St Kevin’s College graduate Matthew Doyle has been announced as the winner of the University of Melbourne’s Rugby Young Achiever Award for the 2026 academic year.
Doyle was vice captain of St Kevin’s 1st XV in his final year at the college and scored the last minute try that decided the 2025 Victorian Schools Rugby Union Championship against Brighton Grammar.
He was appointed an Officer of his College in 2025 and has received an Omnia Award, a Principal’s Study Award and an Honour Pocket for Rugby.
Oliver Holbourne, from University High School, was selected as the Peter Hone Rugby Scholarship recipient in the same process.
Hailing from a high school which is not actively involved in the sport, Holbourne played club rugby on top of his school commitments and was captain of the University High mathematics team.
The Melbourne University award is modelled on the traits of character that the famous war veteran, Melbourne alumnus and Wallaby Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop exhibited: leadership, academic endeavour and sporting excellence.
The Rugby Young Achiever Selection Committee Chair Rod Warnecke said that this year’s finalists were all very impressive young men, and that deciding on the Rugby Young Achiever continues to be a very difficult decision.
“Each of the finalists had strong applications and the advisory group really enjoyed learning some more about their academic and rugby aspirations as part of the interview process”, said Mr. Warnecke.
“Matthew and Oliver’s applications together, with their interviews, placed them at the top of the group when looking at their academics, rugby and leadership”.
Matthew commenced his Bachelor of Science at the University this year and Oliver opted to pursue his Bachelor of Commerce studies with Melbourne’s Faculty of Business and Economics.
Both scholarship recipients are playing with the Melbourne University Rugby Football Club in Rugby Victoria’s Bolton Cup Colts competition this year. They will enjoy full support from the University’s Elite Athlete Program and separate scholarship awards of $5,000 and $1,500 respectively from the Peter Hone Scholarship Trust.
Doyle is the sixth winner of the award from St Kevin’s and joins a celebrated list that includes current Australian Women’s forward Tiarah Minns (Williamstown High School) and international stars Sione Tuipulotu (St Kevin’s College) and Harry Potter (Brighton Grammar).