Queensland Reds Kalani Thomas and Ben Volavola have used the countdown to Club Rugby Round to show off their new colours for 2026.
Both will be lively contributors to the Sumo Energy Hospital Cup at various stages of the season when the club comp kicks off at the end of March.
Halfback Thomas has decided on a switch from University of Queensland to his childhood club Souths where he played as a junior.
Flyhalf-utility Volavola is a major gain for Sunnybank where he has a family connection.
Both proudly showed off their colours during a gym session this week when the Reds embraced the competition-wide Club Rugby Round in Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific.
Players turned out in club kit, including prop Aidan Ross, who found a gym shirt from Te Puke Pirates, his junior club in New Zealand.
He could still niggle teammate Josh Flook, in a Brothers training shirt, with a reminder of last year’s Hospital Cup grand final when he won a premiership in his first game for the club.
Ross was part of Bond University’s drought-breaking heroes that day at Ballymore Stadium.
Front-row trio Zane Nonggorr, Harrison Usher and George Blake needed no encouragement to be wearing Bull Sharks kit in the gym.
Club Rugby Round is an important new initiative to throw the spotlight on the heartbeat of rugby.
Behind every Queensland Red, there is a grassroots club where a rugby dream first flickered to give players their zeal for the game.
Club rugby kicks off in earnest around Brisbane and the Gold Coast this weekend with the first of three weekends of trials heading into the first round of the Sumo Energy Hospital Cup.
The Reds Development team will play Souths at Chipsy Wood Oval where new Magpies coach Adrian Thompson will get a gauge on his players.
