special School. Manager Dennis Russell Indooroopilly State High School

QLD 2 BOYS

1. Lewis Bryson Kings Christian College Reedy Creek 2. Adrian De Klerk Sunshine Coast Grammar School 3. Lochlan Smith Somerset College 4. Will Hope Kirwan High School 5. Harry Scheibel Ipswich Grammar School 6. Tannar Baker Ipswich Grammar School 7. Sam Human (C) Sunshine Coast Grammar School 8. Hesed Lote-Felo AB Paterson College 9. Marley Ngatai Brisbane State High School 10. Seamus Boakes (VC) Brisbane State High School 11. Jackson Hill Brisbane State High School 12. Jack Pascoe Iona College 13. Luke White Marymount College 14. Tainyn Clarken Kings Christian College Reedy Creek 15. Ta’zaiyah Milner Kings Christian College Reedy Creek 16. Cyrus Suniula Brisbane State High School 17. Adam Fahamokioa Downlands College 18. Berakah Tuifassisina Ipswich State High School 19. Jack Gibson St Brendans College 20. Bryce Crammond Siena Catholic College 21. Harvey Kachel St Augustine’s College Cairns 22. Asora Poulos Mitchelton State High School 23. Angus Tagicakibau Brisbane State High SchoolCoach Andrew Rye Department of Education - North Coast Region. Coach Andre Boon Brisbane Youth Education & Training Centre, Manager Ben McKenzie Brisbane State High School

VICTORIA BOYS

1. Carter Tagaloasa Melbourne High School 2. Poe-Jazkin Ah Ki Melton Secondary College 3. Dante Siale Fountain Gate Secondary College 4. Cooper O’Malley St Kevin’s College 5. Elye Morris Collingwood College 6. Mapo Fisu The Grange P-12 College 7. Sam Fangatua Melton Secondary College 8. Caleb Fanolua-Tusitala (C) Dandenong High School 9. Jakim Ngatoko Hampton Park Secondary College 10. Jackson Jury (VC) Brighton Grammar School 11. Connor Tyler Brighton Grammar School 12. Max Angove Trinity Grammar School 13. Edward Lyons St Kevin’s College 14. Patrick Mc Conville Brighton Grammar School 15. Tainui Whakaari Melbourne Grammar School 16. Reece Paramore Fountain Gate Secondary College 17. Angus Hay Xavier College 18. Lincoln Vuna Xavier College 19. Tyde Nikau-Roderick Lara Secondary College 20. Jerome William Westall Secondary School 21. Parish Hunt Melton Secondary College 22. Ian Tanufa’i Lilydale High School 23. Kip Scarborough Scotch College. Head Coach Liam Neveling Xavier College, Asst Coach Conrad Foord Trinity Grammar, Manager Tony Hollamby Our Lady’s Surrey Hills

EVERY GIRLS SQUAD LIST FOR AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP

NSW 1 Girls U18

1. Lacey Cross NBSC Freshwater Senior Campus 2. Pyper Marchant Castle Hill High School 3. Khyliah Gray NBSC Mackellar Girls Campus 4. Logan Lemusu GOAL College 5. Chanel Williams Matraville Sports High School 6. Manua Moleka The Hills Sports High School 7. Maia Madden-Khan Central Coast Sports College 8. Maronay Smuts Hunter Sports High School 9. Amelia Whitaker International Grammar School 10. Ruby Anderson Central Coast Sports College 11. Sydney Davis Barker College 12. Grace Dabin Brisbane Waters High School. Coach Ash Mewburn Goulburn High School. Ass. Coach Kye Harrison Monaro High School.

