Reds sign teenager already taller than both Wallabies starting locks

The Queensland Reds have signed 16-year-old Kaiya Tafea on a three-year development deal, with the 2.04-metre The Southport School product already taller than the two locks who started for the Wallabies against Italy last weekend.

Western Force captain Jeremy Williams and Queensland Reds enforcer Josh Canham lined up in the run-on side for the Wallabies, as they snapped a six-match losing streak with a ruthless 47-point Nations Championship win.

But those two are slightly shorter than Reds prospect Tafea, who has officially put pen to paper on a multi-year deal with the Queensland Rugby Union. In partnership with Rugby Australia, this deal will allow Tafea to progress as a rugby player within the high-performance Ballymore set-up.

Incredibly, Tafea was only lifted in a lineout for the first time last year. The Year 11 schoolboy with size 15 boots comes from a rugby league background, but is now on the cusp of a TSS First XV debut off the bench in Queensland’s prestigious GPS competition.

“It feels good. I can’t wait to see what’s possible over the next three years and I’m looking forward to the hard work it will take,” Tafea said.

“I want to make a name for myself in rugby but I know there’s a lot to learn and plenty of improvements to make.

“I see a bit of me when I look at Will [Skelton]. It’s definitely one of my dreams to travel and play rugby.

“The coaching staff at TSS have helped me a lot and the school has been very welcoming.

“I’m much fitter. Lowering my body height through contact, my ball-carrying and learning more at scrums and lineouts have all been big improvements over the past 12 months.

“Rugby suits me. I feel I get more involved with the rucks, lineouts and stuff.

“I keep up with my academics as well. Dad reminds me that I haven’t accomplished anything yet and he’s right. That will come with hard work.”

Tafea moved from Auckland to the Gold Coast as a teenager and has quickly risen through the rugby ranks in the Sunshine State. The second-rower represented Queensland at under-15 level last year and was chosen to play for the state at U18 level in 2026.

Having signed this development deal, Tafea will now advance as a rugby player with world-class coaching at the BMS Nation Rugby Training Centre at Ballymore. The prospect will also get to train with the Reds Academy and play for the Reds Under-18 side.

TSS Director of Rugby, Mike Wallace, added: “We made the intentional decision last year to play Kaiya, at 15, in the 16As because it meant he had to be more physical to be successful,” Wallace said.

“He took it on playing with older boys and it also meant some stronger boys lifting him in a lineout for the first time. He’s already developing that professional approach to detail that he needs.

“He’s a very good young man with a work ethic for rugby and his studies.”