The 2026 Shute Shield Colts (U20s) competition kicks off next weekend and ahead of the opening matches, Rugby News caught up with all 12 first colts coaches to learn more about their preparations for the season ahead.

Gordon with Hunter Nicholas:

2025: 4th

2026 Squad:

“We’ve got a strong group of returning players coming back into the program,” Nicholas said.

“Guys like Max Roach, Charlie Baker and Zander Ward bring representative experience and continuity, which is important for us.

“At the same time, we’ve added some exciting new talent with players like Tyler Birnie, Justin Amituanai, James Archer and Heath Turner, which gives us a really good balance across the squad.”

What style of rugby will you look to play?

“No comment.”

Player(s) to watch:

“There’s a lot of players I could mention, but two that stand out are James Archer and Heath Turner,” the coach said.

“James has come through Barker College and completed a full pre-season in the academy system. He brings a really nice mix of physicality and composure to our midfield.”

“Heath returns after a year with the Manly Sea Eagles where he won a Sydney Shield. He’s got a strong connection to Gordon juniors and is really excited to be back and continue developing his game.”

Who is the team to beat?

“Warringah.”

Manly with Harry Jones:

2025: 6th

2026 squad:

“We’ve got a predominantly young squad this year, with a lot of players coming through their first year of colts,” Harry said.

“I’d say it’s about a 70/30 split favouring new players, but we’ve got some strong senior leaders who have made that transition a lot smoother for the group.”

What style of rugby will you look to play? 

“We’ve put a big focus on simplifying things,” he stated.

“We’ve got some brilliant athletes and we want to give them the freedom to express themselves without fearing failure.”

Player(s) to watch:

“Tom Dunn has been really impressive throughout the pre-season — one of the best trainers I’ve ever coached,”

“Zac Toole was a standout last year and is back again, and Ramsey Sefo in the front row has had an incredible pre-season.”

Who is the team to beat?

“It would have to be Easts or Randwick,” Jones said.

“They were the grand finalists last year and always seem to recruit strongly coming out of school.”

Eastwood with Nick Marshall:

2025: 7th

2026 Squad:

“We’ve got a predominantly young group this year, with quite a few under 18s coming into the system,” Marshall said.

“We do have some returning players as well, and they’ve been important in helping set standards around what we expect from each other.”

What style of rugby will you look to play?

“We’ll look to play a well-rounded game,” the coach said.

“Part of our role as coaches is exposing players to different ways of getting results — more of a horses-for-courses approach. It might take some time, but it should help prepare them for higher honours down the track.”

Player(s) to watch:

“In the forwards, Rhys Perrett is one to watch, he’s a tough player with a good rugby brain,” Marshall said.

“In the backs, our halfback Tom Gandy is a strong competitor with a great skill set.”

Who is the team to beat?

“I think Randwick will be the benchmark this year.”

“They’ve got strong depth across the park.”

Northern Suburbs with Hugh Sinclair:

2025: 11th

2026 Squad:

“We’ve got a few returning players from last season but have also recruited some really good young kids,” Sinclair said.

“In our third trial, we had around 12 first-year Colts, so there’s plenty of learning to be done with this group.”

What style of rugby will you look to play? 

“We’ll be looking to play in line with the Norths DNA from the past decade — moving the ball with quick ruck speed,” he said.

“That’s proven to work for the grade program, so we’ll look to keep things aligned.”

Player(s) to watch:

“Brody Folkes is one to watch,” Hugh said.

“He’s a Norths junior, played Australian Under 18s last season and has been training with the Australian Sevens.”

Who is the team to beat?

“It’s my first year coaching colts, so I’m not too sure and don’t really care,” he said.

“We’ve played Warringah and Easts in our first two trials and they’ll be up there somewhere.”

West Harbour with Steve Shapland:

2025: 9th

2026 Squad:

“We’re a bit of a mix across the board,” Shapland said.

“Last year we were a particularly young group, so we’ve deliberately brought in some older players to complement those returning and add consistency to our preparation and performances.

“We’re also continuing to build depth through targeted recruitment, which should pay dividends this year.”

What style of rugby will you look to play?

“We want to stay true to West Harbour’s DNA,” the coach said.

