Club career
Turner made his debut for the Waratahs against Reds in the 2006 Australian Provincial Championship, [1] and was awarded the inaugural Chris Whitaker Aspiring Waratah Award at the end of the 2006 season. [4]
In 2007, Turner earned his first Super 14 cap for the Waratahs in round seven against the Stormers in Sydney. [4] The highlight for Turner came against the Crusaders at Sydney Football Stadium, where he scored a solo try from his own half, beating several defenders for pace. He capped off the season by winning the 2007 Super Rugby Rookie of the Year award. [4]
From his debut in 2007 through to the end of the 2011 season, Turner did not miss a Super Rugby match for the Waratahs – an impressive run of 67 consecutive appearances. [4]
Turner scored two tries in the 2008 Super 14 final against the Crusaders in Christchurch, giving the Waratahs an early 12–3 lead, but they lost structure after Kurtley Beale went off injured and the Crusaders won the match 20–12 to claim the 2008 title. [6] In the 2010 season, he scored an intercept try against the Blues with eight minutes left, sealing the win for the Waratahs and keeping the team in top four finals contention. [7] During 2011, he switched position from wing to centre for the first time for the Waratahs, to cover for the injured Rob Horne. [8]
Turner sustained a hamstring tear in 2012 during a pre-season trial match for the Waratahs against Samoa, [9] and was forced to miss all but the last two matches of the 2012 Super Rugby season. [10] In April 2013, he had his Super Rugby ambitions derailed for the second year in a row after suffering a season ending leg break while playing Sydney club rugby for Eastwood against Manly. [11] Turner had been in and out of the Waratahs side until then, and had earned only two Super caps for the 2013 season, in the selection battle for the Waratahs back three. [11]
In 2013, Turner signed a two-year deal to play for the Queensland Reds, starting from the 2014 Super Rugby season. [2]
In 2015, Turner came over to Europe and joined RC Toulon as cover during the 2015 Rugby World Cup. [12] However, on 16 February 2016 it was announced that Turner had joined Aviva Premiership club Exeter Chiefs on a two-and-a-half-year deal. [13]
Personal achievement
On 15 September 2010, Turner won the "Gatorade Bolt", an invitational 100 metres race held at Sydney Olympic Park, to earn himself the unofficial title of the fastest professional footballer in Australia. [16] [20] The event was named for the presence of athletics sprint champion Usain Bolt, who provided some coaching for the runners and also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony held in Sydney. [16] [20]
The race featured Turner's rugby union club teammate John Grant, NRL players Jarryd Hayne, Greg Inglis, Josh Morris, Nathan Gardner, and Ben Barba, plus Matt Lewis from the A-League, and Courtenay Dempsey from the AFL. Turner won the race with a time of 11.10s, in a close contest from Grant (11.15) and league's Jarryd Hayne (11.20). [20]
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