St Patrick’s College student Nicholas Donghi will get the opportunity to take on the world’s best after being selected in the national youth rugby sevens team which will tour New Zealand at the end of the year.
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The year 12 student was one of just two Victorians to make the cut for the 13-man side which will fly to Auckland on December 14. The selection caps off an impressive year for Donghi which included appearances in the Victorian Schools Rugby Union under-18 side.
St Pat’s director of rugby Michael Murphy said Donghi’s selection was a positive reflection of both the individual and also the game in Victoria.
“Nick’s from a really strong rugby family and he’s involved in the game at a whole heap of levels,” Murphy said.
“I think it’s a testament to the growth of the sport throughout Victoria.”
Donghi’s selection makes him the second St Pat’s student to earn a place in the national youth side.
In 2015 Josh Coward made the grade, and has since gone on to be selected in the national rugby sevens squad as well as the Melbourne Rebels’ under-20 squad.
Meanwhile, Eight of St Pats’ most promising young rugby players received the opportunity to ply their trade against Tasmania’s best over the weekend.
Ryan Yeomans, Inoke Siolá, Jesse Jury and Bryce Stevens were named in the under-16’s side, while Ola Tauelangi, Charlie Pollard, Will Harrison and Jaspa Foy were selected in the under-17’s sides which played two fixtures in the apple isle over the weekend.
Jury and Harrison were named captains of their respective teams, while Tauelangi and Siolá took out the Young Lion award, which is presented to the Victorian player deemed the best on ground by the opposition side.
Murphy said the selection of eight boys from a possible 44 spots demonstrated the strength of the school’s rugby program, which in 2016 added a fourth team to compete in the VSRU competition.
“To have eight of the possible 44 spots filled by our boys is huge, particularly given that we also had both captains.”
The under-16 side were able to take out both of their fixtures for the weekend against the Tasmanian representative side, 36-point victors in game one and 27-point winners in the second.
The under-17’s were less successful, losing both of their games 36-34 and 29-26.
Billy Sullivan and Dyvontae Tippett were also selected to represent the VSRU in under-18’s matches earlier in the year, while Jonathan Debono represented Victoria in the under-14’s.