Sir Leslie Herron Rugby Scholarship Recipients Announced
“citizenship, scholarship, and a contribution to Rugby”
In consultation with NSW Country Rugby Union, Sydney Junior Rugby Union and NSW Rugby Union, the Foundation’s Grants Committee has reviewed a number of impressive scholarship applications, and is pleased to announce that the recipients of the Sir Leslie Herron Rugby Scholarships in 2026 are:
Skye Melrose (nominee of Sydney Junior Rugby Union)
Maddy O’Brien (nominee of NSW Country Junior Rugby Union)
The Foundation wishes Maddy and Skye every possible success in furthering their Rugby aspirations while embracing the values of past scholarship recipients: citizenship, scholarship, and a contribution to Rugby.
The Foundation’s Grants Committee thanks all applicants who applied for this year’s Sir Leslie Herron Rugby Scholarships, noting that each applicant is an outstanding member of the Rugby community.
Skye Melrose
Skye is a committed flanker known for her strong ball carrying, defensive work rate and ability to make decisions under pressure.
Currently playing for her school, Norwest Bulls and Two Blues Junior Rugby, Skye is committed to improving her game knowledge, growing her mental resilience, developing her versatility as a forward, and becoming a better teammate and leader.
The Sir Leslie Herron Rugby Scholarship will support Skye as she finishes her final two years of high school as an athlete and leader striving for excellence on and off the field.
Maddy O’Brien
Having come through the Central West Rugby pathway Maddy has been playing Rugby since she was five years old and has developed into a versatile player who participates in 7s, 10s and XVs formats across a variety of positions including 10, inside cntre, wing, flanker and lock.
As Maddy undertakes her Year 12 studies she hopes to build on her Rugby achievements of 2025 when she represented Central West, Country, and NSW and won Grand Finals with both the Dubbo Roos and her school’s Rugby team.
The Sir Leslie Herron Rugby Scholarship will assist Maddy as she endeavours to become the best player she can be whilst acting as a role model and ambassador for the game.
The Primary Object of the Foundation is to encourage the sport of Rugby in the State of New South Wales and elsewhere at a grassroots level. The Board of Directors of the Foundation has resolved that there is no more fitting way in which to demonstrate the Foundation’s commitment to grassroots Rugby than to continue to award the Sir Leslie Herron Rugby Scholarships for the benefit of Junior Rugby participants.
Sir Leslie Herron RUGBY Scholarship Grant Recipients
Country
2026 - Maddy O’Brien
2025 - Anakin Richardson
2024 – Matthew Edwards
2023 – Charlie Norton
2022 – Darcy Brown
2021 – Mitchell Watts
2020 - Jayden Blake
2007 - Phillip Webb
2005 - Kieran Wallace
2004 - Doug Buchanan
Sydney
2026 - Skye Melrose
2025 – Taj Mailei
2024 – Coco Marsters
2023 – Leilani Taufa
2022 – Oscar Morgan
2021 – Liam Andrews
2020 - Ally Bullman
2007 - Daniel Alley
2006 - Tom Heslop
2005 - Mitchell Greenway
2004 - Robert Temaipi