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England pair crowned the two best global schoolboy rugby prospects in 2024
By Ben Smith
England U20 pair Jack Bracken and Junior K’poku have been named the top two U18 prospects in the world in 2024 schoolboy rugby.
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The top 50 rankings published by NG rugby, feature 13 Australians, 12 New Zealanders, nine English, nine South Africans, three Frenchmen, two Japanese, and two Welshmen.
Bracken, the number two ranked prospect, is the son of former England scrumhalf Kyran who had 51 caps for his country and over 100 games for Saracens. The electric winger scored a hat-trick on debut for England U20 in this year’s tournament.
The number one ranked player, lock Junior K’poku is Paris-based having joined Racing 92 and has already representing the club at top level, as well as Exeter Chiefs previously.
The exceptional talent weighs in at 117kgs and is just shy of 6ft 7. Speaking with RugbyPass earlier this year, K’poku explained two of his brothers play in France, one with Lyon and one with Bourgoin.
Both 18-year-olds have just became World U20 Champions in South Africa as England U20 claimed the crown over France U20 in the final. Both could feature yet in the years to come at this level.
The third ranked prospect is Australian flyhalf Joey Walsh, who is a Waratahs age grade product from St Augustine’s school.
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Unfortunately for Rugby Australia, the ‘special’ talent has committed to the Manly Sea Eagles from 2025 and will follow the NRL pathway following school.
The top ranked South African player came in at number four, lock Alzeadon Felix of Grey College, while South African schoolboy midfielder and Grey College teammate Pieter Van der Merwe was named at number six.
The highest ranked New Zealand player is Hamilton Boys High School midfielder Hiraka Waitai-Hiranga, ranked eighth overall.
Waitai-Hiranga starred at the World Schools Festival in Thailand three seasons ago in 2022 when Hamilton Boys were crowned winners.
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The second five-eighth is also heading down the rugby league pathway with the New Zealand Warriors who have named him as a signing to their SG Ball U19 squad.
The next best New Zealander is also a No 12, Jarrel Tuiamalo-Vaega of Kelston Boys, who just missed the top 10 coming in at number 11.
The full list of the top 50 U18 prospects in the world is available here.
Hey Benny BS,
“lock Alzeadon Felix of Grey College”? Really?
He’s a flyhalf, you nutjob.
Doesn’t matter what they change if they still employ Bin Smut.
And I’m back to one comment in my history.
Damn.
Oh no. I lost my Bull Shark avatar. With this new password thing.
I see the poor user experience has extended from the quality of journalism (eg this article) to the Rugbypass platform.
I should have read the terms and conditions. I’m probably not going to be allowed to call anyone a Kant anymore.
Oh Ben, you only had one job to do here. It was to accurately report on someone else's news and you couldn't even do that properly.
Hello Guys, great article
Ben Smith, hack of a journalist again.
Alzeadon Felix is a flyhalf.
Photo of Sodeke
England desperately need to ensure that all the U20 Championship team have a real pathway into the English profession game.
For those people questioning why NZ/Australia are pushing so hard to speed the game up and change the rules to improve the spectacle it’s for this exact reason.
Rugby league is winning in the battle of sports down under, and sadly top talent from both countries is now more likely to funnel into the NRL than rugby union.
Short term I’m sure other countries will rejoice in a new global order but long term this is terrible for the game of union that we all love
Scotland are already eyeing up the top ranked South Africans.