| Team information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Kangaroos | |
| Governing body | Australian Rugby League | |
| Region | Oceania | |
| Head coach |  Adam Sargent-Wilson | |
| Uniforms | ||
| ||
| Team results | ||
| First game | ||
 East Lancashire 0–30Australia(England, 1972) | ||
| Biggest win | ||
 England Colleges 0–92Australia(Kingston Park,Newcastle,England; 26 November 2018) | ||
| Biggest defeat | ||
Australia 8–46Junior Kiwis (Kougari Oval,Wynnum, Australia; 30 July 2005) | ||
TheAustralian Schoolboys rugby league team is the nationalrugby league football team for secondary school students in Australia.
The team competes against counterparts inNew Zealand, known as theJunior Kiwis,England,Wales andFrance amongst others. Started in 1972, the Australian Schoolboys have produced over 50Australian representatives,[1] amongst a host of players who have represented other nations at the highest level.[2]
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(April 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Established in 1972, the first Australian Schoolboys rugby league team featured players fromNew South Wales and one Western Australian player. The team did not include any Queensland players as they did not send players to the trials. The team was initially in the Under-16s division, unlike today. Coached by futureWestern Suburbs Magpies Team of the 20th Century coach,Roy Masters, and featuring future internationalsIan Schubert,Craig Young,Les Boyd, andRoyce Ayliffe, the side toured Great Britain, going undefeated on the tour and scoring 108 tries in their 11 games to their opponents' 1. This was the last Schoolboys team until 1978.
In 1978, the first official Australian Schoolboys Championships were held, but NSW Combined Catholic Colleges did not attend. For the first time, Queensland-based high school players trialed, and the first of four 'merit teams' was selected; merit teams do not tour or play games together.
The Schoolboys returned to touring with the 1979 team, featuring futureAustralian internationalsBen Elias andAndrew Farrar. The team toured France and England and went undefeated.
| This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(April 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The first Schoolboys side of the 80's was selected in 1981, when the Schoolboys hosted the touring [Junior Kiwis] side fromNew Zealand. They played two games, with the Schoolboys winning both. It was the first time the Schoolboys hosted a tour and played a New Zealand side.
In 1982, the Schoolboys toured New Zealand for the first time, where they also received their first ever loss against anAuckland-based selection team, 16–10. The team was captained by future Australian internationalPaul Langmack and featured another future international inAndrew Ettingshausen. Another merit team was selected in 1983 and once again featured Ettingshausen. Future internationalsGreg Alexander andPaul Sironen, and future first grade regulars,Tony Butterfield andJeff Hardy, were also a part of the side.
In 1984, the Schoolboys hosted a tour by the British Upper Schools and Colleges (BUSCARLA), winning both matches. The 1984 Australian Schoolboys was also the first to feature a player who went on to represent a country other than Australia at international level.Theo Anast fromArmidale High School later played six games forFrance between 1993 and 1994.
The team selected in 1985 went undefeated against a touring Junior Kiwis side and in 1986 went undefeated once again on their tour of England. The 1986 side featured future Australian internationalsBradley Clyde andAndrew Gee. In 1987, another merit side was selected, which featured Clyde for the second time.
In 1988, the side toured New Zealand and featuredTim Brasher,David Fairleigh and a 16-year-oldBrad Fittler. The team went undefeated. Fittler was named again in 1989, as the Schoolboys hosted theBritish Amateur Rugby League under 19's (BARLA) for two games, winning both.
| This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(April 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The 1990 Schoolboys side was originally a merit team, but played a one-off game against the Australian Youth Development Squad, which they won 38–6. The 1991 team, once again, went undefeated on their tour of England.
In 1992, with a side featuring future premiership winner and Australian internationalSteve Menzies, the side toured New Zealand. On the tour, the Schoolboys lost their first ever Test match to a New Zealand side featuring futureKiwisGene Ngamu,Joe Vagana andRuben Wiki.
The 1993 Australian Schoolboys hosted BARLA and played two tests, winning both. FutureNSW State of Origin player and world champion boxerAnthony Mundine was in the team.
In 1994, the Schoolboys hosted, and defeated, the touring Junior Kiwis. This marked the first appearance of a then-15-year-oldOwen Craigie, who represented the Schoolboys a record three times in 1994, 1995, and 1996. Future Australian internationalsBrett Kimmorley,Ben Ikin andLuke Priddis were also in the side.
The 1995 Schoolboys toured France and England and went undefeated. The side featured future Australian internationalsTrent Barrett andMatthew Gidley andWorld Cup winningNew Zealand captainNathan Cayless. 1995 also saw the first ever Northern Territory schoolboy inDuncan MacGillivray. MacGillivary later representedScotland at the2008 Rugby League World Cup.
