Former junior Blue Boar Joey Fowler named in NSW schoolboys first XV

Former Narrabri Junior Rugby Club Blue Boar Joey Fowler has consistently continued to impress in the rugby arena since making the move from his hometown to Sydney for boarding school more than two years ago.

Joey, the son of Narrabri’s Chris and Amanda Fowler, is a Year 11 student at Hunters Hill’s St Joseph’s College where he has attended school since 2019.

Joey was a member of the St Joseph’s under-15A rugby union team which won the Greater Public Schools of NSW (GPS) competition last year, and is now the starting five-eighth for the school’s open first XV after bypassing the under-16 competition level.

And he is also firing in the representative arena.

The 16-year-old’s goal for 2021 is to gain selection in the 2021 NSW Rugby Gen Blue squad and he recently took a major step towards that when he was named in the NSW Rugby schoolboys under-16s team.

Two NSW sides were selected, with Joey named to wear the number 10 jersey for the first XV.

That selection came after the former Narrabri boy impressed for the GPS representative first XV in exhibition matches last month.

Joey told The Courier that he was enjoying school and was thrilled to be selected in the NSW Rugby schoolboys team.

“I was pretty excited,” he said.

“I aimed to make that team so it was good to be named.

“I’m not too sure what happens now with COVID, but I know at some stage we’ll play a few teams in Sydney and from that they’ll pick the NSW Gen Blue teams.

“From there, there’s a national trial where NSW plays against the other states. Getting there is probably the main goal for this year.”

At club level, Joey’s St Joseph’s team currently leads the GPS competition after just one competition game.

St Joseph’s travelled to challenge Newington in round one on Saturday, June 5, and scored a 38-13 victory to kick off the season in style.

Joey contributed six points to his side’s total which all came off the boot via three conversions.

The St Joseph’s side entered the season in fine form after winning four of its six trial matches across April and May.