South Coast teenager and young Sharks star Teig Wilton has been named in the NSW Under 20’s team to play Queensland at ANZ Stadium next Wednesday.
The Sharks junior representative player of the year in 2017 and captain of the premiership winning 2018 Jersey Flegg Sharks side, Wilton has this year been playing for the Newtown Jets in the Canterbury Cup despite still be eligible for the under 20’s competition.
A strong running back rower with clever footwork, Wilton is on a development contract with the Sharks and currently trains full time with the NRL squad.
Hailing from Narooma, Wilton has ticked all the boxes along the way in terms of his rugby league development, in 2017 playing in the SG Ball Grand Final, while also representing NSW Combined High Schools, NSW Under 18's and the Australian Schoolboys Opens team.
Wilton was also a member of the NSW 20's squad in 2018.
The Under 20’s Origin game will be played before the Holden State of Origin series decider on Wednesday, July 10.
The 20-man squad, which will be coached by former Origin forward Mark O’Meley, includes NRL players Oregon Kaufusi (Parramatta Eels), Stefano Utoikamanu (Parramatta Eels), Sam Verrills (Sydney Roosters) and Brandon Wakeham (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Canterbury Cup NSW players Jason Saab (St George Illawarra Dragons) and Tex Hoy (Newcastle Knights), and Melbourne Storm’s Cooper Johns, the son of Newcastle and Sharks five eighth Matthew Johns.
NSW will be hoping to avenge last year’s 30-12 loss to Queensland at Suncorp Stadium which was their first loss since the Under-20 concept started in 2012.
The team will assemble in camp on Friday 5 July.
CABE NSW Under 20s
1 Tex Hoy (Newcastle Knights)
2 Tuipolota Katoa (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
3 Stephen Crichton (Penrith Panthers)
4 Ethan Parry (Parramatta Eels)
5 Jason Saab (St George Illawarra Dragons)
6 Cooper Johns (Melbourne Storm)
7 Brandon Wakeham (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
8 Spencer Leniu (Penrith Panthers)
9 Sam Verrills (Sydney Roosters)
10 Oregon Kaufusi (Parramatta Eels)
11 Teig Wilton (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
12 Matthew Doorey (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
13 Darby Medlyn (Canberra Raiders)
14 Luke Huth (Newcastle Knights)
15 Stefano Utoikamanu (Parramatta Eels)
16 Matt Croker (Newcastle Knights)
17 Ky Rodwell (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
18 Tommy Talau (Wests Tigers)
19 Alex Seyfarth (Wests Tigers)
20 Phoenix Crossland (Newcastle Knights)
Coach: Mark O’Meley