Jason Woodward
Jason Woodward will leave the Rebels at season’s end after agreeing terms on a two-year deal to return home and represent the Hurricanes.
Woodward will return to New Zealand, where he will attempt to fulfil his childhood ambition and represent his country as an All Black.
Woodward said although he would be leaving Melbourne with a heavy heart, returning home to be part of the Hurricanes club was an offer he couldn’t turn down.
“Being a Wellington boy, having the opportunity to return home and fulfil my childhood dream of being a Hurricane was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” he said.
“Along with achieving that dream, I do have ambitions of becoming an All Black and am stoked to be able to give myself the best opportunity possible at reaching these goals.”
“The decision wasn’t made easy due to how much I have enjoyed my time in Melbourne,” Woodward explained.
“I have seen a lot of growth at the club this season, and I have made a lot of friendships for life; it’s one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make. I’m gutted to be leaving, but unfortunately, this club cannot allow me the opportunity to be an All Black.”
“The coaching staff who’ve come in this year have sparked a massive growth in the players here. The level of professionalism among the players has grown, and the Rebels can now really move away from the rebuilding phase. There’s an awesome group of core players here and it’s a credit to the club to see so many guys committing, and the playing group that will be around here will only lead the Rebels in the right direction.”
Woodward remains committed to the Rebels until the end of the Super Rugby season, and determined to finish his time in Melbourne on a positive note.
“I’ve made the decision to head back home, but I won’t really start thinking about that until the season has finished. We still have three big games, the Reds at AAMI Park and then a couple in South Africa, so I am looking forward to every last minute I get in a Rebels jersey.”
Hailing from Upper Hutt, Woodward played his first provincial season with the Wellington Lions in 2011, before taking up a super rugby contract with the Rebels in 2013. He was also a member of the 2010 New Zealand U20 side who won the IRB Junior World Championship in Argentina.
Hurricanes chief executive James Te Puni said the club was thrilled Woodward had decided to come home.
“We’ve all watched him develop, firstly with Upper Hutt, then the Wellington Lions, and also during his time at the Rebels. He’s taken massive strides as a player and we’re certainly looking forward to seeing him run on in the Hurricanes jersey.”
“He’s an outstanding fullback, he can play on the wing, and he can also kick goals, so he ticks a lot of boxes for us in addition to being a homegrown Wellington talent.”