Sydney University Football Club member Tom Robertson has pledged his future to Australian Rugby, re-signing with the ARU and New South Wales Waratahs until the end of 2020.
The versatile front-rower has elected to stay in Sydney for a further three years and now has a chance to push for selection in what would be his first World Cup come Japan 2019.
The 23-year old became Wallaby 898 when he made his Test debut against South Africa in Perth last year. At the time he was juggling a Super rugby career with the NSW Waratahs and medical studies at the University of Sydney.
Photo Credit: Wallabies
Robertson now has 15 Tests under his belt, including last Saturday’s win over the All Blacks when he came off the bench midway through the second half.
“New South Wales is home for me. I’m very passionate about the Waratahs and Wallaby jersey and it means so much to me to get the chance to pull them both on,” Robertson said.
“There’s plenty still to do this season with the Wallabies, but I’m also really excited about next year with the Waratahs.
We’re building some good competition for spots in the front row for both the Tahs and the Wallabies, which is good for the coaches but just makes me want to knuckle down and work harder to earn that spot.”
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said Robertson is still so young for a Test prop, but having committed he now has the chance to nail down a spot for the Waratahs as well as for the Wallabies.
“He’s managed to juggle his studies successfully up to this point, and that’s a real credit to Tom but also to Sydney University who have been very supportive of him.
We’re building some real depth across the front row and Tom is definitely part of that, but he’ll have to continue stepping up as he has done in the past season,” Cheika said.
Robertson, a former Dubbo junior who can play on either side of the scrum, first represented Australia as a schoolboy in 2012 before going to the Junior World Championships in 2014.
