The Harden Red Devils have added plenty of starch and experience to their 2020 South West campaign with the addition of James Price and Josh Mann-Rea to the coaching staff.

    Price and Mann-Rea previously played Rugby with each other in Japan for Kyuden Voltex in 2012. They will combine with Adam Walsh, Jack O’Connor and Ben Lenehan in a new look coaching group for next season.

   Mann-Rea notched up 2 caps for the Wallabies whilst recording solid seasons for the Waratahs and the Brumbies. He made his debut in 2012 against the Stormers in round 13 of the Super Rugby competition.

He injured his left knee playing for the Brumbies in April this year while in South Africa. His professional career may have now concluded, but he is looking forward to helping out at Harden. He said, “They are a good bunch of fellas. It will come down to how hard the  boys want to go with drills and things like that, it’s something you have to sit down and see how serious they want to be. Having access to the Brumbies we might be able to get a coach out here to help.”

    At 38 Josh has seen and done it all in Rugby. His rehab with the Brumbies has been excellent. “They are amazing like that they look after you with Doctors and Physios.”

   Locals are hoping to see Mann-Rea take to the field once he fully recovers from injury. Overcoming injury won’t be a problem for a man who has spent 20 years playing top flight Rugby. He joked, “I live in Harden I have to play here or I would get run out of town.”

      James is married to Fenella, daughter of Hugh and Prue Pavitt, James and Fenella have returned to the Harden to raise their family.

He has represented the Phillipines and played First Grade Rugby in the Sydney competition. He is a highly experienced Halfback and is also very handy at pilfering the ball at the breakdown.

   A builder by trade, James and Fenella will be moving a couple of kilometres to the north of Harden to their new home. Originally from Cooma, James said, “We always knew we were going to bring our children up in the country.” 

   He played junior Brumbies with Tim Sachs and at Norths in Sydney with him.

   James said, “I hope to bring some of my experiences to the club. I have been lucky enough to play under some pretty handy  coaches and alongside some pretty handy players.”

    Both Price and Mann-Rea are welcome editions to the Red Devils who won the premiership in 2018 and made the Grand Final in 2019 going down to Coota.

      The Devils will be having Christmas drinks at the Light Horse on Friday night.