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Rebels cult hero to sign for Ealing Trailfinders

Richard Hardwick of the Rebels passes during the round 11 Super Rugby Pacific match between the Melbourne Rebels and the Moana Pasifika at AAMI Park on April 30, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

Melbourne Rebels ‘cult hero’ Richard Hardwick is the latest big name to be snapped up by monied Championship outfit Ealing Trailfinders.

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The flanker, 29, was one of the standout players for the Rebels in Super Rugby Pacific 2023, scoring five tries in 10 games as well as cementing his reputation as a turnover king. Only two players could better his tally of 19 turnovers won.

Hardwick won two Wallabies caps in 2017 but has since become a dual international having also been capped by his native Namibia against Canada in November 2022.

Namibia have yet to announce their Rugby World Cup 2023 training squad but as one of the Welwitschias’ most-talented players, his inclusion would seem certain pending the terms of his contract at Ealing.

His signing is another statement of intent from Ealing who refuse to slip quietly away into the shadows despite having their ambitions stymied by the RFU and Premiership Rugby.

This summer, former England international Billy Twelvetrees has moved across from Gloucester along with Aussie back-rower Jordy Reid in a deal that reputedly matched his Cherry and Whites wages.

Having Reid, who was a real fans’ favourite in his first spell at Ealing, in the same back row as Hardwick will make Ben Ward’s team an even more formidable force at the breakdown next season.

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Prop Lewis Boyce, from Bath, is another Premiership player heading to Vallis Way from the West Country, while other notable signings include Cardiff stalwart, scrum-half Lloyd Williams.

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Ealing finished runners-up to Jersey Reds in last year’s RFU Championship but will be hellbent on putting that right in 2023/24, especially with the squad that they have assembled.

Given the outlay on player wages, one of the club’s next priorities must surely be to ensure their 5,000-capacity ground ticks all the right boxes when the club is audited for promotion.

The Mike Gooley-bankrolled team were denied promotion when they won the Championship in 2022 because their ground fell short of the minimum standards criteria and they would have been blocked again this year even if they had finished top for a second consecutive season.

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1 Comment
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Michael 501 days ago

Brilliant player. Was best player for the Rebels this year. Will do well in Ealing.

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Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

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