Te Rure returns to Turbos

The Manawatu Turbos have welcomed back prodigal son Jade Te Rure.

The Kia Toa first five-eighth has signed for the Turbos, having played the last of his 19 games for Manawatu in 2014.

Since then he moved to Scotland to play for Edinburgh after the provincial season in 2014 and a Scottish-born grandmother made him eligible to play for Scotland.

He played four games for Edinburgh in the 2014-15 season but he injured both knees in 2015, which wrote off any chances he had of playing in Scotland again.

So the former New Zealand under-20s player returned to New Zealand last year and now he’s recovered from his knee injuries, he has been returning to form in club rugby. Turbos assistant coach Aaron Good said it was just a matter of getting a good look at how Te Rure had been playing.

‘‘It was just about getting his confidence back and playing footy again,’’ Good said. ‘‘And he’s shown that.’’

Hurricanes first five-eighth Otere Black and Varsity’s Sam Malcolm, who may be used to cover halfback, are also on the Turbos books.

It may mean there is no room for Feilding playmaker Ben Wyness. The Turbos are still looking for another couple of backs, particularly another midfielder and a couple of outside backs.

There are 28 contracted Turbos, but that includes All Blacks Nehe Milner-skudder and Aaron Smith, as well as injured duo Travis Taylor and Jason Emery, who are all unlikely to feature this year