While Australian rugby players and fans enjoy a well-earned break after another massive year, it would be fair to assume there is no rugby happening on this side of the globe. Of course, that isn’t true.
In a time when pathways seem more important than ever, the stunning 43-5 win last week of Australia’s U16s over the Waratahs U17s serves as a reminder that many exciting prospects are still plying their trade in the Aussie system.
From the Australian U18s clean sweeping in New Zealand earlier this year to just last week with Rugby Australia announcing the Australian Under 18s teams to compete at the Global Youth 7s tournament, the young talent coming through the ranks suggests the future may be brighter in the gold jersey than in previous years.
In the first of a series dropping all this week, I’ve collated who I think are the top five prospects in Australian rugby under the age of 21, in each position. These players are set to be the future of the men’s fifteen-a-side game in this country, and many included suggest a positive long-term future for the game at large.
Lastly, this series is a subjective list, informed by representative games over the last few years. If you think a player is being slept on, drop it in the comments!
Alright, let’s dive in – and where better to start than the front row!
Loosehead
The emergence of Isaac Kailea and the return from injury of Blake Schoupp do a lot to fill a cupboard that has been pretty bare behind James Slipper and Angus Bell.
Tom Robertson and Harry Hoopert feel more like honest toilers than genuine Test options at this stage, so one or two of the below looseheads kicking on in the lead-up to 2031 is a must for future Wallaby prospects.
Kingsley Uys
Super impressive with ball in hand and an absolute specimen packing down, at a height some second rowers would be happy with. This exciting player has improved his scrummaging massively over the last twelve months, when compared to his Qld U16s tournament last year.
During his tour in New Zealand, his barnstorming runs drew an immediate comparison to Angus Bell, and with his improving set piece it almost feels inevitable that we’re going to see a lot more of this guy in gold. While every player in this series might not become a future Wallaby, Uys is undoubtedly one that will.
Jack Barrett
He sowed his worth in 2023, serving as a dominant scrummager in his age group, paired with a good work rate and physicality.
While Injury stopped him from doing too much in 2024, with Kailea moving to the Tahs and Tom Lambert still on the books it looks like the Waratahs will let him build up a body of work in club footy before he gets any real time in Super.
Llington Ieli
The first of a few “outcasts” on this list from Queensland and New South Wales, Ieli has thrived in the Brumbies pathway. Possessing a great build for a loosehead, his scrummaging at the 2024 Junior World Cup was better than his pack’s performance would suggest.
The senior Brumbies side is currently experiencing similar issues to the Waratahs front-row injury crisis from this season of Super Rugby – which while frustrating, could serve as a handy opportunity for Ieli to step up if selected.
Nick Hill
A big body for an 18-year-old who can play either side of the scrum, Hill could kick on quickly at the Tahs if he focuses on tighthead – right now, the men sky blue have an abundance of young props who haven’t really staked their claim on the position, and Hill’s form suggests he has more to give.
However, his style of game suggests a more natural fit at loosehead – but given his s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁set, a player who can slot in to either would be though so it will be interesting to see which side he focuses on.
Marley Pearce of the Force charges forward during the round 10 Super Rugby Pacific match between Highlanders and Western Force in Dunedin, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)
Marley Pearce
One of the few players to already have Super Rugby experience, he never looked out of place in Super Rugby this year as a 21-year-old, even though there is still plenty of development left for him to progress.
A player who doesn’t go backwards as fast as nearly all other props his age would do on that stage, his physicality is the biggest compliment anyone can give him as he grows – and Australia could do with plenty more players with go-forward.
Honourable mention: Nicholas Kotarac
Hooker
Brumbies’ Billy Pollard and Lachlan Lonergan were the original heirs apparent at hooker until Matt Faessler came from nowhere and Brendon Paenga-Amosa re-joined the fray.
Thanks to that, it feels like we are building a bit of depth in this crucial position – but there is a need for Lonergan, Pollard, Nasser or one of the younger blokes below to stand out.
John Grenfell
Grenfell has had a fantastic 2024, cementing himself as one of the best young hookers in the country, and one of the best products to come out of the rugby program in Nudgee. It’s even more impressive when you consider he represented Queensland as a backrower in the U16s competition in 2022!
