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Veteran centre Tevita Kuridrani has signed with Western Force, with the Brumbies Super Rugby AU champion looking to freshen up his career after nine years in Canberra.
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The 29-year-old has signed a one-year deal with the Perth team, where he will reunite with Kyle Godwin in a formidable centre combination.
Kuridrani, who has played 61 Tests over the past seven years, was a surprise omission from Dave Rennie’s new-look Wallabies squad for the upcoming Bledisloe Cup series and Rugby Championship.
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He started at outside centre for the Brumbies in their grand final victory over Queensland on Saturday night, bringing to a close his 135-game career in Canberra which began in 2012.
Kuridrani says he’s excited to begin a new chapter in his career at the Force.
“While I’m sad to be leaving the club, I feel the time is right for me in my career to have a fresh challenge and I’m excited for my new opportunity with the Western Force,” Kuridrani said in a statement.
“I played with Kyle Godwin at the Brumbies, so I’m looking forward to playing alongside him again.”
Force coach Tim Sampson said he’d been a fan of Kuridrani since his junior days playing in Queensland.
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“We are delighted to have secured a player of his calibre for next season,” Sampson said.
“I remember watching him when he first came onto the scene as a youngster in Brisbane and suspected then he was a player who was going to go all the way.”
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar also paid tribute to Kuridrani, who he said had been a rock in the No.13 jersey.
They have a ready-made replacement in Solomone Kata.
“He’s been a great servant for the club over the years, all the way to end where he was one of our best against the Reds on Saturday night,” McKellar said.
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“It’s always tough to see a guy who’s contributed so much to the club leave but it’s probably the right time for Tevita to have a fresh start and we wish him all the best for the future.”
