Quartet re-signs with Reds

The Queensland Reds have continued to bolster their squad with a further four players recommitting to Ballymore.

 
Flying Fijian winger Filipo Daugunu has re-signed for two years, while Aidan Toua, Chris Feauai-Sautia and Alex Mafi have all secured their future at the Reds through 2019.
 

Reds head coach Brad Thorn said it was great to confirm all four players will remain in Queensland for next season - and for Daugunu through 2020.

 
“It’s been a good first year for Filipo. He knows he has plenty of development to go and it is exciting to think what he could achieve once he reaches his full potential,” said Thorn.
 
“He was pretty raw when he joined us, but he offers genuine pace and excitement in attack and he’s not afraid to get physical either. He will only get better the more he trains and works on his game.
 
“Aidan returned to Ballymore last year because he loves this place and wants to contribute to what we’re building here in Queensland. He’s an experienced player who came through the Queensland pathway as a youngster and understands the game well.
 
“I really like Chris’ approach to rugby. He’s a quiet achiever who leads through his actions more than his words and is a very humble member of our squad. Chris gives us options in the centres and on the wing and is a powerful ball runner with a solid defence.
 
“Every time Alex has been presented with an opportunity with the Queensland Reds he’s taken it with both hands. He’s impressed us with performances through our Queensland pathway and was a regular member of our Reds 23 last season. We expect his performances to keep on improving,” said Thorn.
 

Daugunu (23) sprung onto the local Rugby scene with Queensland Premier Rugby side Wests in 2017, before hitting the national spotlight as the leading try scorer in the National Rugby Championship that year, helping Bond University Queensland Country claim its first title. The Fijian speedster made his Super Rugby debut in the Reds’ first game of 2018 and went on to play 14 games in total, scoring six tries.
 
A product of the Queensland pathway, Toua’s (28) performance at schoolboy level for Anglican Church Grammar School in Brisbane saw him play for the Australian Schoolboys and Australian U20s sides, before he made his debut for the Reds in 2011. After a stint in Europe he returned to Australian rugby in 2016 and re-joined Queensland in 2018, featuring in 13 games for the Reds to take his overall Super Rugby tally to 53 caps.
 
Chris (24) returned playing for the Reds in the 2018 Super Rugby season after missing all of 2017 due to injury. A product of the Queensland Pathway with Australian Schoolboys and both Queensland and Australian U20’s, Chris holds the record as the equal most-capped Australian Schoolboy in history. He’s played 57 games for the Reds and scored 65 points (13T) since making his Queensland debut in 2012 and has also played two Tests for the Wallabies, both in 2013.
 
Alex (21) signed with the Reds as an 18-year-old after showing promise as a schoolboys player at St. Joseph’s Nudgee College. He was an integral member of Bond University Queensland Country championship-winning run in the NRC in 2017. He went on to make his Reds debut in the same year and has played 22 Super Rugby matches for the Reds.