IN a town better known for its gold than Wallaby rugby union gold, West Wyalong Pirate and proud product of the NSW country heartland, Joe Mangelsdorf has been selected to represent Australia in the Wallabies Under 20 side.
The rangy second-rower, currently playing from the NSW Waratahs Academy, will don the green and gold in a major tour of Italy this June and July, joining the squad from their current stop in South Africa where they are competing against the youth sides of South Africa, New Zealand, and Argentina.
The 19-year-old’s journey has been a steady climb through Australia’s elite development system. From his formative years at St. Joseph's College — the famed rugby nursery of ‘Joeys’ — to standout seasons with the Sydney University Colts, followed by a breakout campaign with the Waratahs U19s, Mangelsdorf has proven time and again that he belongs at the next level.
But his story begins long before representative jerseys and international fixtures. It begins in West Wyalong, under Friday night lights and the watchful eyes of proud parents Daniel and Natalie Mangelsdorf, and grandparents Howard and Betty.
“He wasn’t always going to be a rugby player,” admits grandfather Howard.
“But when he was about 8 or 9 years old, his dad promised him $5 a try. He scored ten in a game. That cost Daniel $50 — and I don’t think a bet like that was ever made again!”
Now standing over two metres tall with a work rate as imposing as his frame, Mangelsdorf also found success in rowing, competing at the National Championships — a testament to his athletic versatility and drive.
Howard shared another moment before Joe's departure to South Africa recently - “I rang him in Perth and joked about offering $10 a try — but I learned my lesson years ago not to motivate him too much,” he chuckled.
With Australia's top-level rugby depth currently in transition, talents like Mangelsdorf are not just rising — they’re being fast-tracked. And with his blend of size, smarts, and country grit, it may not be long before we see the name Joe Mangelsdorf on a senior Wallabies team sheet with another World Cup on the horizon.
Until then, all of West Wyalong — and surely a few wary defenders in South Africa and Italy — will be watching.
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