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Queensland Rugby has secured Australian Under 20 and Australian Sevens scrumhalf Richard Kingi on a QAS Reds Academy contract for 2010.
Kingi was drafted into the QR Reds squad in 2009 after a spate of late season injuries, making his Reds debut off the bench against the Crusaders in Christchurch and also getting on against the Hurricanes in the final round.
The former Queensland Under 19 represented Australia in the 2008 and 2009 iRB Under 20 Junior World Championships and was shortlisted as one of four contenders for iRB player of the Tournament at the 2009 event in Japan last June.
The quietly spoken 20-year old, who hails from Tauranga in New Zealand, said it had been his goal to secure a contract with Queensland in 2010 and making his debut for the Reds in 2009 had been an unexpected bonus.
Reds General Manager Daniel Herbert said Kingi would be the third contracted scrumhalf in the Reds' system, along with Wallaby No 9 Will Genia and the highly talented Ben Lucas.
"Having Richard in the mix gives us real depth. While the Reds are already blessed with two of the best halves in Australian rugby, our experience during 2009 showed that depth is vital in this crucial position," Herbert said.
Kingi made his Australian Sevens debut during 2008/2009 IRB Sevens World Series and is highly rated by Australian Sevens coach Michael O'Connor.
"He's got all the skills; he kicks goals, he's good at kick restarts, he's good at one-on-one evasion, beating a man - he's a very sharp stepper - and he's probably one of the best low tacklers I've seen in a long time. He's absolutely ferocious when it comes to taking players down around the ankles," he said.
O'Connor said Kingi still had work to do in developing his game, but his progress in the 12 months he'd been part of the Sevens program showed he was a fast learner with the right attitude.
"He's still got a long way to go, but he's come a long way in 12 months and, boy, he brings some things to the table. What he's got is what a lot of other players don't have - that individual brilliance and ability to beat a man. I think he's a good prospect."
Kingi is in the Brisbane City squad to play the Hutchinson Builders Queensland Country Heelers at Ballymore at 3pm on Saturday, September 26, in the big city-country carnival day that's part of the QRU's Festival of Rugby.
http://qru.com.au/library/news/2009/...eal,69830.html
---------- Post added at 17:41 ---------- Previous post was at 17:39 ----------
I was suprised the Force didnt try and chase Kingi for 2010, but its good that he signed with the Reds, he has shown a lot of promise, and getting nominated as U20 player of the year is no small task.
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Originally Posted by TOCC
