Teen Hockings a potential 100 cap Wallaby
Jul 4, 2017 - 8:53 AM Dual rugby code legend Brad Thorn believes Queensland Reds teenage lock Harry Hockings has the potential to play 100 Tests for the Wallabies.Hockings, 18, who recently retuned from representing Australia at the world under 20 championships, has signed with the Reds to the end of 2020.
He's highly rated by both Reds' head coach Nick Stiles and their contact and under 20 coach Thorn, who won a Rugby World Cup with New Zealand in 2011 and represented Australia in rugby league.
"He's a player that is incredibly athletic," Stiles said of Hockings.
"He's got a real toughness for someone who is only 18 years of age that I haven't seen in a long time.
"You've got people like Brad Thorn, who has done absolutely everything, predicting he could be a 100-game Wallaby,
"That's a big statement to be making, but he's a quality person and a quality footballer.
"I think he'll be playing Super Rugby sooner than what everyone expects."
The Reds on Tuesday also locked in two of their other emerging forwards.
One was another lock, 19-year-old Angus Blyth who was an Australian teammate of Hocking's at the world championships.
The other was 23 year-old New Zealand born back rower Caleb Timu.
"We probably looked back in the past and I think we probably missed the ball around our recruitment of our young kids and making sure that we develop these footballers," Stiles said.
Blyth might previously have had the option of going to an AFL club according to Stiles.
"Angus Blyth is someone that I believe Gold Coast Suns were targeting as a schoolboy to try to get him to their program," Stiles said.
"He was very strong about staying in rugby.
"To see him starting to fill out that massive frame of his, it means he's going to be a very good footballer going forward."
One player leaving the Reds is five-eighth Jake McIntyre, who has signed with French club Agen.
Source: AAP
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