EDINBURGH Rugby’s excellent start to the season has been given a further boost with the signing of John Hardie on a two-year contract. The Scotland openside attracted the attention of a number of clubs in England and further afield with some outstanding performances at the World Cup, but has settled in the capital and was happy to agree a deal with the team, who have won all four of their league fixtures so far.
“It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to stay in Scotland and play for a Scottish club,” said Hardie, who is currently on a short break and will join the squad at the start of next month. “I see it as an exciting new challenge in my rugby career and I am really looking forward to joining up with the squad and competing for a place in the team. Edinburgh have made a strong start to the season and I hope I can help the boys and contribute to continuing that success.”
The 27-year-old flanker, who only moved to Scotland earlier this year from the Highlanders in New Zealand at the behest of national coach Vern Cotter, looks set to make a home debut - either against Munster in the PRO12 on Saturday 7 November or against Grenoble in the Challenge Cup six days later. He will face competition for the No 7 jersey from Roddy Grant and Hamish Watson, among others, and will give head coach Alan Solomons further selection options - and headaches - in what was already a very strong back-row roster.
“We are very happy to welcome John to Edinburgh Rugby,” Solomons said yesterday. “He is a quality player who will add real value to our squad.”
Hardie is eligible for Scotland thanks to a grandmother from Culross in Fife. He made his Test debut in the World Cup warm-up match against Italy in Turin, and also played in the final friendly against France.
He played in the first Pool B match at the World Cup, the 45-10 win over Japan, scoring one of his team’s five tries. A cut to his right ear needed stitches after that match, and he went to miss Scotland’s next two games after failing a head-injury assessment protocol.
He returned for the win over Samoa that clinched a quarter-final place, and then went on to play in that last-eight match, the one-point defeat by Australia on Sunday. After only five caps, he has established himself as a vital member of the Scotland team.
“John has proved himself to be an excellent professional and his performances during the Rugby World Cup consolidated our belief that we would like him continuing his rugby in Scotland,” said Scott Johnson, the director of rugby at Murrayfield. “This new contract means he can develop his career in Scotland and make himself available for national selection. It is also vital we continue to recruit well to develop our professional teams, so his addition to the Edinburgh Rugby squad will strengthen both his connection to rugby in the country and the team.”
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