Reece_Hodge

Reece Hodge

Reece Hodge

Rugby player


Reece Hodge (born 26 August 1994) is an Australian professional rugby union player who plays in a variety of positions within the backline. Playing his junior career primarily at fly-half,[4] Hodge's initial positions for the Rebels was fullback and wing, while for Australia it was wing, before eventually moving to centre. In his most recent appearance for Australia (8 July 2023; South Africa) Hodge played at inside centre. Hodge plays for French club Bayonne in the Top 14 and the Australia national team. Starting his professional career with the Australian Super Rugby franchise, the Melbourne Rebels, by his departure in 2023, he reached 100 appearances for the team, and became the most capped player.[5][6]

Quick Facts Date of birth, Place of birth ...

Career

Domestic career

Hodge began playing rugby union in his youth with the Harbord Harlequins in 2001.[7] Playing school rugby for Northern Beaches Secondary College (Manly Selective Campus), Hodge was a injury replacement in the 2012 Australian Schoolboys tour of Fiji and New Zealand.[8] Before Hodge was called-up to represent Australia in youth rugby, he was splitting his time between rugby and cricket. Hodge said in 2016: "Around 17 I was playing at state level cricket and rugby and splitting my time between them and it was only really after school when I was picked in the ARU National Academy that I gave up playing grade cricket to focus on rugby with the goal of eventually playing professionally."[9]

Melbourne Rebels

In August 2015, Hodge (20-years-old) signed to play for the Melbourne Rebels on a two-year deal after impressing with the Manly Marlins in the Shute Shield.[10][11] After Hodge's first season with the Rebels had concluded, it was reported by The Daily Telegraph that Hodge was offered a contract to play for then-French and then-European champions Toulon back in 2014, which Hodge rejected.[12]

Hodge's first season with the Rebels was extraordinary, scoring nine tries in total (equal sixth),[13] the most for the Rebels in 2016, adding eighteen points from the boot as well.[14] Two of Hodge's tries came on debut against the Western Force, with Hodge scoring a total of twenty points.[15][16] Starting at fullback, Hodge found himself at inside centre toward the latter half of the season,[17] and was also deployed at outside centre as well.[18] Upon reflection of Hodge's first season with the Rebels, CEO Baden Stephenson said: "Reece arrived at the Rebels and had an immediate impact, winning the competition’s Rookie of the Year award and becoming part of Michael Cheika's Wallabies squad," "He is a player that goes above and beyond for his club and his teammates. He is a consummate professional and is someone who embodies everything that the Melbourne Rebels stand for."[19]

International career

Hodge was named in Michael Cheika's Wallabies camp in late May 2016, ahead of the England tour of Australia. He was an injury replacement for Mike Harris.[20] Hodge remained in the squad for the remainder of the series, however he did not make an appearance for the Wallabies.[21]

Hodge made his debut for Australia in the second round (27 August) of the 2016 Rugby Championship against New Zealand at Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington.[22] Coming on as a replacement for Adam Ashley-Cooper at right-wing, Hodge kicked a penalty goal in the thirty-fourth minute. Australia lost 29–9.[23]

Statistics

Career statistics

As of 3 June 2023.
More information Team, Competition ...

International tries

More information Try, Opponent ...

References

  1. "Reece Hodge – ESPN Scrum". espnscrum.com. ESPNscrum.
  2. "Reece Hodge – Melbourne Rebels". melbournerebels.rugby. Melbourne Rebels. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020.
  3. "Hodge to bring up Ton in Friday night blockbuster against the Brumbies". melbournerebels.rugby. Melbourne Rebels. 31 May 2023. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  4. "Harbord Harlequins Rugby Club Annual Report 2016" (PDF). static1.squarespace.com. 2016.
  5. Payten, Iain (23 September 2016). "Reece Hodge turned down megaclub Toulon in 2014 to chase Wallaby dream". The Daily Telegraph.
  6. "2016 Super Rugby – Try Scorers". sarugby.co.za. SA Rugby Magazine. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017.
  7. "2016 Super Rugby – Point Scorers". sarugby.co.za. SA Rugby Magazine. Archived from the original on 30 March 2018.
  8. Ward, Roy (20 April 2016). "Melbourne Rebels Tamati Ellison awaits baby's birth and Cheetahs game". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sefa Naivalu will move to the wing to replace Shipperley while Jonah Placid has gone to fullback and Reece Hodge into the centres alongside Ellison.
  9. "Garth April showers Highlanders with penalties as Sharks clinch narrow Super Rugby win". South China Morning Post. 22 April 2016. In Melbourne, outside centre Reece Hodge scored a try in each half as the Rebels stormed to a 36–14 win over Cheetahs.
  10. Newman, Beth (3 June 2016). "Hodge survives first Wallabies cut". rugby.com.au.
  11. "Dean Mumm and Reece Hodge come into Wallabies team for South Africa Test". Guardian Australia. 8 September 2016. His inclusion is one of just two changes to the team that lost 29–9 to the All Blacks in Wellington, with Reece Hodge also coming in for Adam Ashley-Cooper, who has returned to his club in France. Hodge – who made his Test debut off the bench in that match – will play on the left wing with Dane Haylett-Petty switching over to the right.
  12. "New Zealand – Australia, ESPN". espn.com.au. ESPNscrum.
  13. Williams, Richard (5 November 2016). "Autumn international: Wales 8–32 Australia". BBC Sport.
  14. English, Tom (12 November 2016). "Autumn international: Scotland 22–23 Australia". BBC Sport.
  15. Decent, Tom (24 June 2017). "Wallabies escape almighty scare to beat Italy 40-27 in Brisbane". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  16. Pender, Kieran (21 October 2017). "Australia 23–18 New Zealand: third Bledisloe Cup Test – as it happened". Guardian Australia.

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