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As concerns grow about the Wallabies’ tight-head prop stocks following the season-ending injury to Allan Alaalatoa, the Queensland Reds have moved to shore up their own depth up front by signing former All Blacks prop Alex Hodgman.
The Roar can reveal the four-Test All Blacks prop has put pen to paper and will help ease the pain of losing Taniela Tupou, who earlier this year joined the Rebels. His arrival will also help given the departures of Reds props Dane Zander and Harry Hoopert.
Tupou’s absence was felt all year, but it paved the way for rising Reds prop Zane Nonggorr to play more minutes.
A schoolboy star, Nonggorr took some crucial steps in stepping out of Tupou’s shadow. He even was handed a debut cap by Eddie Jones off the bench against the Springboks in Pretoria.
But the 22-year-old is years away from reaching his potential, with the tight-head prop merely in his infancy as a front-rower.
Alex Hodgman and Richie Mo’unga celebrate after winning the Bledisloe Cup match against the Wallabies at Eden Park on October 18, 2020 in Auckland. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
Hodgman’s acquisition had been on the cards for months, well before Les Kiss was announced as Brad Thorn’s replacement, but the 30-year-old will not only help shore up Kiss’ front-row stocks but help Nonggorr’s development on the other side of the scrum.
Indeed, Hodgman spent half-a-decade in Super Rugby before being given an opportunity by All Blacks coach Ian Foster.
During that time, he moved south to Canterbury, where he eventually got his Super Rugby debut under Todd Blackadder.
For family reasons he moved back to Auckland and while he became a regular in the Blues’ pack it took a breakout season in 2020 for Foster to call him up.
“It’s a typical case of a front-rower maturing over time,” Foster said of Hodgman ahead of The Rugby Championship in 2020.
“We never questioned him around the park; he’s busy, he’s got a high work-rate and he probably hasn’t, in the past, been as strong in the contact area or his core stuff at scrums. But he’s worked hard on that, and this year he’s really reaped the rewards.”
Alex Hodgman made his debut for the All Blacks in 2020 but missed the majority of the 2023 season with a shoulder injury. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)
Hodgman spoke of the daily grind required to get better and reach the top.
“Yeah, man, perseverance … I had about three seasons up here where I’ve got injured at the start of year, and each time I’ve rehabbed, taken a step back and had to build again. It’s a bit contradicting because I left … but I always wanted to come back and give back to Auckland,” Hodgman said ahead of his debut.
“If I was to say something to young guys, it’s persevere. There are a lot of young guys here. We’ve got a contenders group and, man, those guys are tough, doing early morning trainings, then they’ve got work, then training after that. I’ve got so much respect for them, and feel it’s going to build their character.”
Perseverance is a characteristic that will not just benefit Zonggorr but Australian rugby and, indeed, the Reds.
During his unveiling at Ballymore last month, Kiss had hinted that the Reds would look overseas to help fill their roster.
“We’ve been through the roster, we’re looking at definitely a couple of positions that we know we have to resource. Hopefully, we’ve got some news out in the next few weeks,” Kiss said.
“We’re working away in a couple of key positions, in light of that I haven’t spoken to all of the players yet I wouldn’t like to be saying those positions at this stage.
“But we’ve definitely been trying to work on how we get in front of those things.
“There are a couple of foreign spots that we can also look at as well, and we just want to make they help the group that are here already, but also fit the type of style that I might need.
“But I’m really happy with what has been built here, does that mean we will continue that way? We will see once we get going in the next year or so.”
While Zander, 23, had an underwhelming year, his departure, as well as Hoopert’s, 24, who last year played for Australia A before suffering an ACL injury, is somewhat surprising.
Both men had come through the Reds system and should have only just been starting to blossom.
Harry Hoopert is set to move to the Western Force. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
Hoopert, it is understood, has been picked up by the Western Force, with Simon Cron on the hunt for some more big men to help shore up his own set-piece issues.
After Allan Alaalatoa’s season-ending Achilles injury over the weekend, Australia’s front-rowers are firmly under the microscope ahead of the Wallabies’ World Cup campaign.
With Tupou in doubt ahead of Saturday’s return match, both Nonggorr and Tom Lambert have been called into Jones’ squad.
But the drop off in standard from Alaalatoa and Tupou to the rest is an alarming issue, particularly with World Cups often won and lost by how a side’s scrum holds up.
It has also raised questions about Australia’s depth and recruitment, with Argentine international Santiago Medrano the Force’s current tight-head prop.
Meanwhile, the Reds have managed to hold onto experienced Wallaby James O’Connor, who will remain at the franchise in 2024 but is hopeful of extending a deal through to 2025.
The one-year deal will see him take a huge step towards transitioning into coaching, which is something O’Connor has spoken about over the past two years.
“I feel very privileged to be staying in Queensland,” O’Connor said in a Reds statement on Wednesday.
“This is my home, my team and an opportunity to continue playing with a group of men I have a lot of love and respect for.
“Since returning home in 2019, there’s been many highs with the club and also a lot of learnings.
“I feel there is so much this group can achieve and I believe with our new world class facility and under a coaching staff headed by Les, we can really find our next gear.
“This contract also allows me to deliver on one of the main reasons I came back to Australia – to help develop the next generation of Rugby talent here at the Reds and also through coaching the junior pathways, which has been a passion of mine for some time.”
James O’Connor is staying put at the Reds and hopes to transition into coaching. (Photo by Patrick Hamilton / AFP via Getty Images)
The Reds have rising playmakers Tom Lynagh and Harry McLaughlin-Phillips coming through the ranks and Kiss said O’Connor’s retention would help their development.
“It’s been great to watch James’ return to the Reds from afar over the last few years,” Kiss said.
“His leadership and experience are obviously an important aspect of the current squad, and the lessons he can pass on to our up-and-coming playmakers will be pivotal in the coming years.
“We’d also like to acknowledge Rugby Australia for their support of this unique contract arrangement which will allow James to develop himself as a coach within our elite pathways.
“I’m looking forward to working with him.”
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.