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Richard Cockerill confirms deals for Worcester's Jono Lance and a Championship midfielder
Edinburgh have confirmed the signings of and Australian duo – stand-off Jono Lance from Worcester Warriors and Matt Gordon of London Scottish – for next season. A Super Rugby winner with both the Queensland Reds and New South Wales Waratahs, the 29-year-old has a wealth of experience at the top level, providing invaluable cover at both stand-off and fullback.
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Having joined the Warriors in late 2017, Lance has since made 30 appearances at Sixways, scoring 82 points in that period. Lance said: “To get the chance to come to a club that has become one of the strongest in the Guinness PRO14 and to hopefully play Champions Cup rugby was an opportunity I couldn’t refuse.
“The style of rugby Edinburgh have been playing is something that excites me and to have coaches who feel that you can be a big part of developing that brand of rugby was something I wanted to be a massive part of. My partner and I did a big drive through Scotland as a holiday and loved all of it.
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“And Edinburgh is one of the greatest cities in the world, so to have the chance to play rugby there really is amazing. After chatting to some players and meeting the coaches to hear their vision for the club in the near future and long term, it’s clear that there are exciting times ahead for Edinburgh Rugby.”
Coach Richard Cockerill added: “Jono is a very experienced playmaker that fits the mould of both the type of rugby player and person that we want at this club. He’s a good character that works hard for his teammates. We believe that his skill set is well suited to the style of rugby we want to implement at Edinburgh. We’re delighted with the signing and look forward to working with Jono next season.”
'I unfortunately have had a few injuries, but this one was the weird' Jono Lance gives a candid insight into life on the sidelines ? https://t.co/kSOGos7l13
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 1, 2019
Born in Canberra, Lance made his Super Rugby debut for the Reds in 2011, a season in which the Queensland club claimed their first-ever Super Rugby title. Playing alongside Australian internationals Quade Cooper, Will Genia and Digby Ioane, the stand-off made 21 appearances in three seasons at Suncorp Stadium before joining the Waratahs in 2014.
Lance tasted instant success once again with his new club as the Waratahs beat the Crusaders 33-32 in a pulsating Super Rugby final to claim their first-ever Championship. Following the axing of the Western Force – whom the stand-off joined in 2016 – from the Super Rugby competition from 2018 onwards, Lance signed a short-term deal with English Premiership side Worcester Warriors.
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The stand-off featured from the get-go, landing 26 points from the tee and establishing himself as a first-team regular in his first eight games for the club. Lance now makes the move north to the Scottish capital after two and a half seasons at the English Premiership club.
Edinburgh also confirmed the signing of Australian centre Gordon. The 25-year-old joins from English Championship side London Scottish. “I’m delighted to have signed for Edinburgh. They’ve put together a great squad over the last few seasons and are really starting to make their mark in both the Guinness PRO14 and European competitions.
“They have very good basics and play an attractive brand of rugby. I was hugely impressed by the facilities as well as their aspirations and ambitions as a club. They consistently want to be competing at the top end of the game and that’s where every professional player wants to be.”
