Narrabri boy Jonty Fowler named in NSW under-16 squad

Narrabri teenager Jonty Fowler was recently named in the NSW Waratahs’ under-16s academy squad and is now eyeing off the 2023 National Rugby Championships.

Jonty, the son of Chris and Amanda Fowler, is a Year 11 student at St Joseph’s College Hunters Hill, the school he moved to back in 2021.

The talented 16-year-old five-eighth has featured in the school’s open first XV throughout the 2023 season and has also played a few games in the twos.

He was also named in the GPS first XV side earlier this year but was forced to pull out when he came down with glandular fever.

Jonty is one of four halves named in the Waratahs’ 30-player under-16s squad.

They meet later this month for their medicals and an induction, and then next month they will train together on several occasions ahead of their first game in the National Rugby Championships competition against the Brumbies on Saturday, September 30, in Canberra.

They will then go head-to-head with the Rebels in Melbourne on Sunday, October 7, the Queensland Reds in Sydney on Sunday, October 15, and finally the Western Force in Sydney on Sunday, October 29.

The final between the two top teams will be played on Sunday, November 5.

While Jonty is determined to forge his own path in the rugby union arena, his selection sees him follow in the footsteps of his older brother Joey, who came through the NSW Waratahs academy and has gone on to play for Australian Schoolboys, and earlier this year signed for the Melbourne Rebels as his professional journey began.

The NSW Waratahs are confident in Jonty and his fellow teammates in the 2023 under-16s squad ahead of the National Rugby Championships opener.

“Selectors have been challenged to pick a squad after witnessing so many quality players across the different under-16 representative associations this year,” Waratahs’ head of talent management Andrew Cleverley said.

“We are really looking forward to working with this exciting group of talented players”.