Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Former Stormers prop JP Smith has been included in the Reds’ squad for the 2018 Super Rugby season.
The Reds squad features 10 new signings, seven of which have been selected from Queensland Country following their grand final win in the National Rugby Championship, including Wallabies development player Liam Wright and NRC leading try-scorer Filipo Daugunu.
The 27-year-old Smith, a former Stormers and Brumbies prop, will head to Queensland for the first time, along with NSW Country Eagles hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa.
A number of players have also been promoted from within the Reds structures, including young locks Angus Blyth and Harry Hockings, back rower Angus Scott-Young, flyhalf Hamish Stewart and scrumhalf Tate McDermott. In total, 83% of the 2018 squad have emerged from Queensland pathway programmes.
Six players have been re-signed ahead of the 2018 season, including recent Wallabies debutant Karmichael Hunt, as well as Queensland Country standouts Caleb Timu, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Duncan Paia’aua, Izaia Perese and Eto Nabuli, who was also the Reds’ leading try scorer in 2017.
Twenty players have been retained from the 2017 squad, including Wallabies Lukhan Tui, Izack Rodda, Samu Kerevi, James Slipper, George Smith, Scott Higginbotham and Taniela Tupou.
Former All Blacks and Reds lock Brad Thorn will be the new head coach, while former Queensland and Wallabies winger Paul Carozza will be an assistant coach.
Carozza has spent the last 15 years in various coaching roles at Queensland, most recently as assistant coach with 2017 National Rugby Championship winners Bond University Queensland Country and the undefeated Queensland U20s.
Former Melbourne Rebels head coach, Tony McGahan, will be the other assistant coach.
Reds squad for 2018 Super Rugby:
Forwards
Sef Fa’agase, Harry Hooper, James Slipper, JP Smith, Taniela Tupou, Markus Vanzati, Alex Mafi, Andrew Ready, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Angus Blyth, Kane Douglas, Harry Hockings, Izack Rodda, Lukhan Tui, Michael Gunn, Reece Hewat, Scott Higginbotham, Adam Korczyk, Angus Scott-Young, George Smith, Caleb Timu, Liam Wright
Backs
Nick Frisby, Tate McDermott, Moses Sorovi, James Tuttle, Quade Cooper, Hamish Stewart, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Samu Kerevi, Duncan Paia’aua, Filipo Daugunu, Karmichael Hunt, Lachlan Maranta, Eto Nabuli, Izaia Perese
