Reece Hodge

Reece Hodge (born 26 August 1994) is an Australian professional rugby union player who plays as a back. After playing his junior career primarily at fly-half, Hodge initially played fullback and wing for the Rebels, and primarily played wing for Australia, before eventually moving to centre. In his most recent appearance for Australia (8 July 2023; South Africa) Hodge played at inside centre. Hodge currently plays for French club Bayonne in the Top 14 and the Australia national team. Hodge started his professional career in Super Rugby with the Melbourne Rebels, where he reached 100 appearances and became the team's most capped player before his departure in 2023.

Domestic career
Hodge began playing rugby union in his youth with the Harbord Harlequins in 2001. Playing school rugby for Northern Beaches Secondary College (Manly Selective Campus), Hodge was an injury replacement in the 2012 Australian Schoolboys tour of Fiji and New Zealand. Before Hodge was called up to represent Australia in youth rugby, he was splitting his time between rugby and cricket. Hodge said in 2016: "Around 17 I was playing at state level cricket and rugby and splitting my time between them and it was only really after school when I was picked in the ARU National Academy that I gave up playing grade cricket to focus on rugby with the goal of eventually playing professionally."

Melbourne Rebels
In August 2015, Hodge (20-years-old) signed to play for the Melbourne Rebels on a two-year deal after impressing with the Manly Marlins in the Shute Shield. After Hodge's first season with the Rebels had concluded, it was reported by The Daily Telegraph that Hodge was offered a contract to play for then-French and then-European champions Toulon back in 2014, which Hodge rejected.

Hodge's first season with the Rebels was extraordinary, scoring nine tries in total (equal sixth), the most for the Rebels in 2016, adding eighteen points from the boot as well. Two of Hodge's tries came on debut against the Western Force, with Hodge scoring a total of twenty points. Starting at fullback, Hodge found himself at inside centre toward the latter half of the season, and was also deployed at outside centre as well. Upon reflection of Hodge's first season with the Rebels, CEO Baden Stephenson said: "Reece arrived at the Rebels and had an immediate impact, winning the competition’s Rookie of the Year award and becoming part of Michael Cheika's Wallabies squad," "He is a player that goes above and beyond for his club and his teammates. He is a consummate professional and is someone who embodies everything that the Melbourne Rebels stand for."

International career
Hodge was named in Michael Cheika's Wallabies camp in late May 2016, ahead of the England tour of Australia. He was an injury replacement for Mike Harris. Hodge remained in the squad for the remainder of the series, however he did not make an appearance for the Wallabies.

Hodge made his debut for Australia in the second round (27 August) of the 2016 Rugby Championship against New Zealand at Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington. Coming on as a replacement for Adam Ashley-Cooper at right-wing, Hodge kicked a penalty goal in the thirty-fourth minute. Australia lost 29–9.