Sir Leslie Herron Rugby Scholarship Recipients Announced
“citizenship, scholarship, and a contribution to Rugby”
In consultation with NSW Country Rugby Union, Sydney Junior Rugby Union and NSW Rugby Union, the Foundation’s Grants Committee has reviewed a number of strong scholarship applications, and are pleased to announce that the recipients of the Sir Leslie Herron Rugby Scholarship in 2021 are:
Mr Mitchell Watts (nominee of NSW Country Junior Rugby Union)
Mr Liam Andrews (nominee of Sydney Junior Rugby Union)
Mitchell Watts
Mitchell is a highly motivated loose forward who in addition to playing, contributes to the Rugby Community, as a volunteer Referee and assisting with local junior development whenever possible.
Having completed year 12 in 2020 at Calrossy Anglican School, whilst also captaining the school’s 1st XV and playing first grade for the Tamworth Magpies, Mitchell hopes to relocate to Sydney in 2021 and play with a Shute Shield Club.
Mitchell is a wonderful ambassador for Country Rugby having played in several representative teams over the last three years and in 2019 was voted NSW Country’s best forward in the opens team. In recognition of his hard work and determination Mitchell was one of only three country-based players to be selected for the Waratahs U18 Summer Academy. Having earnt selection in the NSWJRU U18s side in both 2019 and 2020, Mitchell is well on his way to achieving his next goal of being I contention for the 2021 Gen Blue Academy Team - a programme which fosters future NSW Waratahs.
Mitchell’s commitment to Rugby is clearly demonstrated in the over 80, 000 kilometres he has travelled in recent years for training and matches. The scholarship funds will go a long way in contributing to ongoing travel costs and assist in supporting Mitchell’s continued access to high quality coaching and training facilities as he strives to meet his aspirations for the future.
Liam Andrews
Having played Rugby since the age of four, Liam began refereeing for the SJRU Competition as well as Waverly College when he was 12 years old. Liam completed year 12 in 2020 serving as the Vice-Captain of Waverly College and continuing to actively contribute to the Rugby community both refereeing and playing.
Excelling as both a player and match official Liam credits his refereeing experience with increasing the sophistication of his playing, and his skills and insights as a player informing his refereeing.
Liam’s skills as a referee have been acknowledged with his appointments to representative tournaments and finals over the last three years including the 2019 NSWJRU U12 State Championships, where his was ranked as the equal top Referee, the 2019 NSWPSSA Final and the NSWJRU U14 Grand Final in 2018.
In 2020 Rugby Australia invited Liam to participate in the 2020 School Student Scholarship Program, a collaborative mentoring based program which is designed to encourage young referees to continue refereeing after they leave school.
The Herron Scholarship will allow Liam to further develop his refereeing by attending courses and participating in tournaments as he embarks on his tertiary studies.
The Foundation would like to wish Mitchell and Liam every possible success in furthering their Rugby aspirations while embracing the values of past scholarship recipients: citizenship, scholarship, and a contribution to Rugby.
The Primary Object of the Foundation is to encourage the sport of Rugby in the State of New South Wales and elsewhere at a grassroots level. The Board of Directors of the Foundation has resolved that there is no more fitting way in which to demonstrate the Foundation’s commitment to grassroots Rugby than to continue to award the Sir Leslie Herron Rugby Scholarships for the benefit of Junior Rugby participants.
Sir Leslie Herron Scholarship Grant Recipients
Sydney
2021 – Liam Andrews
2020 - Ally Bullman
2007 - Daniel Alley
2006 - Tom Heslop
2005 - Mitchell Greenway
2004 - Robert Temaipi
Country
2021 – Mitchell Watts
2020 - Jayden Blake
2007 - Phillip Webb
2005 - Kieran Wallace
2004 - Doug Buchanan