A big year continued for Elijah Rasiga as the Armidale Rams U18 earned selection with NSW Combined High Schools U17 (CHS) for a tour of New Zealand.
It has been a big few weeks for the devestating ball runner, also picking up the Group 4 Player of the Year award in Narrabri on Wednesday night before Sunday’s huge grand final against reigning premiers North Tamworth at Jack Woolaston Oval.
A member of the Gold Coast Titans Academy, Rasiga made the Western region and North West teams earlier this year and has also played a key role in helping Armidale to the under 18 grand final, which takes place this Sunday.
“It’s pretty good. (I’m) stoked,” he said upon hearing of NSW CHS selection.
“It’s my first year of making (the) North West (team), so to make it even further was pretty good.”
For now, Rasiga will hope to help the Rams upstage minor premiers the North Tamworth Bears in the under 18 decider, just two weeks after the Bears hammered the Rams 50-4.
Last Sunday the Rams had to overcome a 10-0 deficit to beat Oxley 20-14, with Rasiga showing his skill as he scored two tries to help Armidale move ahead 14-10 before Bruce Smith scored the winning try to break a 14-all deadlock.
After the grand final, Rasiga will gear up for the 11-day tour of New Zealand, starting on the last day of this month.
With three fixtures scheduled, Rasiga said he was “pretty keen”.
A lock forward, Rasiga said he liked playing “somewhere around the middle” as he preferred to have a ball running type of role.
