The inaugural Australian Schoolboys squad was selected as an under-16 side, unlike the current day’s under-18 format. A Queensland schoolboys side did not take part in the trials, with the 30-player squad consisting of New South Wales-based players, with the one exception being Perth’s Chris Barugh. Roy Masters, who would later coach Western Suburbs and St George, coached the side on their tour of England.

The team played 12 games on the tour, winning all of them by an average margin of 32 points. Three of the 12 wins came against England. They finished the tour with 108 tries scored and just one conceded.

Royce Ayliffe captained the side, and would become one of the 10 players in the squad to play first grade rugby league in Australia.  He was also one of four players who would go onto represent Australia and New South Wales, the others being Les Boyd, Ian Schubert and Craig Young. Schubert and Young both went onto play over 200 first grade games, as did Brian Hetherington, who also represented the Blues in State of Origin.

Hetherington would later coach the Schoolboys from 1996 to 1997, as did Rod Patison, who coached them from 2003 to 2004.

1972 Australian Schoolboys
Royce Ayliffe (Keira High School, Wollongong – captain)
Chris Barugh (Balcatta High School, Perth)
Trevor Binskin (Gosford High School)
Les Boyd (Nyngan High School)
Ian Bridge (Wyong High School)
John Cook (Maitland Boys High School)
Warwick Dean (Cowra High School)
Robert Finch (Maitland Boys High School)
Stephen Fishenden (Tamworth High School)
Anthony Graham (Cronulla High School)
Brian Hetherington (Figtree High School)
Gary Hollis (Tamworth High School)
Jack Jeffries (Keira High School, Wollongong)
Rodney Jones (Kogarah High School)
William Lott (Gundagai High School)
Barrie Maher (Harry Kendall High School, Gosford)
Malcolm Mercer (Gunnedah High School)
David Mooney (Condell Park High School)
Rod Patison (Bulli High School)
Peter Priddle (Bomaderry High School)
Graeme Prior (Berkeley High School)
Herb Rauter (Queanbeyan High School)
Keith Rugg (Dapto High School)
Ian Schubert (Wauchope High School)
David Tassell (Kempsey High School)
Barry Taylor (Bass High School)
Warwick Tidbury (Cessnock High School)
Michael Turner (Condobolin High School)
Geoff Williams (Condobolin High School)
Craig Young (Corrimal High School)

Coach: Roy Masters (Tamworth High School)
Tour Manager: Sam Davey (Keira Boys High School, Wollongong)
Team Manager: Ron Smith (Bulli High School)

1972–73 Tour of England
v East Lancashire, won 30–0
v South Lancashire, won 18–2
v Lancashire, won 28–2
v England, won 27–2
v Cumberland, won 26–2
v Barrow, won 56–0
v Cumbria, won 40–0
v Castleford, won 37–2
v England, won 30–0
v Yorkshire, won 28–0
v Leeds & Hull, won 36–4
v England, 46–3