Waratahs, Reds sons of guns chasing Australian under 18 rugby selection against New Zealand

It’s almost sounds like names off a team list for a legends game at the rugby World Cup. But these are our Next Gen stars and about to fight it out for their first Australian selection.

Rugby bloodlines are running deep in NSW and Queensland.

It’s almost sounds like part of a team list for a legends game at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Instead, it’s a glimpse into the future of Australian rugby.

These famous names belong to a new generation of rugby teenagers who are now fighting to make their names known to an old and new generation of rugby fans.

On Tuesday, at a rugby park in Sydney’s south, players with impeccable rugby bloodlines will hit the pitch to vie for a sport in their first Australian rugby team

Both the Waratahs and Reds elite programs boast two sons of international football guns already exciting the game in Sydney’s Max Jorgensen and Queenslander Tom Lynagh.

But there’s plenty more relatives of guns coming through the Academies who will be on show in Tuesday’s second game of the annual battle between the best under 18 rugby teens from the Waratahs and Reds program.

GAME SQUADS

Toby Brial in the National U16 round three match last season.

Turning up for the Waratahs are Toby Brial and Hadley Tonga, along with Oscar Jorgensen, the cousin of Wallabies newcomer Max.

Brial, who has been identified as one of NSW’s most exciting emerging talents, is the son of Wallaby backrower Michael Brial while Tonga’s father Sione played sevens at a national level.

Samson Tuqiri.

Wallabies player Lote Tuqiri and Samson.

For the Reds there’s Samson Tuqiri, son of cross code football international Lote Tuqiri and Noah Rauluni, whose father Jacob played 55 games for the club.

Rauluni, from St Joseph’s Nudgee College, has turned out for Queensland country and is a youngster being vaunted for his speed and power.

Tuqiri is an exciting winger

Coming through the Waratahs ranks are a number of other sons of guns including Ben Finegan, the son of Wallaby Owen, and fellow Randwick stablemate Felix Turinui, who played alongside Finegan in the NSW Junior‘s side which upset to win the Australian schools rugby title this year and is the son of former Wallabies inside Centre Morgan Turinui.

There’s also Tom Farr-Jones, nephew of Wallaby Nick Farr-Jones.

In the first battle between the Waratahs and Reds Academies earlier this year at Ballymore Stadium, NSW ran out 38-7 winners at the new national training centre.

Stars of the show in the game included young fly have Joe Walsh, the lightning fast Aden

Ekanayake, captain Hwi Sharples with Lachlan Doheny claiming man of the match honours.

Best for Queensland in this match were backrower Alex Kerr and playmaker and centre Dre Pakeho.

Tuesday’s first match is at 12.30pm at Forshaw Rugby Park.

The second is at 2pm.

Originally published as Waratahs, Reds sons of guns chasing Australian under 18 rugby selection against New Zealand