Two rising Platypi stars have already fired the first shots of the 2026 rugby season and summer hasn’t even finished.

Thomas Johnson and Eli Bowden-Boland turned their school holidays into a proving ground, earning selection in the Australian Rugby Union Academy camp and rubbing shoulders with the best young talent in the country.

Fresh off a premiership win with the Forbes Junior Rugby under-14s in 2025, the pair applied for the elite camp and were among just 16 players selected in the 14–15 age group.

Another 16 athletes from the 16–17s were also in training at St Greg's with the Academy.

The whole experience was an invaluable opportunity to learn from former Super Rugby players and coaches, Tom and Eli said, before testing their new skills and strategy with game time against the Randwick club.

Over three or four days, the players covered the basics of the game before splitting into smaller groups.

“Each position got their own specific coach,” Eli, who plays in the centres, explained.

“It was good getting to learn from different perspectives on the game.”

Tom plays loose forward and relishes the opportunity it gives him to be everywhere and do everything he can.

Mixing it amongst players from up and down the coast and as far afield as Perth and New Zealand the two locals shone to win the camp’s two awards.

Eli was named man of the match after their game against Randwick, Tom named man of the camp. Both received a football signed by the Wallabies for their efforts.

Their only struggle now is the wait for the footy season to kick off locally, with junior rugby training to start later this term, to put their new skills and strategies into practice.

Tom, who’s in Year 9 at Red Bend Catholic College, goes up to the Under 16s this year while Eli, who’s in Year 8 at Red Bend, has another year in the Under 14s.

Both will have their sights set on Central West Blue Bulls representative honours again this year.