“We’ve got some strong, dynamic ball carriers in the forward pack and hope to be slippery out wide. That identity has been part of the club for a long time and influences both how we play and the type of players we bring in.”

Player(s) to watch:

“There are a number of players to like,” he said.

“Sevu Satala is a dynamic winger who was our top try-scorer last year and is currently with Fiji Under 20s, although we may not see much of him.

“Our captain Blake Gill is another — he represented NSW Juniors as an Under 18 and leads by example, doing the hard work while still being dangerous with ball in hand.

“Sonny Raravula is also one to watch, a recent convert to hooker who brings mobility and aggression after previously playing in the loose forwards and midfield.”

Who is the team to beat?

“The same group of six clubs have been in finals over the last couple of years, so it’s hard to look past them,” he said.

“If you were picking, you’d say Easts, Randwick or Sydney Uni given where the top under 20s talent is. But plenty of clubs, including us, are looking to challenge that and upset the establishment.”

Sydney Uni with Kodie Hawkins:

2025: 3rd

2026 Squad:

“Around 60 to 70 per cent of the squad is returning this year, which gives us a really strong foundation,” Hawkins said.

“We’ve also brought in players from Riverview, Joeys, Shore and Kings, along with a couple of boys from Melbourne who’ve been a great addition.”

What style of rugby will you look to play?

“We want to stay true to the Uni DNA,” he said.

“That means being strong at set piece, working extremely hard and consistently nailing the effort areas, while also playing with tempo and putting pressure on teams through our speed and intent.”

Player(s) to watch:

“Dan Osborne is one to keep an eye on,” Hawkins said.

“He’s a tighthead prop who can also play hooker, had a big off-season and has a great skillset. He’s already part of our leadership group and we’re excited to see what he can produce.”

Who is the team to beat?

“Randwick is the obvious benchmark,” he said.

“They’ve got a clear identity and back their style, especially in big games. Easts, Gordon and Warringah will also be strong contenders.”

Hunter Wildfires with Ross Hopkins:

2025: 8th

2026 Squad:

“We’re excited to have 23 players returning from last season who now have a year of colts footy under their belt and are getting better with each session,” Ross said.

“This year, we’ve had 85 colts register to play, which is a massive testament to how the club is building its colts program. We’ve added the luxury of serious depth to our premier side, as well as doubling the number of coaches, which strengthens the whole program.”

What style of rugby will you look to play?

“We want to embrace our working-class edge and grind with our pack through the middle of the park, then earn the right to play fast and attack around the edges.”

Player(s) to watch:

“It’s hard to single out just one, but I’m really excited to see tighthead prop Lucas Clifford return for his second year of colts,” he said.

“He trained with grade this preseason and has come back to us ready to go. That exposure has given him confidence to have a big year and hopefully push on to representative level.”

Who is the team to beat?

“It’s tough, but from that consistent group of Easts, Randwick, Uni, Gordon and Rats, I’d say Randwick,” Hopkins said.

“Randwick were brilliant across all three grades last year. Gordon should also be looked at closely this year, I think they’ll be very strong.

Southern Districts with Jake Holman:

2025: 10th

2026 Squad:

“We’ve got a strong core of returning players this season, along with some exciting local juniors and a few new additions who have added quality depth to the squad,” Holman told Rugby News.

What style of rugby will you look to play?

“We want to be a skilful, fast and physical side with a strong defensive mindset … full of resilience. We want to compete hard in every moment and consistently show the character this group is building.”

Player(s) to watch:

“A few players have really stood out during preseason, including Josh Barr, Soane Ta’ai, Seb Newman and Tama Williamson. They’ve all had excellent preseasons and brought a strong presence to the group.”

Who is the team to beat?

“Our focus this year is firmly on ourselves. We’ll take each week as it comes and keep building as the season unfolds.”

Warringah Rats with David Thomas:

2025: 2nd

2026 Squad:

“We’ve had a lot of new, young players join us this year, as you do every season,” Thomas said.

“On top of that though, we also have a healthy number of returning colts across all three grades to provide some much-needed experience.”

What style of rugby will you look to play?

“That’s a good question — we’re still figuring that out,” the coach said.

