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The Queensland Reds have announced their squad for the 2018 Super Rugby season, which includes a number of young homegrown signings – notably five in the forward pack.
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Prop Harry Hoopert, young locks Angus Blyth and Harry Hockings, back rowers Angus Scott-Young and Liam Wright, flyhalf Hamish Stewart and scrumhalf Tate McDermott complete the youth movement.
Overall, the 2018 Reds squad features 10 new signings, seven of which have been selected from Queensland Country following their grand final win in the National Rugby Championship, including NRC leading try scorer Filipo Daugunu.
Heading to Ballymore for the first time will be former Brumbies and Stormers prop JP Smith, along with NSW Country Eagles hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa.
Six players have been re-signed ahead of the 2018 season, including recent Wallabies debutant Karmichael Hunt, as well as Queensland Country standouts Caleb Timu, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Duncan Paia’aua, Izaia Perese and Eto Nabuli, who was also the Reds leading try scorer in 2017.
Twenty players have been retained from the 2017 squad, including Wallabies Lukhan Tui, Izack Rodda, Samu Kerevi, James Slipper, George Smith, Scott Higginbotham and Taniela Tupou.
New head coach Brad Thorn said “We’ve managed to keep a fairly consistent squad for 2018, but we’ve also rewarded a lot of new players for their hunger and hard work throughout the 2017 season. I’m pleased to see them get their opportunity to be part of the Reds squad.
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“It’s good to be back at Ballymore and into the thick of pre-season. We’ve got a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we’re excited by the challenge. Everyone you’ll see in Reds colours in 2018 will have worked extremely hard to get there.”
