Future Star: Josh Neill
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SA Rugby magazine identifies young talent with big potential.
Rondebosch Boys' loose forward Josh Neill enjoyed a remarkable 2024 season as he seemed to get better each week in delivering eye-catching displays for his school, Western Province U18 and South Africa U18.
In 2023, Neill captained WP U16 at the Grant Khomo Week as a No 8 and was also selected for the WP U16 cricket side.
His brother Jordan played for Ireland in the 2024 U19 Cricket World Cup and is on course to represent the senior Irish side in the near future.
Neill made the transition from eighthman to blindside flank in 2024, showing he is equally at home in the 7 or 8 jersey.
In his debut for the Rondebosch 1st XV against a formidable Oakdale side at the Wynberg Rugby Festival, he stole four lineouts in an impressive bow.
After a string of impressive performances in the competitive WP league, he delivered a Man of the Match effort against fierce rivals Bishops, which included a brilliant solo try from the halfway line, in the big Bish-Bosch derby on the iconic Piley Rees.
Neill scored a brace of tries in both of WP's opening two games at the U18 Craven Week (against the Sharks and Eastern Province), helping his side to the unofficial 'final' where they defeated Free State.
His standout performances in Krugersdorp saw him named in the SA Schools side and he was also included in the SA U18 squad for the International Series in August, ending the season on a high with a Man of the Match display in a 39-14 win over England U18.
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Josh is a cerebral player with superb rugby IQ that has been honed by hours of painstaking analysis of the opposition. He is the lineout caller for Rondebosch and the explosivity in his standing jump allows him to secure ball effortlessly, especially at the front of the lineout.
He contests well on opposition ball and is effective in swimming through and piercing a maul, contributing to several turnovers in 2024, notably against Paul Roos and Paarl Gim, who both excel at maul attack.
He is a devastating ball-carrier in the trams, not unlike his hero Pieter-Steph du Toit, and always seems to beat the first defender, especially from kick-offs, as he makes crucial metres from restarts with his deceptive body swerve to get his team on the front foot.
In defence, he offers a considerable jackal threat at the breakdown, where he makes good decisions in slowing down opposition ball.
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“Josh's meteoric rise on the field can be attributed to his humility, coachability and accountability,” says Jaco Zeeman, Neill's rugby and cricket coach for his last two years at Rondebosch. “He is an authentic leader who is admired by his peers. He reads the game excellently which allows him to capitalise on multiple opportunities to influence the game.”
Neill will be one of the hottest properties for unions in 2025 and, if he continues on his current trajectory, the sky is the limit for this talented and grounded individual.
By Allan Schulz
– This article first appeared in the January 2025 issue of SA Rugby magazine.
The post Future Star: Josh Neill appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
