The Eagles' Andrew Kellaway has sliced and diced two NRC defences to date © ARU

Enlarge

Andrew Kellaway is confident he can have an impact for New South Wales Waratahs in Super Rugby next season; after two brilliant displays for New South Wales Country Eagles in the National Rugby Championship (NRC) this season, plenty of pundits are also confident his star can rise further.

Kellaway, 19, has scored four tries for the Eagles to sit atop the try-scoring list for the competition. He is enjoying his time in the NRC, and hopes a Waratahs start is just around the corner.

Andrew Kellaway was one of the stars of the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship in New Zealand © Getty Images

Enlarge

"It's been terrific so far and great to test myself against some of these guys," Kellaway told ESPN. "I'd love to start playing with [the Waratahs] and I think the standard of the NRC has already proven it's at a high enough level. We'll leave those decisions up to Michael Cheika."

Despite his prolific start to the season, Kellaway has noticed a significant increase in physicality from Shute Shield and junior rugby.

"I'm working hard to make sure I can compete with that standard of physicality and play at a high level."

Kelleway impressed earlier in the year, when he tied the record for most tries scored in an IRB Junior World Championship match - finding his way over the try-line an astonishing four times against Samoa.

His serial try-scoring ability has seen him billed as Australia's finest talent since Kurtley Beale, and Kellaway admits the Wallabies star has played a major role in his development.

"You're always watching the best when you're younger, and two players that I've really tried to model my game on are Adam Ashley-Cooper and Kurtley Beale. They are not only brilliant players but just ultra-professional in the way they go about everything."

Kellaway's ability to play in multiple positions adds to his potency in the backline. He has spent the majority of his juniors playing at fullback, but "I probably prefer to play outside centre".

"Perhaps I can give a little more there," Kellaway told ESPN. "But at the moment I'm just happy to be playing anywhere."

NSW Country Eagles play North Harbour Rays at Brookvale Oval on Thursday in round three of the NRC.