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Northampton sign Wallaby back row Josh Kemeny
By Ian Cameron
Northampton Saints have today confirmed the signing of Australian back row Josh Kemeny from Melbourne Rebels for the 2024/25 season.
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Standing at 6’4” and weighing 110kg Kemeny has become a key player with 27 Super Rugby appearances for the Rebels since his debut in 2020.
Known for his mobility and strength as a ball carrier he played in 12 matches last season amassing impressive stats with 68 carries 306 metres and 109 tackles. His rugby journey started at Cranbrook School in Sydney leading to national representation at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship and success with Sydney University in the Shute Shield.
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After a promising start including a Wallabies debut against Argentina in 2023 and participation in the Rugby World Cup Kemeny is set to embark on a new chapter in European rugby with the Saints aiming to further his growth in the competitive environment of the Gallagher Premiership.
“The success that Northampton Saints have had in developing their players was definitely what made this move to England so appealing for me at this stage of my career,” he said. “Also, the club is really trending in the right direction, putting in some fantastic performances in the Premiership and in Europe. Ultimately I want to be part of a team which is successful, and play my part in helping that success, and I believe Northampton is the place to do it.
“The conversations I have had with Saints’ coaches and people associated with the Club have been incredibly positive and really shown that it is a top-class operation – when you hear such good things about the town, the supporters, the group of players and so on, it really paints a great picture of Northampton.
“The quality and different styles of rugby in the Premiership and in Europe, and the pressure for performance that is put on you in those different competitions, is something that I really wanted to challenge myself in and I’m excited to experience that next season.”
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Kemeny was selected by Australia as a ‘utility player’ at the 2023 Rugby World Cup – covering ‘seven, six and the wing’ – a testament to his athletic abilities.
Northampton Saints’ Director of Rugby, Phil Dowson said: “From watching Josh play, the thing that impressed us the most was his athleticism. He’s powerful, big and fast, he’s a solid lineout option, and crucially we can see a huge potential for growth in his game.
“Those are all traits that are obviously very helpful in rugby, but he’s also got the desire to get stuck in – his work rate is clear to see.
“Then, when we began our conversations with him, his ambition clearly stood out as well. He has a huge desire to get better as a player, which is what we always look for here at Saints, and he was passionate about the idea of challenging himself over here in the Premiership, in what can be a pretty brutal league.
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“When you’re recruiting, the ideal recipe is someone who is physical and can play the game, but also someone who wants to push themselves, try new things, and get better. We believe we have found all of that in Josh, so we’re really excited to see what he can do in a Saints shirt next season.”
Good signing for Northampton, but I really hope it doesn’t block Henry Pollock’s development!
I was hoping that Pollock would be first choice for saints next season, but he’ll struggle to get in ahead of Pearson, Graham, Augustus, Scott-Young, & Kemeny, particularly if they persist in selecting a big six (I think I’m right in saying that when Lawes is absent they generally go with Alex Coles?)
As a tall athletic line-out option blindside, I think he looks much more like a Lawes replacement than a Ludlum replacement. I suspect Lawes will be off to France & Pollock will fill the gap left by Ludlum & share the 7 shirt with Pearson.
That’s my guess. We’ll find out soon enough !