In major coup for new coach Kiss, Reds strike gold with All Blacks duo
The Reds’ recruitment drive has been turbocharged with Queensland securing the services of not one but two All Blacks props.
Jeffery Toomaga-Allen and Alex Hodgman will call Ballymore home from next season until the end of 2025, as the Reds look to bolster their tight five under new coach Les Kiss.
The Queensland Reds have signed New Zealand props Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (left) and Alex Hodgman (right).Credit: Getty
It’s a major coup for Kiss, with Queensland’s engine room suffering significant haemorrhaging of talent following the departures of Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Angus Scott-Young, Taniela Tupou and Harry Hoopert over the past two years.
Between the two of them they bring over top-level experience across Super Rugby, England’s Premiership and the United Rugby Championship.
Both men have played for the All Blacks – Toomaga-Allen with one test in 2013 and Hodgman with four in 2020.
But in a fortunate twist of fate, Hodgman, a loosehead prop, is eligible to represent Australia through his Australian-born father, and can be selected by the Wallabies after this year’s World Cup.
Under World Rugby’s Regulation 8 eligibility law, Hodgman’s parental lineage and time lapsed since last represented New Zealand – which will be three years in November – have opened the door for him to become a rare breed of player to earn caps for both the fierce trans-Tasman rivals.
“I don’t want to talk about it too much,” Hodgman said with a wry grin on his face.
“I’m always pushing to be the best that I can be, so if things fall in place and there’s an opportunity to play, I’d definitely love to take it.
“[For now] It’s just how do I get to the Reds, how do I do my best there, how do I grow, how do I get the most out of that environment, that’s it.
“One step at a time for me”.
Adding international experience is just the tonic the Reds need after a struggling season in 2023.
Hodgman and Toomaga-Allen will complete an all-international front row, following recent Wallaby caps to hooker Matt Faessler and prop Zane Nonggorr, both of whom are France-bound with Eddie Jones’ World Cup squad.
The two Kiwis also bring some much-needed size.
While neither is quite the wrecking ball that Taniela Tupou is, when fully fit, Hodgman and Toomaga-Allen both tip the scales at more than 120 kilograms and stand at least 190 centimetres tall.
In addition to some invaluable beef, the bookends are also highly skillful for both their size and position.
“We’re quite similar in terms of the way we play,” Hodgman said of Toomaga-Allen and himself.
“I love ball playing and seeing opportunities, so I think we’ll complement each other.
“He’s interesting, because he’s very mobile, he’s very skillful.”
Toomaga-Allen, who will be 33 when he lands at Ballymore, also brings experience from successful Super Rugby stints with the Hurricanes.
The tighthead prop was a member of the side that lost in the 2015 grand final to the Highlanders, and while injury robbed him the chance to play the following year, he was still a member of the Wellington squad when they claimed the crown with victory against the Lions in 2016.
The dual signing is a major coup for incoming coach Kiss, who has inherited a talented squad, developed well under Brad Thorn, but certainly with some holes to fill.
It’s understood Thorn, along with general manager Sam Cordingley, began discussions with Hodgman, while the recruitment of Toomaga-Allen started after the former Maroons and All Blacks legend had left Ballymore.
The redevelopment of the spiritual home of Queensland rugby has started to reap rewards, with Hodgman blown away by the new facilities.
“Ballymore is like, ‘Woah’, it’s pretty state-of-the-art.
“Me and the family had a visit about a month ago and it’s beautiful.
“It’s almost like, got an American vibe to it, like where it’s like ‘Woah, these places are crazy’.”
Hodgman has to complete his commitments with Auckland in New Zealand’s National Provincial Competition, before he moves to Brisbane with his wife and three children.
While he’ll no doubt be glued to the Rugby World Cup coverage over the next two months, he avoided choosing between the All Blacks and Australian when asked who he’ll be supporting.
“I love both teams, but I’ll probably be going for Samoa and Fiji”.