Teenager Noah Lolesio is on the fast track to success after signing a deal with the ACT Brumbies, but 18-year-old insists he's happy to bide his time as a development player before getting a Super Rugby chance.
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Lolesio has agreed to link with the Brumbies and follow a pathway to a full-time contract after moving to Canberra at the end of last year to pursue his rugby dreams.
The Brumbies are building a bank of stars for the future by recruiting some of Australia's top juniors into their pathway system to give them an opportunity to develop.
The Brumbies are expected to add Australian under-20s playmaker Bayley Kuenzle to their roster on Wednesday to team up with Lolesio.
They also boast Australian junior quartet Mack Hansen, Ryan Lonergan, Rob Valetini and Tom Ross, and former under-20s players Darcy Swain, Len Ikitau, Connal McInerney and Folau Faingaa.
Lolesio, the cousin of former All Blacks speedster Francis Saili, says he hopes to follow their path to a Super Rugby debut in the coming years.
"Next year is more like a learning stage for me so I can hit the ground running the year after," Lolesio said.
"I don't want to be rushed into things. If I get thrown in, I want to be ready and ready to go. There's a clear pathway there, it's not as complicated as what it used to be."
Lolesio is in contention to play for the Canberra Vikings against Queensland Country in their National Rugby Championship season-opener at Viking Park on Saturday night.
He led the Tuggeranong Vikings to the John I Dent Cup premiership two weeks ago and was named man of the match after steering them to a grand final triumph against Royals.
Lolesio relocated from the Gold Coast to Canberra just two days after he finished high school last year, moving away from his family to take a chance on rugby.
It paid off after an impressive first season, which caught the eyes of Brumbies coaches and prompted them to earmark him as a star of the future.
"Hopefully I can get some game time [for the Canberra Vikings], but just being in the training environment is good for me to develop," Lolesio said.
"I'm just keen to see how the season goes. It's definitely a stepping stone, it gives you a little taste of what it's going to be like as a professional athlete."
NRC ROUND ONE
September 1: Canberra Vikings v Queensland Country at Viking Park, 5pm. Entry is free.
