RUGBY UNION
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Cooper Jenkins is a natural sportsman.
Be it rugby league, athletics, basketball, motocross or surf life-saving, the 12-year-old has a knack for picking up sports with ease.
Rugby union has proved to be no exception and, with only a handful of games under his belt, Jenkins has earned selection in the NSW Primary Schools Sports Association squad.
Last week, the outside centre scored a stack of tries in helping his NSW Combined Independent Schools side claim a state title, culminating in a 26-0 victory in the decider.
Now, his quick rise up the rugby union ranks continues as he prepares for the School Sport Australia 12 Years and Under Championships in Canberra in October.
Jenkins said this opportunity came about because of a tough decision he made earlier this year.
“There was a two-day trial for the CIS team down in Sydney,” he said.
“The second day was the same day as the school athletics carnival and I wasn’t sure what to do.
“I stayed down at the trials and it ended up being a good decision because I made the team and still went through in the 100 and 200 metres based on my times.
“I was pretty happy.”
The hardest thing has been making the transition between league and union with Jenkins a regular in the Morpeth Bulls’ under-12 team to contest a Maitland District Schoolboys grand final this weekend.
“When we were defending I kept running back the 10 metres instead of standing in line with the ruck,” he said.
“Tackling was a bit different too.”
This will be Jenkins’ second visit to national school level competition after representing NSW in athletics two years ago in Darwin.
He made the final of the 10-year boys’ 100 and 200 metre events, scoring a bronze medal in the latter.