Awesome foursome
FROM donning Northcliffe Nippers caps as seven-yearolds, these four teenagers are now pulling on the green and gold for Australia.
Tanah Boyd, Ben Ward, Mitchell Coombes and Tom Van Der Schyff have all represented Australia at junior level but remarkably in four different sports.
Van Der Schyff is in the Australian Schoolboys rugby union team, Ward is an Australian representative weightlifter, Boyd played for the 2017 Australian Schoolboys league team and Coombes is captain of the Australian youth team that is competing in the World Lifesaving Championships in Adelaide.
The four started Nippers together in the under-8s age division in 2007 and are still active members of the club.
“We’re all close mates. Everything we did, we did together,” Ward said.
The boys stay in touch and when news of their achievement comes through they send each other good luck messages.
“We’re all pretty tight and like to encourage each other,” Ward said.
Van Der Schyff said: “It’s good to see the other boys do so well, which does push you on too.”
Coombes said the quartet often gave each other advice.
“It’s good to see your mates succeed,” he said.
The pals said they all brought something different to the group but it’s a toss-up between Ward and Boyd as to who is the clown.
“I was always that one bloke who never took anything seriously,’’ Ward said.
“Tanah’s just a bit of everything – he can be an absolute smart-ass at times.”
Van Der Schyff’s vote goes to Boyd, a league gun who is training with the Brisbane Honours: 2017 Australian Schoolboys rugby league
Keebra Park product who has been named in theQueensland under-20 emerging Origin squad. The exciting half is tipped to have a bright future at the Brisbane Broncos. Honours: Australian youth weightlifting team 2016-18
Prolific national and state junior record-holder. Represented Australia at 2018 world youth titles in Uzbekistan. Honours: 2018 Australian youth lifesaving team
The reigning national under-19 ironman champion is co-captain of the Australian youth lifesaving team competing in world championships in Adelaide. Honours: 2018 Australian Schoolboys rugby union
The Southport School lock-flanker has been selected in the 2018
Australian Schoolboys squad to tour Ireland and Scotland from next week. Broncos. “Tanah’s the clown. He’s always ready for a joke,” Van Der Schyff said.
“You never know what you’re going to get with Ben. He’s always been the late and disorganised one.”
The boys all said Van Der Schyff, who captained The Southport School First XV this year, was the smartest of the group.
“Tom’s the most switched on and he’s pretty smart,” Boyd said.
Coombes was named the suave one of the group.
“Mitcho’s the goody twoshoes. He’s always dressing nice,” Van Der Schyff said.
While they all deny competing against each other to be the best, they all want to do well.
‘‘We all have the urge to succeed and wanted to make an Australian team as young as possible, so we can have the best possible future ahead of us,” Ward said.
Coombes said: “We’re all just really happy to see each other succeed in our chosen sports.”