Padua College will unveil a new-look First XV to open the 2026 AIC rugby season, with a significant wave of fresh faces set to shape its campaign.
The side heads into Round 1 with 11 debutants, signalling a clear transition year as the college leans on emerging talent to begin a new chapter.
Padua’s intake of new players is one of the largest in the competition this season, with the forward pack and backline both undergoing notable change.
Among those stepping into the First XV for the first time are front-rowers Sam Heritage and Andy Mercer, while locks Max Walsh and Remy Carlaw add size to the engine room. The loose forward trio will also feature new combinations, with Will Maitland, Diezel Jimmink, and Felix Styman-Bailey all earning their debuts.
In the halves, Callum Youngson and Lucas Humphrys take on key playmaking roles, with Humphrys continuing a family link to the program as the younger brother of former premiership-winning No.10 Damon Humphrys.
Out wide, Addison Harker and Archie Laloata round out a backline that blends new energy with a smaller group of returning players.
The scale of change points to a fresh start, but also an opportunity. With a large share of the starting side experiencing First XV rugby for the first time, early cohesion will be critical as the season unfolds.
Padua opens its campaign against St Edmund’s, with the new group tasked with quickly finding rhythm in the competitive AIC schoolboy rugby environment. The challenge is immediate, but so is the chance to establish a new identity from the outset.
