Rugby: Australian schoolboys representative snubs Waratahs for Crusaders

Crusaders team in the change room after they were crowned the 2017 Super Rugby champions. Getty Images.

Australian schoolboys representative Nick Frost has snubbed interest from his hometown Waratahs to sign a deal with the Crusaders.

Frost is son of Australian Rugby Union staff member Steve Frost who formerly had a role as recruitment manager.

According to reports from Fox Sports, Frost had met with the Waratahs including head coach Daryl Gibson and general manager Tim Rapp, but ultimately decided to go with the Crusaders.

Frost will join fellow Australians Digby Ioane, Mike Alaalatoa and Pete Samu at the Christchurch club.

Steve Frost said signing with the Crusaders provides the best opportunity for his son to develop.

"He just wants to be the best he can be and that experience over there (at the Crusaders) is the best opportunity to develop on and off the field, to be the best he can be over the next two to three years," Steve Frost told Fox Sports.

"He's going to probably the No 1 rugby franchise, plus club, in the world with a proven track record of developing players to reach the highest potential.

"I don't think we would have got the same opportunity to develop at this point in time in Australia."

Frost is unlikely to feature for the Crusaders anytime soon given the club's depth at lock, but will certainly benefit from learning under All Blacks locking trio Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett and Luke Romano.

The young lock was a member of the Australian schoolboys side beaten by their New Zealand counterparts in a 34-11 loss last weekend.

Frost's decision to jump ship across the Tasman is another blow for Australian rugby. It follows the resignation of ARU CEO Bill Pulver, the loss of the Western Force under the Super Rugby restructure, and another disappointing year for the Wallabies.