03/11/2025
Western Sydney Boys Power NSW to Fourth-Straight U16 Super Rugby
Championship:
Sydney, Sunday: Western Sydney’s brightest young rugby talents have once again proven their dominance on the national stage, helping New South Wales secure a 57–34 victory over the Queensland Reds in the 2025 Under 16 Super Rugby Championship Final at Knox Grammar School on Sunday.
The emphatic win sealed NSW’s fourth consecutive U16 Super Rugby title, with several standout performances from players hailing from the region’s powerhouse junior clubs.
Payton Tarau led the charge with a dazzling three-try haul, while the front-row pairing of Kaiasi Talakai and Talmage Lemusu delivered an absolutely dominant display up front, setting the tone for NSW’s forward supremacy. Cordell Arama was unstoppable in attack, producing barnstorming, relentless runs that left the oppositions defence in tatters. Throughout the tournament the quick and accurate passing from halfback Levi Ellis ensured the backline’s danger men — including Tarau, Xeureb, and Lepolo — had time and space to weave their magic out wide.
All seven players — Tarau, Ellis, Talakai, Lemusu, Lepolo, and Arama from the Blacktown Scorpions, and Xeureb from the Western Sydney Raptors — have been instrumental in showcasing the exceptional rugby talent emerging from Sydney’s west.
That depth of talent is reflected at club level too, with the Blacktown Scorpions claiming the 2025 SJRU Under 16 A Grade Premiership and the Western Sydney Two Blues winning this year’s Under 16 State Championships.
Recognising this surge of talent, NSW Rugby Union has established the new Western Sydney Rugby Academy, based at Blacktown International Sports Centre, to build high-performance pathways and help young players reach elite levels without leaving their region.
To lead this initiative, Simon Kacimaiwai has been appointed Head of Western Sydney Rugby, tasked with driving participation, performance, and growth across the region.
“The talent coming out of Western Sydney is impossible to ignore,” said Kacimaiwai. “These young athletes are the future of NSW Rugby, and we’re committed to providing them with the environment andopportunities they deserve.” With champions like Tarau, Ellis, Talakai, Lemusu, Lepolo, Arama, and Xeureb lighting up the field, Western Sydney’s rugby future has never looked stronger.
Credit: Article & Photo's by Darren Kable
