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Published Date: 16 September 2009
By Leon Wobschall
BEING at a side tipped to be push-overs is nothing new to Gareth Hardy.
The Leeds Carnegie prop was part of the Western Force side derided as cannon fodder on their entry into the southern hemisphere's blue riband Super 14 competition in 2006, with the Perth-based outfit ultimately making the experts eat their words.
A massively transitional first season saw Force – perhaps unsurprisingly – finish with the wooden spoon. But in 2007, the West Australians knocked on the door of the finals and ended seventh, following up with eighth-placed finishes in the next two campaigns.
Summer recruit Hardy, 28, now finds himself facing a new challenge at another underdog in Carnegie, and after his experiences in Perth, he is quite happy for the tipsters to carry on writing them off.
The loose-head prop, who has an English passport with his father born here, said: "Force were a made-up team and we had to recruit from all different parts. We didn't have an academy or a real culture and it was difficult in the first year.
"People underestimated us, but from my experiences of the Force, we beat many sides who were expected to beat us – we nearly beat Canterbury, who were the Premiers. And people will do that to Leeds at their own whim.
"The pundits mention relegation, but I don't think that's an issue, we've got enough on worrying about week-in, week-out and improving and delivering good performances. The other stuff will look after itself."
A cornerstone of the Force scrum in their foundation years, Hardy is hoping to kick on in the UK, with injury setbacks having blighted his last two seasons.
But that didn't stop European sides being in the market for his services in the 2008 close season and after deciding to remain Down Under last year, Hardy decided to take the plunge this time around, signing a two-year deal with Leeds.
And he is relishing testing himself in the Guinness Premiership, which some are starting to now regard as the equal of the Super 14 competition.
Eager to pit his wits in the Northern Hemisphere's 'glamour' competition, Hardy – who played for Australia A in 2007 and was tipped to make the full squad before he broke his ankle, said: "After playing in the Super 14, you hear a lot of banter about the two competitions and how good both of them are.
"From what I saw last year, the Guinness was becoming one of the premier club competitions in the world and having had experience, it definitely is.
"Watching the games, you could see how intense it is and I can now vouch for that.
"The competition does have different variables.
In the southern hemisphere, there's a lot more travel involved to different countries, whereas here, you get more bus rides!"
"But the calibre of players is just getting better and better here and the professionalism has made the game a lot better as well.
"Working with Backy and Andy (Key) was a big incentive in me coming here, along with the big challenge that lies ahead at Leeds.
"Some people might see it as a negative, but for me, it's more a positive to contribute and do the best I can to help make a difference."
In the southern hemisphere, there’s a lot more travel involved to different countries, whereas here, you get more bus rides!”
“But the calibre of players is just getting better and better here and the professionalism has made the game a lot better as well.
“Working with Backy and Andy (Key) was a big incentive in me coming here, along with the big challenge that lies ahead at Leeds.
“Some people might see it as a negative, but for me, it’s more a positive to contribute and do the best I can to help make a difference.“
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