Reds sign two-year contracts with academy players Jono Lance and David McDuling - Rugby
Suncorp Stadium based Australian Super Rugby franchise, Reds, have handed over a senior team contract to their star academy products Jono Lance and David McDuling. Officials at the club have confirmed the signing of a two-year deal with their young academy
players in a statement released on their website on Wednesday, July 13.
The statement read, “The St.George Reds have announced that QAS Reds Academy standouts Jono Lance and David McDuling have been signed to the Reds senior squad from 2012.”
The two-year contract will allow Lance and McDuling to remain with the 2011 Super Rugby Champions until the end of the 2013 Super Rugby season.
Reds head coach Ewen McKenzie has congratulated both Lance and McDuling on signing their first professional contracts. He termed it as an honour for them to join a Super Rugby champion side. McKenzie has praised the efforts of the club management and the
academy staff for their effort and hard work put in to develop the young players. He added, “Our Academy has been a proven pathway for players to develop and take their game to the next level and Jono and David are just another two examples of this.”
McKenzie further added, “It's pivotal we continue to reward the performances of those within our system and both Jono and David have impressed the organisation enough to earn upgraded contracts.”
McDuling is the lesser known of the two players, particularly after Lance’s impressive on-field performance for the Reds in the last rounds of their 2011 Super Rugby campaign.
McDuling previously played for the Australian School Boy’s side in 2007 and in the national Unde- 20s side in 2009. He has expressed his excitement at securing his first ever professional contract with the Reds. McDuling said, “The way the Reds season has
gone this year; I'm very excited to be taking the next step with them and to continue learning off the likes of James Horwill and Rob Simmons,"
McDuling has praised the efforts of the Academy coach Paul Carozza in developing and polishing his skills. He added that the Reds Academy has helped them achieve his dream of playing in the Super Rugby championship.
The 21-year-old Lance joined the Academy in November, 2008. He has played in the Australian Unde- 20s side in their 2010 season and was part of the Australian Sevens’ team squad.
Lance has expressed his delight on signing the professional contract with the Reds. He said, “I've been in the Academy for a few years now and my goal was always to stay in Queensland, To play with the guys at the end of the season was unreal and I'm now
really looking forward to next year.”
Lance was part of the Reds’ starting xv in their 2011 Super Rugby final against the Crusaders. He started the game at full back position and impressed the coaching staff with his skills in a pressure cooker situation.
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