Congratulations to Year 12 students Owen Heathwood and Davi Nemer Rodrigues, who were selected in the Australian Schoolboys U18 Squad for the recent New Zealand tour.
The squad played three matches across Australia and New Zealand, providing players with the opportunity to test themselves against strong opposition and gain experience at the highest level of schoolboy rugby.
For Owen, selection in the Australian Schoolboys team follows a long representative rugby journey. Having played in the Grammar First XV for the past three seasons, he has represented the Sunshine Coast, Queensland Country, Queensland Schoolboys and Sunshine Coast Schoolboys before earning Australian honours.
"It's always been a goal of mine to make it to the highest level of junior rugby," Owen said.
"Putting on the Queensland jersey was a dream come true and then to get the call to play for the Australian Schoolboys is just a surreal feeling."
For Davi, the achievement caps an outstanding year. After making Sunshine Coast Schoolboys and Queensland Schoolboys for the first time this season, he was also selected for the Australian Schoolboys squad.
Davi said setting a clear goal at the start of the year helped drive his success.
"My goal for the start of this year was to go the whole way, with the hope of making Australian Schoolboys," he said.
"Training throughout the year consisted of five sessions a week with the School's Rugby Academy, along with regular resistance training and extra work outside of scheduled sessions."
Davi also acknowledged the influence of former Grammar players and his coaches.
"Seeing boys that made the Australian Schoolboys squad last year, like Rohan Nichol and Adrian de Klerk, helped set a standard for me to follow. My coaches also played a huge role in my development, always pushing me to improve and helping me stay focused on my goal."
Congratulations to Owen and Davi on their selection and on representing both Queensland and Sunshine Coast Grammar School on the international stage. The two players join a growing list of Sunshine Coast Grammar players to represent Australian Schoolboys in recent years.