“We’re yet to finalise the three separate grades and are very much trying to find what best suits each team’s profile. I’d like to think the players will possess the skillset to adapt to the opposition, their strengths and the conditions each week.”

Player(s) to watch:

“It’s tough to single out one in a group of 70, but a young newcomer, Jack Drake, has had a great preseason. We’re looking forward to seeing how he develops.”

Who is the team to beat?

“The usual suspects will no doubt be tough, as they always are — Uni, Gordon, Easts and Randwick,” he said.

“In this competition, on any given day, the bottom half of the draw could beat anyone, so it’s important not to be complacent and to respect your opposition.”

Randwick with Jack Harrison:

2025: Premiers

2026 Squad:

“The group is definitely on the younger side this year,” Harrison told Rugby News.

“A large number of our colts from last season have aged out, but we’ve been able to retain some experienced players across the grades and bring in young talent, which has given us a really nice balance.”

What style of rugby will you look to play?

“I think everyone knows Randwick’s philosophy of running rugby and we’re looking to continue that,” he said.

“We’ve worked hard in the offseason on our skills and conditioning, so we want to play an expansive, attacking style.”

“But we’re under no illusion to do that, our defence needs to be in order in a competition with plenty of firepower.”

Player(s) to watch:

“Charlie Bird is one to watch. He’s flown under the radar up in Queensland and has come down to NSW for an opportunity,” he said.

“He’s had a great preseason and is working really hard on his craft, so I think he’s in for a big year.”

Who is the team to beat?

“It’s hard to go past Easts,” Harrison said of Randwick’s local rival.

“They’ve got a lot of great talent returning and, as always, have recruited some big guns. At full strength, they’d be favourites.

“I also think Warringah are flying a little under the radar. They play a physical brand of footy, have a big pack and skill in the backline — they’ll be right in the mix.”

Western Sydney with Sailosi Tagicakibau:

2025: 12th

2026 squad:

“It’s pretty much a brand new group, we’ve probably only got a handful of players returning from last season,” Tagicakibau said.

“But we’ve got quite a few ex-Two Blues who went and played colts elsewhere initially returning this year and we’re really excited about that.”

“Overall, it’s a young group. I think we might be the second youngest in the competition but the plan is to keep this group together for a few years and build the club around them.”

What style of rugby will you look to play?

“We like to throw the ball around and play off the back of some strong ball carriers. That’s the Two Blue way and that won’t change.”

Player(s) to watch:

“Nathan Fua and Matias Tuipolotu have both returned to the Two Blues after playing at Sydney Uni last year and they both spent a lot of the summer training with grade.

“They also came on our top squad camp and although they’ll be the leaders of the colts group, they also might make a few appearances off the bench in grade.

“They are both Blacktown Scorpions juniors who want to drive the club forward and I’m excited to see what they can do this year.”

Who is the team to beat?

“It’d have to be Randwick. They won all three competitions last year and they are well set up, being close to Daceyville and a handful of private schools.”

Eastern Suburbs with Gareth Morton:

2025: 5th

2026 Squad: 

“It’s a very strong group on paper,” Morton said. 

“We’ve got around 10 second-year players available for round one, which gives us a really solid base. But we’ll also lose six players to the Australian Under 20s for a big part of the season, so it opens the door for others to step up.” 

“It’s a great opportunity for those boys to grow their game and prove themselves.” 

What style of rugby will you look to play? 

“I’d say a disciplined, fast game,” he explained. 

“We want to play with tempo and be expansive, but also understand when that’s not required. It’s about blending natural attacking ability with discipline and pressure.” 

“A lot of these players have great instincts, so it’s important we don’t take that away from them — we just shape it.” 

Player(s) to watch: 

“There are a few, but Arthur Greer has really stood out,” the coach said.

“He’s a strong ball carrier, a good leader and just gets his job done. He’s been training with first grade and has impressed there as well.” 

“Flynn Farrell is another. A three-year colt at halfback. He sees the game well, loves the physical side and has a great kicking game.” 

Who is the team to beat?

“For me, the target is on ourselves,” the coach said. 

“We want to be competing against ourselves every week and finding the best version of what we can be.” 

“We’ve worked hard to get this club into a position where other teams want to beat us…… and that’s something we need to embrace.”