Thrilled with their Waratahs selection, high school students Corey Sutherland, Ethan Ryan and Bryce Adamson were chosen for the representative squad after playing for Central West in the Lloyd McDermott Country Championships at Tamworth.

Ryan captained the team and the trio played alongside Corey Gray, Trent McDonald, Jeremy Horan and Eric Forrest also from Wellington. The seven locals dominated the 15-strong team, outnumbering both Dubbo and Coonamble.

Facing North Coast, Central Coast and Northern Inland teams was a hard task for the squad, who literally went straight from the bus to the grounds for a quick training session and their first match, following it up with two matches the next day.

Central West powered through the competition, placing second behind the undefeated North Coast team.

“We were placed second to North Coast which was great considering they play together all the time and we’d had no training,” Central West manager Adam Ryan said.

He believes the young men have what it takes to go far in rugby.

“They have big futures,” he said.

Following a gruelling start to the tournament, the lads were then placed in teams for a play-off to decide the State squad. After four games in two days, the Wellington trio of 15-year-olds were then selected from 100 players from across NSW.

Wellington High School principal Col Feather was very impressed with their representative efforts.

“It is an outstanding achievement. The school is very proud of the way they performed,” he said.

The young athletes will now go into training mode, attending a development camp at Narrabeen from July 10.

The National Under 16s Indigenous Championships will be held on the Gold Coast from August 2 to 4.

Representative players

n Corey Gray (15) centre

n Corey Sutherland (15) second row, national shadow selection

n Ethan Ryan, (15) inside centre, Central West captain, national shadow selection

n Eric Forrest (15) hooker

n Bryce Adamson (15) flanker, national player

n Jeremy Horan (14)

n Trent McDonald (15) second row