Turner now a long term Waratah
Turner now a long term Waratah
December 6, 2007 - 9:59AM
Australian Super 14 rookie of the year Lachie Turner on Thursday pledged his allegiance to the NSW Waratahs for another three years after considering a possible move to the Brumbies.
Speedy Turner, 20, was already signed up for 2008, but will now be contracted to NSW until the end of the 2011 campaign.
Turner, who can play at wing or fullback, said he didn't want the distraction of protracted and public contract negotiations which had affected other players, including fellow Waratahs winger Lote Tuqiri.
"The contract process wasn't something that I wanted hanging over me for a long time, I saw how it affected some other people," Turner said.
"I just wanted to do it quietly and in my own time and get it out of the way, so I'm very happy to do that."
Turner said as recently as 12 months ago he would never had dreamt of signing a long term contract, but always wanted to play for the Waratahs despite interest from the Brumbies.
"It was a tough choice, I've got a lot of friends down at the Brumbies and I went down to visit them last week and they were sort of pulling the heart strings down there," Turner said.
"But in the end it came down to I just wanted to be a Waratah. I've grown up wanting to be one and this year has been the most amazing year of my life."
Turner said among the Brumbies who were trying to entice him to the national capital were halfback Josh Holmes, who he has known since the age of 15 and has moved across from NSW for next season.
He downplayed talk of representing the Wallabies next year, but NSW coach Ewen McKenzie said he had no doubt Turner would play Test football.
Turner was excited at the prospect of playing in an NSW backline including fellow flyer Tuqiri, league convert Timana Tahu and exciting young five-eighth Kurtley Beale.
"This backline is potentially one of the best in the Super 14 comp and I'm really excited about being a part of that."
AAP
