What 2025 has taught us concerning the 2026 Australian U20s staff

The fourth iteration of the Tremendous Rugby U19s marked a return to our common programming in age group rugby, with the younger Waratahs pipping reigning champs the Brumbies on the loss of life in Sydney. The Brumbies had been seeking to make it three years on the trot on this competitors, nevertheless this was all the time going to be a tall job contemplating the power of this Tahs age bracket.

The U19s is the primary milestone within the 2025/26 U20s season that may culminate within the World Rugby Championship, to be held in Georgia in the course of subsequent 12 months. The opposite necessary milestone earlier than that match is the U20s Rugby Championship, which shall be coming into its third iteration and is basically beginning to pay dividends for its contributors, with South Africa and New Zealand contesting this 12 months’s U20 World Rugby Championship and South Africa successful its first title since 2012.

Argentina completed third in that match, whereas Australia completed fifth after demolishing a extremely fancied English staff. The Rugby Championship nations all ending within the high 5 is a far cry from the previous couple of iterations of the match, and you’ll be arduous pressed to say that the most important contributor to that isn’t the Southern Hemisphere unions lastly pulling their finger out and working their very own competitors.

South Africa wish to take issues a step additional of their improvement pipeline with the lately introduced U19s tour their nationwide aspect will undertake on the finish of the 12 months, a shot throughout the bow for anybody pondering this 12 months’s title was a fluke.

So how does our Australian aspect seem like shaping up for subsequent 12 months?

If we have a look at the make-up of our 2025 squads, we see there are about ten gamers who’re eligible to go once more. None of them are within the essential backbone positions of scrumhalf, flyhalf, or fullback, whereas just one participant returns from the important thing set-piece positions of tighthead, hooker, and lineout caller. So regardless of variety of returning gamers, it’s tough to say this can give us any nice benefit over different groups.

Sometimes, the steadiness of the squad could be stuffed by the standouts from the U19s match, however that dynamic is considerably upset by the power of the age group under this crop and a brand new willingness to interact with Australian-eligible overseas-based gamers in age group rugby. For example, it’s solely conceivable that there shall be 13 or so Queenslanders within the 30-man squad however not a single certainly one of them could have performed for this 12 months’s Reds U19s staff.

Which brings us to the contenders for the squad:

Prop
This might be an space of actual power for our boys. Nick Hill was with the squad this 12 months, was the perfect loosehead within the U19s competitors, and shall be joined by man mountain Kingsley Uys, giving us a fairly particular one-two combo of dimension and energy.

Tighthead has the incumbent Edwin Langi returning, however the curveball Rugby Australia ought to completely throw is choosing Lehopo Leota, regardless that he’s in France. Leota has already been capped by Racing as an 18-year-old, and choosing him alongside Langi might permit the form of sustained scrum dominance you hardly ever see from younger Australian groups. With out overstating it, the choice round whether or not to incorporate him or not might be the distinction between going deep into the match or one other respectable however disappointing fifth or sixth-place end.

Jonah Rangiwai must be on the airplane as third prop, however I’d be tempted to take Levi Slater as a substitute, as my half-educated take is that Slater has the upper ceiling.

Hooker
Throwing has been a little bit of an Achilles heel for our boys during the last couple of years, and sadly subsequent 12 months doesn’t seem like any completely different. The hooking group shall be dynamic across the park, nevertheless, so not all is misplaced.

John Grenfell was meant to hitch the group this 12 months in Italy however reinjured himself on the worst doable time. Hopefully, all this enforced day off has given him ample alternative to work on his throwing. Tyler Mayberry was one of many finds of the U19s competitors, and his work within the free ought to see him included within the squad. The third hooking spot is up for grabs, with Ewald Kruger most likely having his nostril in entrance because of the Brumbies once more making the ultimate.

Lock
It’s arduous to know whether or not this space shall be a power for us, as the 2 doubtless starters in Will Ross and Isaac Fonua will each solely be turning 19 subsequent 12 months. They’re high quality gamers however could be a 12 months too quickly to be dominant at this degree.

Both of the Brumbies U19 pairing would do an admirable job given their work price and starch across the breakdown, whereas Avery Thompson from the Reds U19s most likely must discover a bit extra mongrel to go together with his imposing body to get a glance in. Manaia Te Tana from the Drive is the smoky on this place, together with his ball-carrying making him a pretty possibility. Once you have a look at this subsequent group, nevertheless, you may perceive why the coaches would possibly search for workhorses within the row somewhat than pure carriers.

