The re-branded age grade side, formerly the Australia Under 20s, represents the highest honour of junior rugby in Australia and a team that every junior rugby player aims to be a part of.
NSW Rugby Elite Youth Development Manager, Pat McCutcheon, said: “The number of NSW Generation Blue boys named in the extended squad is a testament to the rapid growth of our programme.”
The Generation Blue programme gives talented NSW players their first taste of professional rugby and it is through this programme that players learn what it takes to be a professional athlete on and off the field.
McCutcheon said: “The programme is about identifying talented rugby players who have the potential to become a professional athlete. The programme takes a holistic approach to the players’ development and focus on education, health and nutrition, physical and mental wellbeing.
The main goal of the programme is to produce players for the Waratahs and Australia’s national teams. In recent years we have seen the likes of Cody Walker, Lachlan Swinton, Harry Johnson-Holmes and Ryan McCauley who have progressed as professional athletes through Gen Blue and have managed to secure themselves a spot in the NSW Waratahs Squad.”
McCutcheon admits he wants more Gen Blue players making it to the big stage than latter years but says the number of Gen Blue players selected in the extended Junior Wallabies Squad is a big step in the right direction.
The Junior Wallabies assemble in Canberra this week for the first of national camps ahead of the Oceania Rugby U20s Championship on the Gold Coast in April next year and the 2018 World Rugby U20’s Championship.
The Junior Wallabies 2018 Extended Squad
FORWARDS
Angus Blyth, QLD
Darcy Breen, NSW
Nick Brown, NSW
Will Dearden, QLD
Sean Farrell, QLD
George Francis, NSW
Lloyd Gorman, QLD
Ben Grant, NSW
Esei Ha'angana, VIC
Charlie Hancock, ACT
Harry Hockings, QLD
Harry Hoopert, QLD
Trevor Hosea, VIC
Josh Kemeny, NSW
Tom Kibble, QLD
Efi Ma'afu, QLD
Sama Malolo, NSW
Hugh Margin, NSW
Fraser McReight, QLD
Tipane Mavoa QLD
Josh Nasser, QLD
Dylan Pietsch, AUST 7S
Tom Ross, ACT
Justin Sikimeti, ACT
Rory Sutor, NSW
Lawrence Tominiko, QLD
Rob Valetini, ACT
Pat Tafa, NSW
BACKS
Ben Donaldson, NSW
Will Eadie, QLD
Tom Fuller, NSW
Harrison Goddard, VIC
Mack Hansen, ACT
Cooper Harris, NSW
Will Harrison, NSW
Tony Hunt, QLD
Len Ikitau, ACT
Yirribi Jaffer-Williams, NSW
Bayley Kuenzle, NSW
Isiah Latu, ACT
Ryan Lonergan, ACT
Isaac Lucas, QLD
Tate McDermott, QLD
Matt McTaggart, NSW
Jackson Mohi, NSW
Jordan Morris, NSW
Luke Osborne, NSW
Jordan Petaia, QLD
James Ramm, NSW
Hamish Stewart, QLD
Will Terry, NSW
Semisi Tupou, VIC
Nick Wilkinson, NSW
