From Force heartbreak to Super Rugby debut for son of a gun

His dream of playing for Western Force was cruelly ripped away in 2017, but son of a gun Jack Hardy will finally realise his Super Rugby ambition in a Reds jersey.

Jack Hardy will make his debut against the Stormers. Picture: AAP

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New Reds winger Jack Hardy is the son of a gun who fought for Friday’s fresh start at Suncorp Stadium from the emotional culling of the Western Force.

Hardy, 20, always aspired to play Super Rugby for the Force as a youngster in Perth before that chance was ripped away in 2017.

As a Future Force academy player, he was a face at the vocal rallies staged to protest Rugby Australia’s decision to chop the club.

His break against the Cape Town-based Stormers highlights that Western Australia can still produce talent but RA resources have to be pledged to keep nourishing it.

“It just shows you no matter where you’re from the opportunity is there but there still has to be help in the system so more can do it from Perth club rugby,” Hardy said.

Jack Hardy will make his debut against the Stormers. Picture: AAP

“Of course, I wanted to play for the Force as a kid who grew up in Perth but I’m really excited with how things have worked out since the Reds invited me to trial.”

You will have seen Hardy’s evasive swerve before if you remember the finishing of father Mitch, who played for the Brumbies and eight Tests for the Wallabies in the 1990s.

Young Hardy may think defensive drills under Peter Ryan at Ballymore are hardcore but they don’t come close to his father’s experience at the ground against Samoa in 1998.

“I had to mark ‘The Chiropractor’ (Brian Lima) and he smashed this little scrawny winger a few times,” Hardy Sr said with a laugh.

“I’m proud of the young fella and the character he’s shown to make the most of a bit of a punt going to Brisbane.

“I hope talented young players in WA see him as a role model for what’s possible and RA make sure genuine resources are directed to the west to keep it growing.”

Playing the Stormers will be an intriguing insight into whether the Reds can actually learn from mistakes and shortcomings.

Mitch Hardy in action for the Brumbies.

The Melbourne Rebels earned a glut of quick ball for Will Genia to operate with last weekend while the Reds’ efficiency at the breakdown was awful and spat out slow ball repeatedly.

That has to change just as the Reds’ lineout precision has to lift because they are two areas that the South Africans will attack hard.

The Reds have sharply improved their discipline by conceding the fewest breakdown penalties in the competition but a paltry number of pilfers (two) also reflects a lack of expertise.

Playing Sefa Naivalu at outside centre has an upside for the Reds because he can no longer just idle on the wing with a paltry five runs per game.

He is smart, high-impact defender and a slicing run or two could really get the Reds rolling.

Whether he’s adept enough to pass to Hardy and fellow winger Filipo Daugunu in good positions is another story.

Hardy is ready: “Hitting bigger bodies at training and maturing as a player have been the big plusses of the past few months and learning a great deal from Samu (Kerevi) and Bryce (Hegarty).”