Talented trio Hugh Stanbury, Digby Ioane and Will Jessiman have earned selected in the Queensland Reds squad for the Swyftx Super Rugby Under-16s competition.
The squad will have a warm-up fixture against Queensland Fiji before tackling their opening two matches in Canberra against the Western Force (September 26) and Victoria (September 29).
Super Rugby U16 has adopted a new model for 2026 which will see the Reds, Western Force and Victoria squads go into camp while playing those back-to-back fixtures in Canberra.
The Reds U16s will be guided by Head Coach Scott Gale, the former Reds halfback, with assistants Welmar Du Plessis and Con Foley.
Flanker Stanbury, a Queensland U15s standout last year, is playing First XV for Gregory Terrace in the GPS competition just as winger Ioane is for Brisbane State High and fullback Jessiman is for The Southport School.
Raiden Tapuai, the son of Sunnybank coach Rex, and Levi Fien are the two flyhalves included in the squad.
"Rugby Australia has done a good job with this competition. It's gives our elite U16s players the chance to go on the road for two games and we have two matches at our home at Ballymore Stadium against the ACT Brumbies (October 3) and the NSW Waratahs (October 10)," said Paul Carozza, the Reds Head of Talent Management.
"Over a three-week block, the boys will earn valuable experience and test themselves against some quality opponents."
QUEENSLAND REDS UNDER-16s
Forwards
Levi Afu | The Southport School
Toby Bretherton | Ipswich Grammar School
Marcus Grehan | Nudgee College
Zaine Gurney | Brisbane State High School
Siosifa Helu | Brisbane State High School
Joseph Keke | Nudgee College
Kane Kinnaird | Churchie
C'ezar-mayn Leota | Nudgee College
Ignatius Mann | Brisbane State High School
Kingston Mu'a | The Southport School
Oliver Smith | Nudgee College
Hugh Stanbury | Gregory Terrace
Knight Tanielu | Nudgee College
Kaiya Tafea | The Southport School
Nelsoni Takai | Brisbane State High School
Rocky Tobin | The Southport School
Jeremiah Tuimavave | Brisbane State High School
Kian Van den berg | Toowoomba Grammar School
Hugo Vukovich | Nudgee College
Jerome Whippy | Brisbane State High School
Backs
Joshua Andrews | Nudgee College
Tane' Crampton | Nudgee College
Daniel De Swardt | Ipswich Grammar School
Taimo Fatai | The Southport School
Levi Fien | Nudgee College
Digby Ioane | Brisbane State High School
Will Jessiman | The Southport School
Tom Gibb | Nudgee College
Neilo Kymani - Che Manumua | Toowoomba Grammar School
Tom Nasser | Gregory Terrace
Raiden Tapuai | Brisbane Boys' College
Thor Welfare | Nudgee College
All times local
Victoria v ACT Brumbies - 12.30pm Saturday 19 September - TBC Melbourne
ACT Brumbies v NSW Waratahs - 1pm Saturday 26 September - Viking Park, Canberra
Western Force v Queensland Reds - 2.45pm Saturday 26 September - Viking Park, Canberra
Victoria v Queensland Reds - 1pm Tuesday 29 September - Viking Park, Canberra
NSW Waratahs v Western Force - 3pm Tuesday 29 September - TBC Sydney
Queensland Reds v ACT Brumbies - 12pm Saturday 3 October - Ballymore Stadium
Western Force v Victoria - 3pm Saturday 3 October - Viking Park, Canberra
Western Force v Brumbies - 11.30am Tuesday 6 October - Viking Park, Canberra
NSW Waratahs v Victoria - 2pm Tuesday 6 October - TBC Sydney
Queensland Reds v NSW Waratahs - 1.30pm Saturday 10 October - Ballymore Stadium
