Growing up on a farm just outside Blighty, Angus Hay looked destined for a future in Australian rules football.

Instead, the talented young player has traded centre clearances for the front row, emerging as a promising rugby union prospect.

The Mayrung local spent his junior years playing soccer and basketball before taking up Aussie Rules at around 12 years of age.

He played his junior footy with Finley before later spending a season at the Deni Rams.

But a move to Melbourne's Xavier College for boarding school would change the course of his sporting career.

Hay arrived at Xavier with his sights firmly set on AFL, captaining the Year 9 team to a premiership and establishing himself as a promising footballer. It was during the off-season, however, that rugby first entered the picture.

“The rugby coach approached me and said, 'We've got a sevens tournament coming up, come and play for a bit of fun and fitness',” Hay said.

“I played in that and had a ripper of a time; I really enjoyed it.”

Initially reluctant to abandon football, Hay found himself balancing both codes in Year 10.

Xavier was so keen to keep him involved in rugby that he was allowed to play two games on the same day, turning out for his Aussie Rules side in the morning before backing up for the rugby firsts in the afternoon.

While the workload left him sore, the experience helped shape his future.

“It was unreal fun,” he said.

But there came a time when he had to make a choice between the two codes.

Hay said one of the biggest factors behind his decision to prioritise rugby was the team culture he encountered.

“Footy was starting to become a bit about people trying to make drafts and prioritising themselves,” he said.

“When I played rugby with the boys it just felt like a completely different culture around it.

“I loved that side of it.”

“I had no idea what I was doing,” he laughed.

“But instead of people yelling at me, the captain sent me clips to watch and helped me understand the game better.”

Hay initially lined up as a flanker before progressing to number eight.

Selection in the Victorian representative team proved another turning point.

His school and state coach identified his potential in the front row and began working with him individually, helping him learn the specialised techniques required for the position.

Returning to national schools championships as a Year 12 student, Hay felt far more comfortable competing against Australia's best schoolboy rugby talent and continued to develop rapidly.

Following the championships, a Sydney club contacted Hay through a Xavier old boy and offered him an opportunity with the Manly Marlins Rugby Club.

He relocated to Sydney, completed a full pre-season and impressed enough to earn selection in the NSW Waratahs Under-19s program this year.

The talented forward featured in matches against the ACT Brumbies and Queensland Reds, experiencing yet another step up in intensity.

“It's another level again,” Hay said.

For Hay, one of the biggest differences between AFL and rugby has been the accountability required in every contest.

“If your head's not in it in footy, you can sort of hide a little bit,” he said.

“But in rugby, if you're missing tackles or not putting the effort in, it's really noticeable. There's a flow-on effect from everything you do.”

He believes the physical and mental demands of rugby have pushed him to new levels.

“You've got to be mentally tough. Everyone depends on each other.”

The hard work is beginning to pay dividends.

After impressing with the Waratahs Under-19s, Hay has been offered a pre-season trial with the NSW Next Gen Under-20s squad.

He will return to Sydney in November to begin preparations, but for now he is back home helping on the family farm as corn sowing gets underway.

“It's just taking it day by day at the moment, session by session,” he said.

“I'm just trying to put the work in and make the most of the opportunity.”

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Friday, 23rd August 2030

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