The best young rugby players in New South Wales will play matches over two days later this week in selection trials for the NSW U18s squad. 

Here are a few players to keep an eye on from the ISA, CHS, CCC, Country, AICES and Sydney sides.

Mitchell Balzer – Country

Hunter centre Mitchell Balzer was recently named best back at the U18s NSW Country Championships. The Nelson Bay Gropers junior will play against AICES and GPS Blue later this week. 

Riley Osborn – ISA

St Augustine’s hooker Riley Osborn started for the NSW U18s in matches against QLD earlier this year and is a good chance of pushing for NSW and Australian U18s honours after impressing for his Northern Beaches school here and in an international tournament in Japan this year. 

Tyler Birnie – CHS 

Hills Sports High flyhalf Tyler Birnie was named player of the CHS trials out at Bathurst earlier this year in a Sydney West side that won the tournament. 

Tom Farr Jones – Sydney

A 17-year old graduate last year, Tom Farr Jones returns to the U18s trials after finishing school via the Sydney Juniors Pathway. The 18-year old has scored nine tries for Randwick in Sydney’s Shute Shield Colts competition this year, playing against 20-year olds. 

Cajun Arnfield – CCC

Another player plying his trade in the Shute Shield colts competition against players two years older than him, Catholic schools hooker Cajun Arnfield returns for his second crack at the U18s trials after impressing via All Saints Maitland and the Hunter Wildfires. 

Lachlan Gardiner – AICES

A talented rugby league junior who played with the North Sydney Bears in the Harold Matthews competition this year. Attends GOAL, an alternate college that allows students to train or study sport while completing their HSC.