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Wow!!
Nick Taylor
The West Australian
Monday, 13 July 2020 4:26PM
Western Force international signings keep rolling in with New Zealand World Cup winner Richard Kahui the latest to sign on for the new Super Rugby season.
Kahui made 17 All Blacks appearances including the victorious 2011 World Cup final, his last appearance for New Zealand in a career blighted by injury.
One of his most famous moments came in the semifinal of the tournament, with a crunching textbook tackle on Wallabies fly-half Quade Cooper. He scored the first of 10 All Blacks tries on debut against England from the wing where he played much of career, but now plays in midfield.
Kahui, pictured, lives on the Gold Coast with his family, moving back after the coronavirus crisis shut down the Japanese competition where he has been playing for Toshiba Brave Lupus.
He joined his new teammates at their Hunter Valley hub yesterday ahead of Friday’s clash with the unbeaten Reds at Suncorp Stadium.
Former Wallaby, Force captain and now Global Rapid Rugby director of rugby Matt Hodgson said Kahui’s experience and knowledge would be invaluable.
“To bring someone like him into he squad is exciting. He’s someone who has been there, done it,” Hodgson said.
“After one day you can see why he is a world class player and what he is going to add to the group on-field and from Monday to Friday ... the one percenters.”
Kahui played Super Rugby for the Highlanders and helped the Chiefs to the 2012 title.
In recent weeks the Force have added Wallabies props Pek Cowan and Greg Holmes and backs Nick Frisby, Kyle Godwin and Jono Lance.
The Reds struggled in the past six seasons of Super Rugby but scrum-half Tate McDermott senses a change.
“For far too long we’ve let our fans down. We’ve still got a bit of redemption to go but we’re finally giving them something to cheer about, I hope,” McDermott said. He said they were learning how to win close games, although they could not get across the line in Friday’s 18-all draw with the Rebels.
Fighting back from 10 points down to force the game into golden point time showed the side’s spirit, he said.
“It was ugly there for a while,” he said.