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WOMENS

United Rugby Championship

Lions win the race for South Africa's schoolboy prodigy

By Ben Smith

41 days ago

(Photos by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images and WIKUS DE WET/AFP via Getty Images)

The Lions have reportedly won the signature of Grey College schoolboy prodigy Ethan Adams, a viral sensation at age grade level.

A stocky and well-built centre with explosive power and speed, Adams is one of the most exciting midfield prospects to come through the ranks since Jurenzo Julius, now with the Sharks.

Ethan ‘The Tank” Adams rose to prominence last year with his 1st XV highlights from Grey College reaching global audiences as he bulldozed his way through some of the top South African schools.

Ethan Adams vs Affies 2025 pic.twitter.com/jEn2CU6Q6l
— Matthew Bauer (@MB5Plug) May 17, 2025

He was ranked 23 on the top 50 global schoolboy rugby prospects last year by NG Rugby, despite having another year to play in 2025. Earning selection for SA U18s last year, Adams started against England U18 in a 39-14 win for South Africa.

The signing is a boost for the Johannesburg-based Lions, who have lagged behind the other three big South African clubs in recent years in the URC.

The other highly touted star centre in South African schoolboy rugby, Paarl Gimnasium’s Markus Muller, has reportedly been signed by the Stormers his home club.

Muller was also a South African U18 rep last year and started against Ireland U18.

Paarl Gim are the number one ranked 1st XV in South Africa having knocked off Grey College this year in a mammoth bout with Muller facing off against Adams.

Muller scored two tries and was heavily involved in more tries in the 43-31 win.

Comments

3 Comments

Hammer Head 39 days ago

Looks like he could play 8th man

JJ 39 days ago

It’s incredible how much talent the Lions develop, but they haven’t got the money to keep them. Every May is like a closing down sale for the Lions. They have the best coaches for developing talent. They just need a better commercial department to raise more money.

TO 40 days ago

Who are the Lions. Worst URC side in SA. Cant imagine the youngster will be there for very long

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Comments on RugbyPass

NH 4 minutes ago

Six selection questions for Joe Schmidt as Lions loom large

I think its a good option Ally and one thing Schmidt seems to like to do is balance his impact across the 23. Last year, he regularly left guys like Bell, BPA, Tupou and Lukhan on the bench I think to make sure that there was a spread of impact for the full 80. So, we could see guys like skelton and bell purposefully left on the bench to soften the blow of an allan coming off for example.

9 Go to comments

NH 7 minutes ago

Six selection questions for Joe Schmidt as Lions loom large

I think its more likely we would see white and donno than tate and lynagh tbh. Remember donno has played with gordon at the tahs also.

9 Go to comments

NH 8 minutes ago

Six selection questions for Joe Schmidt as Lions loom large

Couldn’t agree more. Despite all his critics, the fact is depth is thin at 10 and I’d argue the drop from Noah to next best is almost as large as any spot in the wallabies squad short of maybe AAA at 3. Guys like Bobby and Ikitau are indispensable and top shelf, but even still we know wilson/gleeson can do a job as could paisami/daugunu at centre. I really do hope Joe considers brining in JOC as he at least has played with a number of the wbs in the recent past and could slot between tate and hunter quite seamlessly for eg (not that I think that will happen). The only hope I have is that Joe’s plug and play systems work and its a case of ‘next in line’ and donno/lynagh can do a job. Chances of a wallabies win have gone from thin to wafer….

9 Go to comments

BA 11 minutes ago

Six selection questions for Joe Schmidt as Lions loom large

I think if he is fit?? U start Lynagh with Tate for familiarity and maybe get Hunter in play Ikitau at 13 put Joseph at 14 ( big risk ) Wright at 15, Jorg 11,Tate will really need to step up and they should continue mix up kicking with Ikitau left foot and Wrights right take some of the heat off young fella,on the bench Jake Donaldson and Daugunu but with Joseph on wing you could have another winger like Toole with real speed bench impact instead as Joseph covers midfield .

9 Go to comments

AllyOz 22 minutes ago

Six selection questions for Joe Schmidt as Lions loom large

Would it be possible to use Skelton as a replacement and bracket him with Seru Uru (or Tom Hooper) as a replacement 6. This would allow you to replace either Wilson or Valetini at the 50- 60 minute mark? That would cover the potential loss of a lineout jumper. But does the coach want to use Skelton from the start, in which case, he might start Valetini at 8 with one of those others and use Wilson as his 6/8 replacement forward?

