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The QR Reds have confirmed that Wallaby scrumhalf Will Genia has completed his contractual negotiations with the ARU and Queensland by re-signing for another two years.
The 21 year old, who made his Australian debut this year and who is about to leave for Japan and Europe as the current holder of the No 9 Wallaby jersey, said there was never any doubt that he would re-sign with the Reds once all the details were worked out.
"I grew up in Queensland watching the Reds, so to have had the opportunity and the honour to play for them was definitely exciting. I'm very passionate about playing for Queensland and hopefully I will for a long time to come," Genia said.
"They were the ones who gave me my first opportunity, who gave me a real chance of playing Super 14. I'm grateful for that and always will be," he said.
PNG-born Genia was picked straight out of colts to join the Reds for an end of season match against Japan in 2006 and made his Investec Super 14 debut in 2007, still never having played an open grade game in club rugby.
After a solid first year he built on that in 2008 and was rewarded with a place in the iRB Junior World Cup in Wales, where he was the first choice scrumhalf for the Australian U20 side and was voted Man of the Match against England, despite being on the losing side.
A hand injury brought a premature end to his 2009 S14 season but Wallaby Coach Robbie Deans remembered the form Genia had shown before then and selected him for the Wallaby squad as soon as he was fit enough to play.
He made his Test debut in Auckland in a brief cameo against the All Blacks but showed enough to confirm his readiness for Test rugby. He made his run-on debut in the Wallaby No 9 jersey in Australia's win over South Africa at Suncorp Stadium in 2009 and held his place for the final test of the Tri-Nations series.
QR Reds Head Coach Ewen McKenzie said scrumhalf was a crucial position in any side and the Reds were delighted to re-sign the current Wallaby No 9 for a further two years.
“This Wallaby tour will be great for Will and is a fitting reward for the hard work he’s obviously put in on his game. We look forward to the contribution he and Queensland’s other Wallabies will make to our campaign in 2010, with the benefit of that extra international experience.”
Good news for the Q'ld lads...
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