NSW celebrate their victory in Sydney last year. Picture: Julian Andrews

NSW 2 Girls U18

1. Saxbii Shaw Dubbo College Senior Campus 2. Caoimhe Waldron Hunter Sports High School 3. Grace Maxwell Monaro High School 4. Emily Dietrich McCarthy College, Tamworth 5. Annabel MacDonald Cheltenham Girls High School 6. Savannah Roberts-Hickling Ballina Coast High School 7. Eliza Taylor Hennessy Catholic College, Young 8. Millie Parker Central Coast Sports College 9. Lottie Coppola St John’s College, Woodlawn 10. Demi Owens Dubbo College Senior Campus 11. Natasha Ireland Kincumber High School 12. Scarlett Slade Quirindi High School. Coach Charlie Aylmer St Ives High School, Ass. Coach Hannah Moloney Jindabyne High School, Manager Harry Lind Waverley College

ACT Girls U18

1. Emily Stanberg Trinity Catholic College 2. Zoe Bullock Merici College 3. Isabella Tripet Jindabyne Central School 4. Jasmine Reid Daramalan College 5. Reese Vidler Erindale College 6. Daisy Goodwin Daramalan College 7. Georgina Hayes Mater Del 8. Zali Gibson St Clare’s College Canberra 9. Lahni Hall Erindale College 10. Makenna Ravouvou Daramalan College 11. Sabrina Marela Erindale College 12. Ella Kelly Erindale College. Coach Reinhold Kamilo ACT Brumbies, Assistant Coach Shelley Bradshaw Lyneham High School, Manager Maria Moreno ACT Brumbies

QLD Girls U18 Maroon

1. Dani Martens Indooroopilly State High School 2. Anna Park The Glennie School 3. Amanii Misa Mabel Park State high School 4. Madison Pomerenke James Nash State High School 5. Danielle Tutakangahau Mabel Park State high School 6. Shalom Sauaso Ipswich State High School 7. Nikeisha Ngaru Marsden State High School 8. Gracie Johnston Fairholme College 9. Te Rina Pearse Stretton State School 10. Lille Merlow Redcliffe State High School 11. Tekainga Enkera-Raveora Stretton State School 12. Madi Collins Siena Catholic College. Coach Luke Zeremes St Johns College (Nambour), Ass. Coach Marioulla Belessis Marsden State High School, Manager Amy McBurney Ferny Grove State High School

QLD Girls U18 White

1. Mia Vines St John’s College 13. Jazlyn Leota Stuartholme School 3. Katalina Setiu Mabel Park State High School 4. Manaia-Rose Afuie Marsden State High School 5. Evie Sampson Kings Christian College 6. Kaelyn Passi Kings Christian College 7. Amy Lorenz St John’s Catholic School 8. Mia Byrnes The Glennie School 9. Hawke Kahu Marsden State High School 10. Ainslie-Alyssa Iva Canterbury College 11. Laura-May McGovern Siena Catholic College 12. Madison Morris Clayfield College. Coach Asako Ono Marsden State High School Ass. Coach Mick Jarroush Wilsonton State High School Manager Megan Orgill Brisbane South State Secondary College

LMRDT U18

1. Keeley Scott Varsity College 2. Sonrae Lui Tagai State College 3. Jaeda Morato Woree State High School 4. Ruby Flanders Bishop Druitt College Coffs Harbour 5. Aaliyah Sheppard Canterbury College 6. Reese Orcher (C) Clayfield College 7. Kameryn Bray Cavendish Road State High School 8. Lara Parter (VC) Kirwan State High School 10. Zaleal Mosby-Nona Kirwan State High School 11. Nyeema Tuua Mabel Park State High School 12. Savannah Roberts-Hickling Ballina Coast High School. Coach Kris Burton, Coaching Director Dylan Blackman Manager Jodie Clarke

NSW 1 Girls U16 (Blue)

1. Shekinah Bainivalu Westfields Sports High School 2. Ella Gleeson Macintyre High School 3. Molly Adamson St Catherine’s School 4. Angel Ngungautau Rutherford High School 5. Amalia Casey Kincumber High School 6. Keira Callaghan Hunter Sports High School 7. Annika Mcarthy Hunter Sports High School 8. Antia Ropati The Hills Sports High School9. Lusiana Vesicula Kingsgrove High School 10. Imogen Crowe Mount St Benedict College, Pennant Hills 11. Georgia Wansey St Andrew’s Cathedral School 12. Sienna Sullivan Dubbo College South Campus. Coach Kieran Smith Dubbo Senior College, Ass. Coach Briana Fritsch Cootamundra High School, Manager Alice Barber Macquarie Anglican Grammar School