Backrow
There is a humiliation of riches to select from right here. Eli Langi, Tom Robinson, Toby Brial, and Luca Cleverley will all be eligible to go once more subsequent 12 months, whereas standout Tahs academy tyro Marshall Le Maitre is knocking on the door as loudly as anybody after being controversially missed for the Australian U18s final 12 months.

This choice dilemma is compounded by the spectacular crop down a 12 months in Heinz Lemoto, TJ Talaileva, and Jarvis Orr. Lemoto seems to have nearly single-handedly modified Rugby Australia’s stance on choosing overseas-based gamers for these age group video games, and the advantage of his inclusion is unquestionable.

Heinz Lemoto of Australia U18 makes a break during the match between Australia U8s and New Zealand Barbarians at St Paul's Collegiate School, on October 02, 2024 in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)

Heinz Lemoto. (Photograph by Phil Walter/Getty Pictures for Rugby Australia)

Gamers of actual high quality and correct skilled pedigree are going to overlook out in these positions, which isn’t one thing you may usually say about these squads. Don’t be stunned to see a returning participant miss out, not solely to Lemoto but in addition Talaileva.

Halves
Angus Grover will stroll into the beginning 9 position, and I cannot be stunned to see his deputy from this 12 months’s U18s, Chayse Geros (if he chooses union), additionally be part of him within the beginning 23 given his skill to cowl practically each place within the backline.

The ten jersey appeared to be Jonty Fowler’s to lose earlier than the again finish of this season, as Finn Mackay’s standout efficiency for the U18s in addition to the senior Reds staff towards Panasonic has most likely put him forward of Fowler. Chase Oates from the Brumbies was the standout pivot of a considerably disappointing crop of U19 playmakers. The most important factor in Mackay and Oates’ favour is their punishingly lengthy boot, because the doubtless most popular fullback possibility in Nick Conway is just not identified for his lengthy kicking sport. I anticipate Mackay to get the nod, as he seems to have fewer defensive lapses than Oates.

Finn Mackay of the Queensland Reds. (Photo by Brendan Hertel, Brendan Hertel Photography)

Finn Mackay of the Queensland Reds. (Photograph by Brendan Hertel, Brendan Hertel Images)

Centres
That is the place it will get tough to steadiness efficiency and potential. At inside centre, Zach Fittler confirmed through the U19s that he has come a great distance since signing a Tahs improvement deal final 12 months, however there are nonetheless indicators on both aspect of the ball that he doesn’t fairly have a correct really feel for the sport simply but. His ceiling remains to be excessive, nevertheless, so I’d again him in and embody Dylan Bretton from the Brumbies because the backup given he’s a strong possibility in each assault and defence.

There are a number of methods the coaches can strategy exterior centre, with Watters in a position to do a job there and Leo Jacques snug within the 13 jersey. Hopefully Frankie Goldsborough can string a number of video games collectively after the harm that dominated him out of practically all this season, as he’s one other whose immense potential has not but been matched by efficiency.

Outdoors Backs
It is a actually thrilling group. There are most likely query marks about Conway’s greatest place given the profit this 12 months’s group obtained from having a fullback with an extended kicking sport (Sid Harvey), however he’s a certainty someplace within the again three. Watters will profit from his stint with sevens, and Jacques is the highly effective, greater physique now we have missed out huge at this degree for the previous couple of years.

I really see Watters lacking out to a again three of Jacques, Conway, and the tremendous spectacular Treyvon Pritchard, who I anticipate to begin at fullback. Pritchard has the kicking sport and talent below the excessive ball which might be so necessary at worldwide degree and doubtless enhances whoever will get the nod at flyhalf higher than the options.

I’d anticipate Wallace Charlie to spherical out this group somewhat than Tom Howard, as Howard appears to attempt a bit too arduous to make one thing out of nothing, however that might be a symptom of the weaker Queensland crop somewhat than a pink flag.

Remaining Ideas
The following two years signify our strongest likelihood since 2019 to go deep on the World Rugby U20 Championship. We’ve highly effective forwards who’re robust within the carry, a scrum that would do greater than maintain its personal, good playmakers with educated boots, and mixture of energy, pace, and game-breaking skill within the backline. The lineout could be a bit shaky, and I’m barely involved concerning the defensive starch within the centres, however these are simpler to repair than different deficiencies now we have had at this degree.

All issues thought of, Australian rugby followers have motive to be bullish about this crop of U20s. However when you have caught it out to the top of this text, then you might be most likely as hopeless a rugby tragic as I’m and know that relating to rugby on this nation, it’s the hope that kills you.

Chips’ 23 for the 2026 World Rugby U20 Championship Remaining