O'Connor is in Canberra this week to cast an eye over the country's best at the Australian schoolboys championships.

''This is one of the most important rugby carnivals in Australia,'' the former dual-international said.

''If they are a stand-out player they can be contracted straight out of high school.''

And that scenario has been played out more often than usual this year with teenagers Matt Toomua and Afusipa Taumoepeau turning out for the ACT Brumbies, James O'Connor for the Western Force and centre Rob Horne for the Waratahs.

The youngsters know all that, having been told before the titles to expect cheque-book wielding scouts waiting for stand-out players.

''There's no doubt that the standard of athlete at schoolboy level has a higher fitness level, better physical preparation and skill level than in previous years,'' O'Connor said.

''There are Super 14 scouts here from every club and they are now contracting the kids straight out of school which they were never doing before. This is a great acid test. We can see that all our support is paying off.''

After success with recruits Toomua, Taumoepeau and Brent Hamlin, the Brumbies hope to find more talent at the tournament.

ACT forwards coach Owen Finegan was the spotter yesterday and will be joined today by incoming head coach Andy Friend, who arrived in Canberra last night.

Finegan believed the next few days would go a long way to determining future prospects for a lot of the players.

''If you look at years gone by there have generally been players to come out of these championships who have gone on to much bigger and better things,'' he said.

''We'll certainly be on the lookout again this year as we continue to look toward the future of the Brumbies.''

ACT winger Anthony Crowe put his hand up yesterday, helping his team to a thrilling come-from-behind 25-16 win over Combined States (Victoria, WA, Tasmania and the Northern Territory).

ACT trailed by a point before the St Edmund's College student single-handedly sealed the match with a brilliant try with 10 seconds left.

After kicking a penalty goal to put his team in the lead, Crowe fielded the restart, chipped ahead three times and scored beside the posts.

Also yesterday NSW 1 beat Queensland 2 25-10 while Queensland 1 beat NSW 2 22-10.

Meanwhile, three Canberrans have been named in the Wallaroos team for a two-Test series against New Zealand in October. Lindsay Morgan, Kim Wilson and Sharni Williams were named in a 35-woman squad for the Canberra Tests.

TODAY

Australian Schoolboys Championships: NSW 1 v NSW 2, 12pm; Queensland 2 v Combined States (Pool A), 1.30pm; Queensland 1 v ACT (Pool B), 3pm. All matches to be played at Viking Park.