NSW 2 Girls U16 (White)

1. Lola Harvison Roseville College 2. Anika Penitani The Hills Sports High School 3. Evie Scott Barker College 4. Jasmine Truskett-Jones Asquith High School 5. Lucy McLean Pymble Ladies College 6. Erin Krenmayr Marist Sisters College, Woolwich 7. Darci Turinui St Clare’s College, Waverley 8. Eden Klemm Jindabyne High School 9. Saige Tautalafua GOAL College 10. Lara Curry Temora High School 11. Ruby Clayton Wee Waa High School 12. Amelia Steventon PLC Sydney, Coach Jodie Llamas Castle Hill High School, Ass. Coach Sally Faehrmann Castle Hill High School, Manager Shaniah Ellul Melonba High School

QLD Girls U16 White

1. Anika Gundlach Kelvin Grove State College 2. Poppy Gibbons (C) The Glennie School Toowoomba 3. Claudia Woodhead The Glennie School 4. Lily Bain Caloundra State High School 5. Esme Hearsum Redcliffe State High School 6. Maycee Brown The Cathedral college 7. Abigail Viriki Canterbury College 8. Emily Jackwitz Ipswich state high 9. Luca Lamplough Kawana Waters State College 10. Arahi Walker (VC) St Aidan’s Anglican Girls College 11. Genesis Tupa’i Keebra Park State High School 12. Amealia-Rose Hoiss William Ross State High School. Coach Ben O’Connell West Moreton Anglican College, Trainer Declan Taylor Woodlinks State School, Manager Naomi Tomlinson Redcliffe State High School

LMRDT Girls U16

1. Emma McRae Newcastle High School 2. Isla Bin Awel Loreto College Coorparoo 3. Aamira Renaf (VC) Caloundra State High School 4. Jaida Flores Palm Beach Currumbin State High School 5. Aaliyah Barba St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School 6. Taliah Anderson (C) Keebra Park State High School 7. Kanisha Green Maryborough State High School 8. Cienna Dumas Palm Beach Currumbin State High School 9. Poppi Flanders Bishop Druitt College Coffs Harbour 10. Alaiela Dargin Matraville Sports High School 11. Alexandra Kulla Kulla Rockhampton Grammar School 12. Ellazae Ellers Hunter Sports High School. Coach Kris Burton, Coaching Director Dylan Blackman

QLD Girls U16 Maroon

1. Billie Backus Kings Christian College, 2. TJ Murray Kings Christian College, 3. Peytton Wentholt Mable Park State High School 4. Carla Nobbs (C) Fairholme College 5. Aimee Henry Canterbury College 6. Kaia Skeen Wavell State High School 7. Tiki Caliste Kings Christian College 8. Ace Pollock Caloundra State High School 9. Rachael Phipps Kelvin Grove State College 10. Marley Morgan (VC) Ipswich Girls Grammar 11. Matilda Richards Townsville Grammar School 12. Aaliya Lama Kings Christian College: Coach Matthew Chapman Kelvin Grove State College, Manager Sophie Shadlow Bowen State High School, Trainer Mitch Bebb William Ross State High School

VIC Girls U16

1. Leisi Kirirua-Gill Henderson College 2. Rebekah Epa Victoria University Secondary College 3. Nathania Saila Tataa Maiava Staughton College 4. Allessia Lettieri Haileybury 5. Alanis-Ellen Toluono Manorlakes 6. Poppy Page Balwyn High School 7. Priscilla Taulauniu Manuelmalgaoma Victoria University Secondary College 8. Gina Aiono Copperfield College 9. Eloise Loga Keilor Downs College 10. Mya Craig Staughton College 11. Pearl Potesio Grange P-12 College 12. Margaret Mika Victoria University Secondary College. Coach Meretiana Robinson Victoria Schools Rugby, Ass. Coach Scott Addington Victoria Schools Rugby, Manager Sarah Stone Victoria Schools Rugby.

Originally published as Australian schools rugby championships: Favourites, squad lists, Zach Fittler and players to watch at ASRU