Queensland Reds win race for best teenage forward in Australia Kingsley Uys
Eligible for both the Springboks and Wallabies, the Gold Coast powerhouse announced himself to the international rugby scene by leading Australia to victory over New Zealand.
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The Queensland Reds have signed the best teenage forward in the country in Gold Coast prospect Kingsley Uys.
No one gets the pronunciation of his name right but few will get it wrong from now on.
His name is pronounced “Ace” not mangled as “Oose”, “Oise” or “Ice” as often happens in first-time meetings or when he first landed at The Southport School.
“It’s funny. When I first played at TSS, the guy on the loudspeaker at games or the introductions on school assembly would be “Oose” or even “Ice”,” the affable youngster said with a grin.
The Cape Town-born prop is already 120kg of muscle as a 17-year-old Year 12 schoolboy at The Southport School.
He has big footsteps to follow with decorated Wallaby James Slipper, Zane Nonggorr, George Blake and Massimo De Lutiis all embarking on professional rugby careers from the TSS front-row over the past 15 years.
A three-year development deal will keep Uys at Ballymore through 2027, with Rugby Australia chipping in on the contract to keep the nation’s most exciting forward prospect on local shores.
Eligible for both the Springboks and Wallabies, Uys announced himself to the international rugby scene with a stellar performance for the Australian Schoolboys against New Zealand in October.
Uys set up a try and scored another to spearhead a win over the junior All Blacks, Australia’s first since Joseph Sua’ali’i’s 2019 team.
“I’m excited. The facility I train in at Ballymore is amazing, I’m always learning from the coaching staff and I want to do something with this club at the Reds,” Uys said.
“There’s always so much to learn as a prop so it’s really good experience to have the chance to scrum with top Reds props like Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Massimo De Lutiis and Sef Fa’agase.
“I think it is really positive that young players are being locked to rugby. You can see where Rugby Australia is going.”
The Southport School director of rugby Mike Wallace coached each of the three TSS props on Queensland’s 2025 roster and believes Uys will reach those heights if he can maintain the work ethic he already displays.
“The big thing we’ve noticed with Kingsley over the past couple of years is Kingsley’s attention to detail to his training and preparation. He is very diligent with all of that,” Wallace said.
“He’s got an opportunity this year to step up as one of the senior players in our First XV, and he’s had some pretty good role models like Zane Nonggorr (World Cup Wallaby and 2019 TSS graduate) for that.
“We’re hoping that we will start to see the best of Kingsley Uys in terms of leading with actions on the field as well as working with coach Mr Tai McIsaac to drive behaviours off the field as well.”
Queensland also signed 199cm Padua lock Will Ross, Uys’ teammate in the Australian team that defeated New Zealand, who turns 18 this year.
Originally published as Queensland Reds win race for best teenage forward in Australia Kingsley Uys
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