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Ealing sign 4 more players with Premiership experience, including ex-Harlequins winger Charlie Walker
Big spending Ealing Trailfinders continue to plan to have a real shot at Saracens in next season’s Championship, Ben Ward’s Londoners signing four more players who all have Premiership experience, including Charlie Walker.
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Former Harlequins winger Walker has arrived from Zebre in the PRO14, another winger Dean Hammond has come from Worcester, back row Guy Thompson from Leicester and Shaun Malton from Bristol, the hooker who featured for Exeter during their Premiership title win in 2017.
Walker, the 27-year-old who played 96 times for Quins before heading to Italy last summer, said: “I can’t wait to get going at Ealing. After hearing the club’s vision, seeing the facilities and speaking to players at the club it became an easy decision. It’s a short career and I’m hungry to win some silverware.”
Hammond, another 27-year-old, joined the Warriors in 2013 from Western Province, making 81 appearances. “I’m excited to be part of a team that is breeding a winning culture and has the hunger to be the best they can be,” he said.
The arrival of Thompson, the 33-year-old who joined Tigers in 2018 following 100 appearances for Wasps in the five seasons prior, had long been rumoured. “After speaking to Ben I was hugely impressed with the ambition of Ealing. Having watched them play, I’m excited to be playing some expansive rugby.”
Malton, the 30-year-old age-grade South African international, also had stints at London Irish, Nottingham and the Durban-based Sharks aside from featuring for the Bears and the Chiefs. “I met Ben at the ground and it was great to hear what he had to say, about where they want to be as a club in the next couple of years. I’m really excited to be a part of it.”
Ealing director of rugby Ward told the club website: “Charlie is someone who we have known for a long time and I’m delighted that he chose to join us. He has the ability to change a game and make something out of nothing.
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“Dean offers us power and pace. We have worked hard to improve our outside backs and he will add a lot of value and competition to what we already have.
“Guy’s rugby CV speaks for itself and this is a huge signing for us. He has been at the top level for nearly a decade and I’m sure he will bring plenty to us, both on and off the pitch with his leadership.
“Shaun is a great character who will bring a huge amount to our squad. To bring in a player of his calibre is massively exciting for us and with his experience we see this is as a significant move to continue growing as a club.”
Ambitious Ealing had previously announced the signings of the likes of Ulster winger Angus Kernohan, Gloucester lock Simon Linsell and utility Exeter back Max Bodilly following their second-place finish behind Newcastle in the truncated 2019/20 season.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Hey. Stay home and play for Mooloo.
1 Go to commentsTighthead was always going to be our weakness this year with Ryan going home to Ireland and the Cashed Up Blues taking a third All Black prop from us - nobody else in SR does that. Numia is the exciting one. He used to be a lightweight but he's really improved. Do you have stats on the All Black hookers’ lineouts for the game? I seem to remember a few misses.
2 Go to commentsFergus Burke isn't tier 1 player quality…but guess what, he'll be playing amongst them for Saracens…. all going well and Steve Borthwick is still the head coach, England...Scott Robertson’s hint of amending NZRU’s offshore AB eligibility clause, would mean that players like Josh Moorby who show potential might get a call…
4 Go to commentsThe movement of quality players back to SA is remarkable.
2 Go to commentsInteresting article, Nic. Am enjoying seeing the Rebels doing well, partly just to spite those who are working to wipe them off the face of the Australian rugby planet. But it is also good to see a team with somany good players beginning fire. LSL has benefitted so much from his move up to Northampton for the one year. I wonder why he did not stay on for another year. Does he now looks north and see his teammates of last year now doing so well, and have some regrets.
44 Go to comments“Over 80% of the World Cup squad are over 30” No it isn’t lol
2 Go to commentsTyrel Lomax the best AB prop since Carl Hayman. Absolutely destroyed the Boks in RWC Final and is monstering allcomers in Super this season. Should be a monster battle vs touring Poms, always deliver a power pack.
2 Go to commentsEye gouging seems like such a strong term for what can only be described as a poke in the eye. When I think of eye gouging I think of someone trying to intentionally pop someone’s eyeball out. it’s like calling a high-tackle attempted decapitation.
3 Go to commentsGreat article. No insights to add, just wanted to say that. :)
1 Go to commentsLeinster are going to win the world cup.
13 Go to commentsSuper Rugby desperately needs to lose at least 2, but up to 4 teams. Rebels quietly going bankrupt would have made that a bit easier. Teams like the Rebels and Force serve only to weaken Australian Rugby and Super Rugby more widely. In 13 years in the comp the Rebels are yet to win more games than they lose in a season, have never finished in the top half of the competition, and have come dead last a number of times. The Western Force, barring a brief stint of mediocrity under John Mitchell from 2007-2009 have been even worse. Sadly it’s hard to see a future for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Likewise I think the writing is on the wall for the Highlanders, it’s hard to see how NZ rugby can continue to support 5 SR teams, and population distribution suggests one team in the south island would make the most sense.
44 Go to commentsNice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
44 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
4 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
8 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
44 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
8 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to comments