![Mitch Watts (left) with his mum and dad, Debra and Stuart, and his elder brother, Nathan. Photo: Facebook Mitch Watts (left) with his mum and dad, Debra and Stuart, and his elder brother, Nathan. Photo: Facebook](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/f82135e5-5501-495d-8dc4-3aec4f49ee92.jpg/r0_0_671_671_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
As usual, it was Stuart Watts's work as his youngest son's unofficial one-man PR agency that facilitated this update on one of Australia's most promising rugby player.
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Two years after relocating from Tamworth to Sydney, Mitch Watts is being propelled by a rugby career in hyperdrive and an elite education that will round him off very nicely.
Fresh from a pre-season with the Western Force, whom he has signed with until 2025, and coming off a breakthrough year in which he made his Junior Wallabies debut with aplomb, the 20-year-old is set to notch another major milestone.
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At Pittwater Rugby Park in Sydney on Saturday afternoon, the Calrossy alumnus will make his first-grade debut when he wears the No 8 for Randwick in a round one clash against Warringah. He sat on the bench for Randwick in a finals clash last season, but did not play.
"It's always an honour putting on the myrtle green and representing the Galloping Greens," said the former Tamworth Magpie, who played colts for the storied club the past two seasons.
The Western Force have obviously also shown faith in Watts, who has joined fellow Tamworth export Bo Abra at the Perth-based club. It is Watts's first Super Rugby contract.
He plans to return to Perth in October and launch an all-out bid to crack the Force's Super squad.
![Watts goes for a gallop for the Galloping Greens. Picture supplied Watts goes for a gallop for the Galloping Greens. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/975fd1b6-1908-4a50-8e48-2c8e839e8355.jpg/r0_0_1563_1089_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
By early next year at the latest, Watts expects to have completed his commerce degree (majoring in finance and international business) at the University of New South Wales.
"That's the plan at the moment: get those studies over and done with, and then I can go full focus on footy for a couple of years, which would be good," he said.
"And I can always have that backing [of a degree] if things don't work out [with footy]."
Watts received a St Hilliers Scholarship to assist with his studies. The scholarship program - an arrangement between Randwick and UNSW - is awarded to a select few Randwick players.
![Watts (in the headgear) plays for the Force. Fellow Tamworth export Bo Abra is the Force's prop. Picture suppled Watts (in the headgear) plays for the Force. Fellow Tamworth export Bo Abra is the Force's prop. Picture suppled](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/135a09c1-ae54-472e-844c-de19a2522d5c.jpg/r0_0_2048_1461_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Watts said his degree was "full on" - "especially at UNSW; there's a few smarter buggers than me".
"But anyway," he added, "they keep me on my toes, which is good - always pushing me to think outside the box. But I enjoy it."
Stuart Watts said that what his boy lacked in natural talent he made up for in heart.
From age 15, Watts had been "laser focused on being the best he can be", Stuart said.
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