Norths player to tour South Africa | Ipswich Rugby League | NRL Rugby in Ipswich

Norths fullback Jarrod Biggs has been selected to represent the Australian Universities rugby league team when it tours South Africa next month.

Sarah Harvey

WHEN opportunity came knocking Ipswich Rugby League star Jarrod Biggs grabbed it, with a little help from his friends.

The Norths fullback is preparing to represent the Australian Universities rugby league team when it tours South Africa next month.

Biggs received a late call up when a couple of the original selections were ruled out with injury.

That came after he played 35 minutes at fullback off the bench in Queensland Universities' win over their NSW counterparts at Suncorp Stadium in April.

Speaking to Biggs it soon becomes apparent he is not going to blow his own trumpet.

“I didn't do anything special,” he said of his performance.

Yet if he performed anything like he has done for Norths in the Ipswich Rugby League this season then his call up is certainly justified.

Biggs scored the try of the year in the round 11 match against Fassifern, making a break, taking a return pass then chipping and chasing to score.

Despite that he rated his performance as poor, and describes his form this season as “up and down”.

So it can be taken with a grain of salt when he says he didn't do much in his time on the field against NSW Universities.

“The Queensland coach rang me a couple of weeks ago and said there was a centre and five-eighth out,” he said.

It probably didn't hurt that that coach was former Ipswich Diggers coach Paul Srama.

Biggs has little idea of what to expect in South Africa, where they will play three matches in two weeks.

“It is hard to tell,” the Raceview 22-year-old said.

“We are playing their national side but they didn't qualify for the World Cup.

“They should still be fairly decent and are renowned for their big fellas.”

The former Ipswich Jet compared the interstate universities game to a tough FOGS Cup match.

Biggs was a regular on the wing for the Jets Queensland Cup team in 2006 and 2007 but doesn't think he can get back there, so the opportunity to represent Australia at university level was too good to pass up.

It came at a cost however, with Biggs expected to fund his own trip.

Fortunately he has had some help from the sponsors at his close-knit Norths club.

“We don't really have a lot to show compared to other clubs in terms of a big club house and facilities,” Biggs said of his second home at North Ipswich.

“But we have the people who stick together and help each other out.”