How NRL is taking over prestigious rugby institution, Sydney private school Newington

Tolata’u Koula, Cameron Murray and Casey McLean all graduated from renowned rugby school Newington College, setting a record for State of Origin representatives.

It’s more than the number of alumni in the most recent Wallabies squad.

The high profile inner west school has produced five Wallabies captains in the past 100 years, most recently Allan Alaalatoa, while Angus Bell is the other graduate in the squad.

But three former graduates in the Blues team signifies a new wave of rugby league stars coming out of the famous program.

“It’s obviously a good display of what some of the kids can do this way, whether it be rugby league or rugby union, there’s some quality kids coming through the school,” said Tim Rapp, head of coaching development at Newington.

“All three of those boys have great characters on and off the football field, so they’re great advertisements for the kind of people we want.”

Rapp, who was a former general manager of the Waratahs before returning to Newington in recent years, isn’t surprised by the sudden boom of rugby league talent from the school.

“I don’t think it’s new thing, maybe it’s more boys taking that route and a bit more interest from not only GPS but CAS (Combined Associated Schools) and ISA (Independent Sporting Association) schools, as well as those boys who are good at both codes,” he said.

“A lot of boys play both rugby league and rugby union as the opportunities present themselves and they probably want to keep their options open if they want to be a professional athlete.”

CODE CONVERTS

Koula and Murray both had interest from the Waratahs before signing with the NRL clubs, while McLean was a star of the first XV team while part of the Penrith system and boarding at the school.

Both Koula and McLean shone for the Blues in game one in Sydney.

“I probably would not have ended up at Manly if it wasn’t for me attending Newington,” Koula said.

“There’s a connect from my school and Manly and that’s what got me over there in the first place.

“I’m definitely not in this environment (Origin) if it wasn’t for my time at Newington and the good people that I met there.

“So many of the school’s Old Boys and teachers reached out when I made my Blues debut.

“I’ve been back to a few First XV games, but I’d definitely like to go back as well as speak to some of the students.

“We had a mentor program. Mark Dickens was my mentor and he has played a huge role in my journey. He was kind of that connect from Newington to Manly.

“When I was at the school, he was really involved and having him to guide me played a massive part in my success now.”

Murray was a part of the last Newington First XV to win the GPS premiership back in 2015.

The school is gunning for another this year, and are currently undefeated.

“The league is slowly infiltrating the private school system, I think,” Murray said.

“It’s cool. I think that’s the last time that Newington won was when I was there, but they are going pretty good this year, I think I’ve seen they’re on the top of the table.

“Hopefully they can they can break the drought this year, so I will be supporting them.”

Wests Tigers teen Heamasi Makasini is their most recent graduate to make his NRL debut, while Kaeo Weekes, Taane Milne, Joey Lussick and Tepai Moeroa are also former students.

“It set me up for success, especially being a boarder at Newington,” McLean said.

“That lifestyle of having to move away from home helped me create independence at a young age. The school itself, it’s fantastic and obviously they have a great rugby system.

“People don’t realise while rugby is important, they look at your schooling first and prioritise your studies.”

WIN-WIN SITUATION

It’s a bonus for NRL clubs.

Melbourne Storm head of football and NSW Origin manager Frank Ponissi says the state junior reps programs can help support the rugby school system, and vice versa.

“A lot of the players are rugby league kids at rugby schools, who are there for an education,” he said.

“It’s a credit to our junior representative programs that rugby schools are willing to bring in kids that play rugby league.

“The Harold Matthews and SG Ball are terrific recruitment tools for rugby schools because they are such great programs, where rising players are getting elite coaching and development.

“Of course, the NRL junior representative leagues also end their seasons right before the GPS rugby season starts, so players are coming in ready to compete in the rugby programs.”

And in the fight for talent between the two elite sporting codes, the GPA rugby schools sit in an important position.

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“A lot of the time, the students play both rugby codes,” says Craig Walker, Manly’s head of recruitment and elite pathways.

“But three Newington players in the Blues side reflects the nature of the evolution at private rugby schools and their intake of league players over the years.

“But it is mutually beneficial for both codes. Students that come out of the very professional training environments, at GPS and private schools that are well resourced, are really well set-up to step into NRL programs. It gives them a leg-up. It’s the same for rugby too.”

Originally published as How NRL is taking over prestigious rugby institution, Sydney private school Newington