Really good in tight and with an uncanny knack for stopping blokes behind the gain line nearly every time, his throwing is his big work – but that’s nothing new to hookers in Aus rugby.
Oniti Finau
This wrecking ball played for Barker against Nudgee a couple of years ago and for those watching, it was like we had the answer to Asofa Aumua on our hands. if you’ve watched any of Aumua’s U20s footy, that’s still a compliment.
Finau is still a combative, powerful player, and is getting better with his core roles in scrum and lineout. The Waratahs have picked up a great talent in their system – it was a real shame a bad injury in the 2023 U19s stopped him from playing a bigger part in 2024. Rest assured, he will be back.
Liam Bowron
The emergence of Liam Bowron as a viable Super Rugby option has been the sort of situation that will create plenty of problems for RA, with a need to show “alignment” in action and, likely, ideally move Pollard to the Tahs at some point.
Bowron is an exciting prospect that needs to be getting as much game time as possible – a tough prospect given the depth at the Brumbies. However, Bowron has shown enough to warrant more game time at Super Rugby, his ability as an extra backrower has been on display in the John I Dent Cup, and is well suited to a fast-paced Super comp.
Zac Hough
Signed straight from school into the Rebels, Zac Hough’s fortunes have suffered an obvious setback with the club folding.
Playing much of his senior footy as a flanker, some of his junior footy was spent at hooker and given his approach, he could have a professional future there as he’s starting to thicken up to a dynamic hooker build. There’s not a single hooker in Australia that would be as good around the park if he could make a successful transition.
Ottavio Tuipulotu
The last Tuipulotu brother, the elephant in the room with this player is that he also is eligible for Scotland.
A pure fundamentals player who do the important stuff well – but not enough to stand out, he is currently signed with the Tahs, but will be hard-pressed to leapfrog Finau – meaning that the international option might be the best option on the table.
Honourable mention: Oliver Barrett
Tighthead
This is one of the positions Australia can get very excited about – over the next four years, Australian rugby is producing tightheads that, already, have Super Rugby quality written all over them.
The lack of feasible Test prospects behind Tupou and Alaalatoa has been a concern for many a fan, but fortunately, these large lumps will address it.
Tevita Alatini
A relative unknown until the back end of the 2023 U19s comp, when he finally came on for the Brumbies, he immediately started taking names.
Strong with and without the ball, his scrummaging is promising for someone who has only been a prop for a couple of years. His injury in the 2024 U20s was unfortunate, particularly as he will likely be sidelined coming into 2025. On the flipside, to see him elevated to the Brumbies senior squad already gives a sense of his potential.
Massimo de Lutiis
Massimo de Lutiis has already been heavily touted, with Rugby Australia recognising his value by including him in the Australia XV UK tour.
Powerful and good in tight, de Lutiis has the frame and scrummaging ability to be a world-class tighthead sooner rather than later – and the onus is on Rugby Australia to get him there, and they seem aware of the talent he possesses.
He’ll likely be one of the most important young players in Aussie rugby over the next decade, especially given Tupou’s asking price, and as he and Alaalatoa transition into the latter stages of their careers.
Trevor King
Another big unit, his strength is his athleticism – being one of the strongest prospects on this list. However, his key weakness remains his scrummaging if he wishes to progress further.
However, being such a young prospect, King has the benefit of having another year in the U20s program, meaning better insights into where he’s truly at can be attained when the U20 Rugby Championship rolls around again – and also, he has more time to improve.
Will Goddard
Like King, Will Goddard was playing First Grade straight out of school, an impressive feat in the Sydney competition.
This player feels like an old-school tighthead, someone who just wants to pack scrums. After watching him bamboozle the NZ U18s last year, he seems to have all the necessary tricks up his sleeve to go the distance.
When he heads into the U20s, expect Goddard and King to go head-to-head for that starting Junior Wallabies position.
Visesio Kite
Our final pick is the youngest prop on this list and, funnily enough, is probably the largest.
At just 15 years of age, Kite is included due to his sheer size – but with a huge frame, he has shown good mobility as part of the Queensland team. If the stars align over the decade decade, the Reds could have two of the tallest props in World Rugby playing together in Kite and Uys – a terrifying prospect to face for any side.
Honourable mention: Edwin Langi
Check back tomorrow to see who stands out in the second row!
