Queensland snap up Taylor
September 16 2008
Queensland Reds have signed Ezra Taylor on a two-year contract.
The Australian-born back row, who has played the majority of his rugby in New Zealand, will link up with the Reds ahead of next season.
The versatile 25-year old made his Super 14 debut for the Highlanders in 2007 but missed the 2008 season with a serious knee injury.
Having moved to New Zealand at age three Taylor said a move back to Australia has been on his mind for some time now.
"I'd been looking at it, moving to Brisbane, for the last three years," he said.
"But when I had the knee injury this year I had more time to think about what I wanted to do in my rugby career and decided to make the move."
Queensland's Performance Rugby Manager Ben Whitaker said John Roe's retirement had forced the Reds to bolster their back row stocks.
"Ezra's had high level experience already but has the potential to go much further," said Whitaker.
"He's a big, abrasive back-rower who carries the ball well and, because of his past experience playing at lock, also jumps extremely well in the line-out."
Taylor grew up in the Auckland area, representing New Zealand secondary schools and New Zealand U19 in 2002. He played three games for Otago in 2006 and made his Super 14 debut for the Highlanders against the Lions in 2007, winning a total of eight Super 14 caps for the season.