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Four more sign with Brumbies Rugby
It’s still more than six months until the first kick-off of the 2012 Super Rugby season, but CA Technologies Brumbies Head Coach Jake White has finalised his squad with the acquisition of four new players on Friday.
Tom Cox (wing), Zac Holmes (utility back), Tevita Kuridrani (outside backs) and Leon Power (lock) have all committed to contracts with the CA Technologies Brumbies for the next two seasons.
Cox, Holmes and Kuridrani all impressed CA Technologies Brumbies coaching staff at the team’s most recent training camp in Narrabeen. Cox and Kuridrani will move from Queensland where they represent the University of Queensland while Holmes has been impressive for Northern Suburbs in Sydney’s Shute Shield.
Kuridrani has previously represented Australia at Sevens after moving to Queensland from his native Fiji. A strong, robust ball barrier with good vision and rugby skills, Kuridrani will be used to make ground over the advantage line and combine with the likes of Matt Toomua and Christian Lealiifano.
A former member of the Reds Academy, Kuridrani is the third player to come to Canberra from the Reds for the 2012 Super Rugby season with Ian Prior and Kimami Sitauti.
Holmes is another product of the Australian Sevens program having grown up playing rugby in Perth. Now perfecting his trade as a Shoreman with fellow Brumby Cam Crawford, Holmes’ diversity as a player will allow Brumbies Rugby coaching staff to use him at flyhalf, fullback or even on the wing.
A stocky play-maker with thick set legs and strong upper body, Holmes elusive ball carries complement his quality kicking game – both long and short – as well as his ability to kick for goal.
Cox has been picked from the Queensland competition after displaying blistering pace at the Brumbies Rugby camp at Narrabeen. Suited to the outside backs, Cox has made huge steps in his game despite being relatively new to rugby after switching from AFL.
Backs Coach Stephen Larkham spoke highly of all three new backs following their signings on Friday.
“Zac Holmes is a skilful player out of Norths in Sydney. He is currently Norths’ goal kicker and an accurate field kicker,” Larkham said.
“Being the third quickest in recent squad testing means he will cover a number of positions for us next year, including five-eighth, wing and fullback.
“Tom Cox is a raw talent coming to us from Queensland University in the Brisbane comp.
“He is out and out speed having recently tested fasted in our 40m speed test with a time which would put him as one of the quickest men in Australian rugby.
“He is relatively new to rugby, but listens well and is keen to learn and has a huge potential in the game. Tom will predominantly play on the wing for us next year.
“Tevita Kuridrani also comes from the University of Queensland. Tevita is big and fast, has a natural understanding of the game and has a good passing game.
“He will play anywhere from 12 out as he again has great versatility like the rest of our backline.”
Power has been a star performer for Bay of Plenty in New Zealand’s ITM Cup this season. His team, which currently sits first on the ladder, has been blessed with the 2.01m tall giant in the lineout in 2011 after arriving at the Bay Of Plenty from Taranaki at the start of this season.
Despite spending the majority of his life and playing days in New Zealand, Power was born in Sydney and will not play under the ARU’s foreign marquee player rule.
CA Technologies Brumbies Forwards Coach Laurie Fisher was pleased with the signing of Power and said he was a good fit for where the team was headed in 2012.
“Leon is a big man with a good combination of game and grunt,” Fisher said.
“He has been well schooled in the tough New Zealand rugby environment and we will be expecting him to bring a hard, uncompromising edge to our play.”
Tom Cox
POS: Wing
DOB: 4/10/1988
H/W: 1.86m, 87kg
Club: University of Queensland
Zac Holmes
POS: Flyhalf, fullback, wing
DOB: 30/5/1990
H/W: 1.8m, 87kg
Club: Northern Suburbs, Sydney
Tevita Kuridrani
POS: Outside backs
DOB: 31/3/1991
H/W: 1.89m, 101kg
Club: University of Queensland
Leon Power
POS: Lock
DOB: 27/2/1986
H/W: 2.01m, 117kg
Club: Bay of Plenty Steamers
Another WA player vanishes East - how many more before the Force realise that there is local talent capable of playing at the next level.
Good luck Zac and hope to see you back here in a couple of years.
Congrats to Zack...
Mmmm. It is a shame he isn't playing for the Force but I suppose at least we should be positive that we are producing some good players. I'm sure he'll be back soon- it wouldn't take long for him to realise that the Brumbies are bogans.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
He has only shown his worth once on the east. West needs to shown players on the west in a quality comp... however its a promising sign, if i one can be produced west so can many more...
I'm happy enough with that - means the West can similarly take the credit for players like O'Connor, Pocock, Charles, Hodgson, etc...
Like James, I don't particularly care whether WA players come through professionally here or elsewhere. At their age I wanted to travel too - the only important thing is that players from here have fair opportunity and options.
Good luck Zack
JW is going to have his work cut out for him next year with a Shute Shield Squad in the big league!
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
I'd say it's a similar approach employed by the Force earlier this year, QLD and NSW rely moreso on there academies to develop players, force and brumbies rely on the shute shield/qld premier grades to develop theirs,".
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Your dead right there, it will be interesting to see how fast they can get these guys to step up. It could take a few seasons like the Reds. Without doubt it will be a massive task. Thankfully Jake White has already started training to shorten the time.
I always like seeing new blood get a run.
New Blood and Old Victors…![]()
problem for the brumbies will be developing a core group of players to build the team around, Moore is obviously a key piece, but they still need to settle on the 9-10-15 combo which is crucially important, theyl make some progress in 2012 but i think 2013 before we see them make a finals push.
TOCC, agree big steps for the Brumbies in 2012 and hopefully semis return in 2013... I'll enjoy watching them grow as a team... You have an abundance of talent in QLD, not for the first time the Brumbies have been lucky to sign of few of these talented lads.
Nathan Charles is a Brumbies academy player...
... and JOC and Pocock the force signed from schoolboys... Hodgo I have no idea where you found him... but as a late comer his has done well at S14-15... don't take credit for what the force didn't produce... Furthermore didn't the force sack JOC its star player?
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Last edited by mudskipper; 06-08-11 at 20:04.
Sort of going double standards there now Mudguts...
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.