9 Go to comments

AllyOz 36 minutes ago

All eyes on the Brumbies' power as Racing-bound Taniela Tupou's Lion dream fades

It is a fair call but he is only 29. I thought his best years could still be ahead of him?? But it is hard to know. I have personally ruptured an achilles tendon while playing in my early thirties. It is a tough injury to overcome. I don’t mean to compare myself to Taniela - the gap in ability is even more enormous than his calves.

22 Go to comments

BA 45 minutes ago

All eyes on the Brumbies' power as Racing-bound Taniela Tupou's Lion dream fades

Yea he might flourish …think Big Ben T on Aotearoa rugby pod said basically that he struggled with what was required of him by rugby downunder in terms of getting round the field same story for Skelton I think same story for Antonio and even Jordan Mailata snd there are others does maybe indicate that teans these ways don’t know how to get best out of the big boys and to much square peg round hole they have to be like this where maybe over in France they play them to their strengths ? could be best thing for his career let him find his game and bring it home for a 27 WC

22 Go to comments

BA 55 minutes ago

All eyes on the Brumbies' power as Racing-bound Taniela Tupou's Lion dream fades

What was up with that?…had bad vibes around it for me

22 Go to comments

BA 57 minutes ago

All eyes on the Brumbies' power as Racing-bound Taniela Tupou's Lion dream fades

The Aussie Super games to be played later this year will be a big step forward in keeping pathways players development innovation in positional selections Athletes are still here in these parts of the world visited by Cook in abundance you just need places for them to go it’s a good first step I reckon

22 Go to comments

Brett McKay 1 hour ago

Six selection questions for Joe Schmidt as Lions loom large

..I think the more experience and game management they can squeeze onto the park the better with the stocks of guys like kellaway, white and even a hunter rising with that injury.

This is a really good point NH, and I could easily have beefed up my ‘what now’ and ‘..how much does this forced change of personnel change the approach?’ questions.

There were only a handful of players Schmidt really couldn’t afford to lose, and I do think Lolesio was among them because he was clearly the one the coach had backed to provide the direction for the side.

Now that he’ll miss the series, I really do think it’s a significant dent to pre-existing plans..

9 Go to comments

NH 1 hour ago

Six selection questions for Joe Schmidt as Lions loom large

Nice one Brett. I think you can potentially hit 2 brids with one stone as it were with a couple of your conundrums. Having skelton off the bench with hooper/uru would reduce your balance issue, help finish the back end of games strong, and let Wilson captain. And with Noah out (bloke can’t catch a break), I think the more experience and game management they can squeeze onto the park the better with the stocks of guys like kellaway, white and even a hunter rising with that injury. I, for one, liked the varied kicking the WBs employed vs fiji and it be all the more important for each of the likes of wright, the 9, ikitau to help donno/lynagh in this aspect with kicking/game mgmt which is a clear weakness in aus rugby at the moment relative to the lions.

9 Go to comments

Neilashford 1 hour ago

All eyes on the Brumbies' power as Racing-bound Taniela Tupou's Lion dream fades

Nick, great article. Tupou hasn't looked fit all year. On offense I noticed him tracking the ball but always being a phase or 10m behind so ending up being last at a ruck (and not needed) or running a lazy inside line that clearly wasn't on.

With a shot Tupou, no Skelton and Valetini, no Noah, and more injuries to come (just statistically) it is hard to see the Wallabies winning a game realistically. I'd love to be wrong.

These problems shine a light on RA’s lack of strategy over the years. How many players have they lost to Europe (before and after they become Wallabies)? Why do all the young 10s stall out at the same phase of development? Why all the stop-start with the veteran 10s? Why are there no project players (not just international recruits but also younger Aussies with potential) being clearly groomed for international roles? Why are there no promising back-rowers being moved to hooker around the u20 level?

I have been reading and enjoying your columns for a decade but it is not clear if anyone at RA has spent 20 minutes reviewing the basics.

Just disappointing and frustrating all around

22 Go to comments

BA 1 hour ago

Can Les Bleus avoid a Black-wash in New Zealand?

Play the different comps with no Champions cup breaking it up and at end of URC SA clubs joins with Super for its version of a Champions cup then every 4 the World Cup challenge ?or does the Top 14 need to be the showpiece finish for French rugby? I know that’s very simplistic and fraught with logistical problems but could work?

166 Go to comments

Brett McKay 1 hour ago

Six selection questions for Joe Schmidt as Lions loom large

Fair to say you’ve offered a very different perspective Am, thanks for taking the time to outline as you have..

9 Go to comments

BA 1 hour ago