From elite rugby schools to NRL pathways: Four junior All Blacks defect to rugby league

In the latest sign of the NRL’s growing appeal in the rugby union-mad nation, Rokko Walker, a First XV five-eighth at the prestigious Auckland Grammar School, has agreed to join the Dragons on a four-year deal.

Described as a ‘blue chip talent’, Walker, who was on the radar of both rugby codes, will join the St George Dragons Harold Matthews Cup (under-17) set-up in Sydney.

He’ll also attend the prestigious Cranbrook School in Bellevue Hill, making him the latest of a growing number of league prospect in an NRL pathways system to join in a rugby union program at an elite private school.

Walker’s defection follows in the footsteps of Sydney Roosters youngster James Finegan, the son of Wallabies legend Owen Finegan, who has opted to pursue a chance at an NRL career over rugby union.

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Like Finegan, Walker also has some impressive pedigree in the 15-man game.

The 16-year-old is the son of former Highlanders five-eighth Willie Walker, who also played in England’s top rugby division for Gloucester and Worcester.

“I played professionally for about 18 years, I played at the Highlanders, played for New Zealand Maori, and also spent time in France, played in Italy, in Japan, had about six years in England towards the back end of my career,” Willie Walker said.

“So Rokko has always been in and around rugby.

“Then he had an opportunity, a couple of years ago, to play alongside some friends in a rugby league tournament at the National Maori tournament.

“That’s where that journey for him has taken off, and he hasn’t actually played in terms of league outside of those tournaments. He’s really just played rugby.”

It was at a Maori rugby league tournament where Walker captured the attention of veteran player agent and Pacific Sports Management owner Gavin Orr.

“I met with his parents, Michelle and Willie over lunch. Willie not only played but was the coach of the Auckland Blues women’s team and now he’s part of the Black Ferns coaching set-up,” Orr said.

“So you can imagine the pull to stay in rugby would have been quite strong for Rokko.

“But his mother just said, ‘hey Willie, it’s not about you anymore. It’s about your son, and if he wants to play league, let him play league.”

Willie conceded Rokko’s new-found love for the other code did come as a shock.

“Yeah, it was a little bit of a head turner for me at the time,” Willie said.

“I was just thinking, does he really want to play ‘that game’ over rugby union.

“In the end, we were pretty open to it. It’s just another opportunity for him to do whatever he wants to do. And if he goes and excels at it, then cool.

“I understand that as a coach myself, I don’t want parents influencing kids when it comes to stuff we are trying to teach.

“So I try not to let my opinion on things influence Rokko.”

Such are his talents, Rokko quickly ascended through ranks, making his First XV debut at just 15 years old at Auckland Grammar School, which has produced more All Blacks than any other school in New Zealand, including the likes of rugby great Grant Fox and current star Rieko Ioane.

Walker’s quick elevation into the First XV side at such a young age is a feat rarely achieved at prestigious union schools in New Zealand.

“It’s very uncommon actually, to be playing for XV’s in that year of school and at that age, because he’s a year young for his grade as well,” Willie said.

“I don’t think there would be many kind of 15 year olds around the country playing at that level.”

To continue his rugby league education, Orr believed a move across the ditch to Australia was the crucial next step in his development, despite some initial interest from the Warriors.

It didn’t take long before NRL clubs started to take notice of the 188cm (6-foot-2) teenager, who is not only skilful but also a speed demon.

“Coming over to Australia is important for his league career, because, as I said to him and the family, ‘if you want to learn about rugby league, you should come to a country that’s very rugby league focused,” Orr said.

“He had landed on the radar of Ian Millward, who was at the Dragons and we met to discuss his transition.

“They were looking at someone who could play in the spine, at one, six or seven.

“Rokko fits that bill, whether it’s at fullback or five-eighth.”

Rokko and Willie aren’t the only Walkers with sporting pedigree. Rokko’s mother Michelle also represented New Zealand in hockey, while older brother Parma is carving out his path to professional sport over in America.

Parma, who was also a promising rugby prospect, is on a golf scholarship at Highland College in Illinois.

“Parma is currently playing golf over in America, and he’s on a scholarship,” Willie said.

“He is a very good rugby player too, he played First XV at Westlake Boys High School but in his final year of school just said, ‘I don’t want to play rugby. I want to have a look at golf’.

“So that what he is doing.

“But again, like with Rokko, its just an opportunity to study and to go and do what he loves, which is play golf every day.”

Rokko will arrive in Australia later this year when he will join the NRL side for pre-season training, giving coach Shane Flanagan a first hand look at the talented teenager.

In Red Hill, the famed academy of the newest NRL premiers features a growing number of prospects from rugby backgrounds like former Auckland Grammar student Barry Taukolo.

Taukolo, a winger or fullback. is now at the prestigious Nudgee College, where has emerged as a standout in the GPS school’s First XV outfit in 2025.

At the Dolphins Noah Fien, son of Dragons premiership winner Nathan Fien, will train with Kristian Woolf’s NRL outfit over the summer.

The star fullback of Nudgee’s rugby program, Fien is wily playmaker in the 13-man game and is turning heads in both codes.

NRL pathways are also now increasingly more attractive to some of New Zealand’s best rugby union prospects too.

Walker’s signatures comes as South Sydney’s snatched Saumaki Saumaki from Super Rugby powerhouse, the Crusaders, on a two-year deal. He’ll get his first taste of NRL pre-season over the summer.

The rampaging loose forward isn’t the only major Super Rugby defection in recent weeks.

Harry Inch, who was also part of the Crusaders set-up, has agreed to join the Warriors on a two-year deal - and like Saumaki was a star of Nelson College’s First XV campaign last year.

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Described as a ‘farmer with farmer strength’, the playmaker will start pre-season with the Warrios Jersey Flegg outfit and likely join the NRL preseason in coming months.

“He’s so tough. He’s just not afraid of anything. He’s a farmer, [with] farmer strength,” Crusaders assistant coach James Marshall said after Inch played his first trial match for the club earlier this year.

“He beats all the boys in the wrestles in the gym and he’s just a kid out of school.”