Amanda Lulham

He might hail from the small village near the NSW/Queensland border but this teenager has achieved a world class feat in surfing on the other side of the world.

Otto Serfontein is proof you don’t have to be a schoolboy star as a teenager to make an impact in rugby as a man - you just have to love playing the game alongside good mates.

Scouts, coaches and talent identification managers from Super Rugby franchises will be watching on with interest and intent from the sidelines when 49 teams of rugby’s rising stars from across Australia contest the biggest junior elite national tournament from Monday.

They are the young talent expected to be involved in a tug of war between rugby union and rugby league in the future.

Skipper Tom Slingsby is adamant his team has the speed up retake the season lead in the SailGP series but need to stop making dumb mistakes.

There were some big moments and big hits from the big men of the Waratahs U20s while their speedsters flew in an entertaining battle with Western Force on Saturday ahead of Aussie U20 squad selection,

He’s fierce and uncompromising on the field but it wasn’t that long ago that Mahe Vailanu was bought close to tears by the most ordinary of tasks – taking a few steps forward.

Australian soaps Neighbours and Home and Away - and a British Olympic medallists who watched them avidly - are strangely playing a part in the resurgence of the Australian crew in the SailGP world series which hits Sydney Harbour at high speed this weekend.

She is one of the pioneers of NRLW but now this footy talent is playing a hand in the development of her future teammates - and potential rivals - and loving it.

‘It hindered us’: Aussies sound SailGP warning after comeback from gear drama