One of the country’s best young second-row prospects will stay in Australian rugby, with Josh Canham signing a two-year deal to join the Queensland Reds from the Rebels.
The 23-year-old was a shock omission from Joe Schmidt’s maiden Wallabies squad last week, but that doesn’t mean the rising star won’t play on the international stage soon.
Strong at the defensive lineout and capable of offloading and bursting onto balls that few other second-rowers are capable of doing in Australia, Canham is the cherry on top for the Wallabies that will likely be added once the foundations are set by Schmidt in July.
Josh Canham. (Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)
“The Reds’ style of play suits me. What I see is a fast, skillful game, especially with the way the forwards and backs connect. I look forward to being a part of it,” Canham said in a statement.
“I talked to players and the coaches and all the things I’ve heard are that it’s a good environment to work in.”
Canham is a Victorian pathways success story who originally began his rugby career at Brighton Grammar College and Harlequins Rugby Club, before winning Australian Under 20s honours.
He was in tears after the Rebels’ final game this season.
“It’s a weird one. It’s almost like having a little break-up because of the relationships and friendships I had at that club,” Canham said.
“It’s obviously sad but Australia’s other Super Rugby teams are going to be better and also more competitive against Kiwi teams.
Josh Canham emotionally looks on after the Rebels’ last ever game. (Photo by James Foy/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“I’ll still be representing Victorian rugby in a sense. It doesn’t matter where you play, you are representing.”
Former Wallaby turned coach Stephen Hoiles was one of the many pundits impressed by Canham’s output across the year.
“Josh Canham has played well enough in the position he’s in to justify being involved in that [Wallabies] squad,” Hoiles said on the Between Two Posts podcast.
“I’ve liked his work around the field and his offloading ability for a number of years. Under Geoff Parling, the forwards coach for the Rebels, who is also the Wallabies forwards coach, they’ve got a good combination going and they’re working well.
“He’s getting about two or three steals a game defensively in the lineout. I think he’s ready to be there in the mix.”
Having just completed his third year of Super Rugby, the second-rower, who missed last year’s Australia A fixture against Portugal ahead of the World Cup after copping a head knock in training, has years of growth ahead of him.
There were fears from the wider public that Canham would join Rebels teammate Jordan Uelese by heading overseas, but the 202cm second-rower was always destined to join Les Kiss’ Queensland Reds revolution.
Indeed, it was way back in March that Canham started thinking about joining the Reds.
Impressed by the noise coming out of Ballymore and the action on the field delivered by the Reds, Canham’s move north has been a long time coming.
The arrival of Canham will give the Reds an explosive second-rower to complement ruck-hitting locks Ryan Smith and Angus Blyth. It will also likely allow Seru Uru to play both in the second-row and back-row, where the Fijian-born forward is particularly effective in the loose and on the fringes given his ability to free his arms.
As one of Super Rugby Pacific’s top lineout winners, Canham had a highly productive 2024 campaign in 14 games of Super Rugby Pacific.
His offload game (16) put him in the top 10 across the whole competition to emphasise the multiple traits to his game.
“(Former Wallaby) Scott Higginbotham was my favourite player growing up so, yeah, I do love to throw an offload or two,” Canham said.
Sam Cordingley, the Reds General Manager-Professional Rugby, said: “There’s a point of difference around his skillset. He’s got a strong ball carry but he’s also got a natural offload game.
“The lineout is such an important part of the game. Josh is not only a very good lineout caller but a particularly strong reader in defensive lineouts.
“He’s progressing as one of the best young locks in the country.”