Due to theARL andSuper League war in 1996, the Schoolboys (who were supposed to tour New Zealand) touredPapua New Guinea for the first time. They went undefeated in their four matches. The team was coached by 1972 Australian Schoolboys representativeBrian Hetherington. The team also featured Ben Rauter, whose father Herb also represented the Australian Schoolboys in 1972. Ben and Herb became the first father son pair to represent the Schoolboys.
The side went undefeated in their 1997 when they once again hosted BARLA, in a squad which featured future first graders and representative playersLuke Bailey,Dane Carlaw andLuke Patten. In 1998, the Schoolboys toured New Zealand, playing 4 games and losing only one to an Auckland Invitational XIII. The team featured future Australian internationalMark Gasnier, who played for the Schoolboys again the following year. The 1999 side toured France, England and Ireland, going undefeated. The squad featured future Australian internationalsJustin Hodges,Jamie Lyon,Corey Parker andBrent Tate.
| This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(April 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The Schoolboys team hosted a touring New Zealand schools side in 2000, comfortably winning both games. In 2001, the Schoolboys hosted the touring England Academy side and French Schools team. The Schoolboys went undefeated in three games and featured future internationalsGreg Bird andMichael Weyman (who represented again in 2002).
In 2002, on the Schoolboys tour of England and France, they lost two games for the first time on the same tour and lost a test series, when they were beaten by the England Academy side. The Schoolboys side featured a number of future Australian internationals including Weyman,Keith Galloway,Ben Hannant,Ryan HoffmanTom Learoyd-Lahrs, futureFijian internationalAshton Sims and future French internationalDimitri Pelo.
The 2003 side, which featured currentNew Zealand captainBenji Marshall and future Australian internationalKarmichael Hunt, toured New Zealand winning two games and losing one. In 2004, the Schoolboys hosted the touring English and French teams. They defeated BARLA and a France Schools side but lost to the England Academy team. The 2004 side featured future internationalGreg Inglis.
The 2005 side played a two games test series against the Junior Kiwis in Australia, winning the first game and losing the second. The team featured future Australian international starsMichael Jennings,David Taylor,Darius Boyd andAkuila Uate. In 2006, the Schoolboys toured Wales, England and France and went undefeated for the first time since 2001. Future representative playersIsrael Folau,Mitchell Pearce andChris Lawrence were on the tour.
The Schoolboys then went undefeated on their 2007 tour of New Zealand, in 2008 against the touring England Academy and French Schools sides and in 2009 against the touring Great Britain Community Lions. Over the three years the side featured future first grade playersMartin Kennedy,Kieran Foran,Lachlan Coote,Andrew McCullough,William Hopoate,Jamal Idris,Aaron Woods,Jason Taumalolo,Cheyse Blair andJoseph Leilua, amongst a host of others.
In 2010, the side toured England, Wales and France, winning 4 games and losing two (both to the England Academy). The squad featured future first gradersTautau Moga,Harry Siejka, andJack Wighton.
In 2011, the Schoolboys toured New Zealand and played the Junior Kiwis twice, winning one game and losing one game. Richard Kennar, from Craigieburn Secondary College CAS, became the first Victorian player to play for the Australian Schoolboys.
The 2012 Schoolboys squad featuredMitchell Moses, the nephew of 1979 and 1981 schoolboy representativeBen Elias, and future first gradersDylan Walker andKelepi Tanginoa.[3] The team defeated the touring England Academy squad in both their encounters, 43–10 in Canberra and 42–14 in Brisbane.[4]
The 2013 side toured New Zealand and featured Jackson Hastings, the son ofSydney Roosters playerKevin Hastings, andSione Mata'utia, who went on to make his senior international debut forAustralia a year later, becoming Australia's youngest ever representative.[5]
The 2014 side was announced on 14 July and toured France and England in November and December of that year. The side played 7 games, winning 6 of them.[6] The side broke the record for biggest win by the Australian Schoolboys, defeating theCumbria Combined Regional Academy 86–6.
