NSW Waratahs flyhalf Tane Edmed admits it was an easy decision to re-sign with his home club after his breakout season, embracing the competition at flyhalf.
Edmed signed a two-year extension on Tuesday, keeping him in NSW until the end of 2024.
“Very easy. I didn’t want to leave at all,” Edmed said to reporters on the decision to re-sign.
“We’re building something special here and being in my home state with my friends and family, growing up here, it was a very easy decision.”
With good mates Ben Donaldson and Will Harrison starting the year ahead of him in the depth chart, the Eastwood product had to bide his time before getting his shot to start against the Reds in round six, taking it with both hands.
There had been speculation Edmed may head west to link up with new Force coach Simon Cron.
However, the 21-year-old reaffirmed the Waratahs remain the best place for his development, buoyed by the competition and the impending new facilities.
“Of course and that’s a natural thought to have but I always felt like last year I probably wasn’t quite ready,” he admitted.
“I never thought of it as a negative. I was always trying to get better each week and having Harro (Will Harrison) and Donno (Ben Donaldson) here helped speed the development up because we’re competing with each other every week.
“There was a little bit of a worry because I want to stay in my home state but I tried not to think about it, just focus on the short term and get better every week and when I got my opportunity, I just wanted to put in a good performance.
“In saying that, I realised if I couldn’t stay, that’s footy but things have turned out well and I’m super stoked.
“As such a young squad, I feel like there’s so much potential here and for me, I think you have the new facility, which is a big thing for me and that’s going to be awesome, a young squad, youthful but experienced coaching staff, it’s something I really looked into but it was that ability to get better.”
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Edmed and the Waratahs are preparing to travel to Waikato to face the Chiefs, falling 51-27 in their previous encounter in Super Round.
Wins against the Crusaders and Highlanders have served as massive confidence boosters for the young side according to Edmed, helping to 'humanize' their opposition
"It humanises the Kiwis a little bit, we know that we can beat them over there," he added.
"And then we've come so close against the Canes and the Blues as well and we know that they're definitely beatable, so we go over there with a lot more confidence.
"But again, they're really strong so we're going to have to be on our game this week."
