SPEEDSTER Lachie Turner has defected to arch-rivals Queensland from the NSW Waratahs. Following days of speculation, the Telegraph can reveal Turner officially put pen to paper on Monday for a two-year deal.
Waratahs officials and players were told of Turner's decision in the afternoon, marking one of the very few occasions where the Reds have nabbed a NSW player.
The 15-Test flying winger, who last played for the Wallabies during the end of year tour to England and Wales in 2011, has suffered two injury-hampered years since.
He tore his hamstring in a trial match at the start of 2012, and this season broke his leg playing for Eastwood in the Shute Shield, which in hindsight ended his seven-year Super Rugby career at the Waratahs.
New Reds coach Richard Graham has swooped on Turner, 26, after losing Wallabies winger Digby Ioane to France.
While they are very different players, Turner will offer the already stacked Reds backline serious potency if he can recover his form of two years ago.
In 2010 Turner won a 100m sprint to determine Australia's fastest professional footballer, defeating league stars Jarryd Hayne, Ben Barba and Greg Inglis and the AFL's Courtenay Dempsey, finishing in an impressive 11.10 seconds while being watched on by world record holder and Olympic champion Usain Bolt.
In his last two appearances for Australia, in November/December 2011, Turner scored three tries. He nabbed a double in Australia's 60-11 romp over the Barbarians at Twickenham, before scoring a crucial try in the Wallabies' 24-18 win over Wales in Cardiff a week later.
Over the years, plenty of Reds have defected to the Tahs, but hardly any have gone the other way.
Former Wallabies fullback Chris Latham was the most notable defection from the blue to the maroon jersey.
Flanker Beau Robinson has found a home in Queensland, but only after he was cut from the NSW roster and was pulling beers at a pub to make ends meet before being offered a last-minute opportunity two years ago.