In 2015, the Schoolboys hosted the touring New Zealand under-18 side, winning both games in the two-game series.[7]
In 2018, the Schoolboys toured England. On the first match of the tour the Schoolboys set a new biggest win record beating the England Colleges team 92–0.[8]
| No. | Team | Player | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NSWCCC | Cameron Bamblett | Patrician Brothers' College, Blacktown |
| 2 | NSWCHS | Filipe Fakauho | Matraville Sports High School |
| 3 | NSWCHS | Toby Winter | Hunter Sports High School |
| 4 | NSWCIS | Dayne Jennings | Central Coast Sports College |
| 5 | QSS | Antonio Verhoeven | Palm Beach Currumbin State High School |
| 6 | NSWCIS | Callum Grantham | Newington College |
| 7 | NSWCHS | Toby Batten | Nambucca Heads High School |
| 8 | QSS | Jackson Koina | Mountain Creek State High School |
| 9 | NSWCHS | Liam Bell | The Hills Sports High School |
| 10 | NSWCHS | Jake White | Endeavour Sports High School |
| 11 | NSWCHS | Pheonix Godinet | Bass High School |
| 12 | NSWCHS | Darcy Smith | Kincumber High School |
| 13 | NSWCHS | Tom Dellow | Endeavour Sports High School |
| 14 | QSS | Hayden Watson | Marsden State High School |
| 15 | NSWCCC | Roman Tuaimau | Patrician Brothers' College, Blacktown |
| 16 | QSS | Xzavier Timoteo | Ipswich State High School |
| 17 | NSWCCC | Christopher Petrus | Patrician Brothers' College, Blacktown |
| 18 | QSS | David Bryenton | Keebra Park State High School |
On 19 September 2008, as a part of rugby league centenary celebrations, Australian Rugby League CEOGeoff Carr and ARL president Bruce Wallace announced the Australian Schoolboys Team of the Century.
| No. | Team | Player | School | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NSWCHS | Tim Brasher | Grantham High School | 1988 |
| 2 | NSWCCC | Andrew Ettingshausen | De La Salle College, Cronulla | 1982–83 |
| 3 | NSWCHS | Mark Gasnier | Peakhurst High School | 1998–99 |
| 4 | QSS | Justin Hodges | Cairns State High School | 1998–99 |
| 5 | QSS | Greg Inglis | Wavell State High School | 2004 |
| 6 | NSWCCC | Brad Fittler | McCarthy Senior High School | 1988–89 |
| 7 | NSWCCC | Greg Alexander | Patrician Brothers' College, Fairfield | 1983 |
| 8 | NSWCHS | Craig Young | Corrimal High School | 1972 |
| 9 | NSWCCC | Danny Buderus | St Francis Xavier's College, Hamilton | 1995 |
| 10 | NSWCHS | Les Boyd | Nyngan High School | 1972 |
| 11 | NSWCHS | Steve Menzies | Narrabeen Sports High School | 1992 |
| 12 | NSWCCC | Paul Sironen | Holy Cross College, Ryde | 1983 |
| 13 | ACT | Bradley Clyde | Hawker College | 1986–87 |
| 14 | QSS | Tonie Carroll | Beenleigh State High School | 1993 |
| 15 | NSWCHS | Ian Schubert | Wauchope High School | 1972 |
| 16 | NSWCHS | Matthew Gidley | Glendale Technology High School | 1995 |
| 17 | QSS | Brent Tate | Clontarf Beach State High School | 1999 |
Australia
New South Wales
Jamie AinscoughGreg AlexanderBraith AnastaRoyce AyliffeLuke BaileyTrent BarrettBradman BestGreg BirdPhil BlakeLes BoydTim BrasherDavid BrooksDanny BuderusMichael BuettnerTony ButterfieldSteve CarterNick CotricStephen CrichtonNathan ClearyBradley ClydeJason CrokerBen EliasAndrew EttingshausenDavid FairleighAndrew FarrarBrett FinchBrad FittlerKeith GallowayMark GasnierMatthew GidleyPayne HaasBrian HetheringtonRyan HoffmanWilliam HopoateRodney HoweNeil HuntJamal IdrisMichael JenningsBrett KimmorleyBrent KiteDavid KlemmerPaul LangmackTom Learoyd-LahrsSpencer LeniuZac LomaxJamie LyonTim MannahSteve MenziesLatrell MitchellJoel MonaghanJarrod MullenAnthony MundineKen NagasMitchell PearceJustin PooreLuke PriddisAnthony QuinnTony RamplingReece RobsonRobbie RossMatt SeersPaul SironenKade SnowdenJason TaylorJames TedescoJake TrbojevicAkuila UateRicky WalfordDylan WalkerMichael WeymanAaron WoodsCraig YoungQueensland
Jai ArrowDarius BoydAlan CannDane CarlawTonie CarrollReuben CotterTom DeardenIsrael FolauDavid Fifita (rugby league, born 2000)Andrew GeeBen HannantAshley HarrisonTony HearnJustin HodgesMark HohnBen HuntKarmichael HuntBen IkinGreg InglisJacob LillymanAndrew McCulloughCasey McGuireBrad MeyersMichael MorganClinton O'BrienJulian O'NeillCorey ParkerHamiso Tabuai-FidowBrent TateDavid TaylorCraig TeevanChris WalkerReece WalshRhys WesserThe current coach of the Australian Schoolboys team is Tim White, first grade coach atHoly Cross College, Ryde and NSW Combined Catholic Colleges (NSWCCC) Rugby League Convenor.
| National federation | |
|---|---|
| National teams | |
| State federations | |
| Other federations | |
| Events | |
| Competitions | |
| Honours | |
| Media | |
| Lists | |
| |
