Melbourne Rebels star Kemeny can't wait to be part of 'top-class operation' at Saints

The Melbourne Rebels flanker will make the move to cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens ahead of next season, helping to fill the void left by Toulon-bound club captain Lewis Ludlam.

Kemeny has two Australia caps to his name and has been a stand-out performer in Super Rugby in recent times.

But the 25-year-old is looking forward to challenging himself in a new league, with the team that is currently setting the pace in the Gallagher Premiership.

“The success that Northampton Saints have had in developing their players was definitely what made this move to England so appealing for me at this stage of my career,” Kemeny said.

“Also, the club is really trending in the right direction, putting in some fantastic performances in the Premiership and in Europe.

"Ultimately I want to be part of a team which is successful, and play my part in helping that success, and I believe Northampton is the place to do it.

“The conversations I have had with Saints’ coaches and people associated with the club have been incredibly positive and really shown that it is a top-class operation – when you hear such good things about the town, the supporters, the group of players and so on, it really paints a great picture of Northampton.

“The quality and different styles of rugby in the Premiership and in Europe, and the pressure for performance that is put on you in those different competitions, is something that I really wanted to challenge myself in and I’m excited to experience that next season.”

Josh Kemeny fact file

The 6ft 4in, 110kg flanker has made 27 Super Rugby appearances (starting in 24) for the Rebels since making his debut for the Melbourne-based club against the Brumbies in 2020.

Kemeny is a mobile and powerful ball carrier who has become one of the Rebels’ strongest performers on the pitch, featuring in 12 of the side’s 15 Super Rugby matches last season and making 68 carries, 306 metres, and 109 tackles across the competition.

He rose through the ranks at Cranbrook School in Sydney, also earning selection for New South Wales Schools, before representing Australia in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship in France in 2018.

But it was while studying for a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Management and playing for Sydney University that Kemeny’s talents were noticed by the Rebels, who quickly swooped in to secure his signature after he helped the side secure a second consecutive Shute Shield title.

The flanker also represented Sydney in the National Rugby Championship before his move to Super Rugby.

After three seasons with the Rebels, Kemeny earned his first international cap for the Wallabies, coming off the bench against Argentina in Sydney in July 2023 – and that Test debut could have come even sooner, but for a knee injury which restricted his rapid progress after he was initially named in Dave Rennie’s first Wallaby squad back in 2021.

Kemeny added another cap for Australia at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in the Wallabies’ victory over Portugal.

Such is Kemeny’s pace and athletic ability, the flanker was selected by Australia as a ‘utility player’ at the 2023 Rugby World Cup – covering ‘seven, six and the wing’.