LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
In a move focused on future development, the Parramatta Eels have recruited a promising young athlete from New Zealand who has transitioned from rugby union. This talented cross-code convert will compete with the club's Under-19s SG Ball Cup team, aiming for improvement after a close defeat to the Sydney Roosters in this year's grand final.
The young player, previously an Under-15s Super Rugby representative for the Melbourne Rebels, also engaged with the Hurricanes Under-18s regional development squad earlier this year. He hails from the prestigious Wellington College in New Zealand.
This signing adds to the trend of New Zealand rugby union talents joining NRL clubs, occurring as the New Zealand Rugby (NZR) organization strives to retain its best schoolboy athletes and prevent their switch to rugby league teams. "They [league clubs] unashamedly target rugby union development systems because they think they are so good," Crusaders boss Colin Mansbridge noted in a statement to Stuff.