Trailfinders sign up trio to add squad competition
NEW SIGNINGS AIM TO BRING SOME VERSATILITY TO EALING
EALING Trailfinders have continued their recruitment drive as they prepare in earnest for the 2020/21 Championship season.
Dean Hammond, Shaun Malton and Simon Uzokwe are all delighted to be joining the west London club after agreeing terms with director rugby Ben Ward.
Winger Hammond, who can also play at centre, arrives from Worcester Warriors, having made 81 appearances for the Sixways-based side, scoring 29 tries in the process.
The 27-year-old joined the Warriors Academy from South Africa’s Western Province in September 2013, and went on to become a firstteam regular throughout the 2013/14 season.
Hammond played a significant part in their British & Irish Cup triumph in 2015, and continued to progress by scoring eight tries in 17 appearances during the 2016/17 campaign. During the 2017/18 season, Hammond crossed the try-line eight times in 20 games across all competitions.
Before heading to England, the versatile back represented Maties and Western Province between 2011 and 2013, and he has also played for South Africa Sevens in 2011 and represented the South Africa U20 squad in the IRB Junior World Championship in 2012.
Hammond is looking forward to his new challenge at Trailfinders Sports Club.
“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.
Ward is pleased to have further quality to add to the back-line for next season.
“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,” he said.
“He can also play at centre which, as with all of our backs, means we have a lot of versatility this year. He knows a few of our players from back home in South Africa.”
Malton has signed from Bristol Bears. The South African has spent the last year at Ashton Gate in the Gallagher Premiership and has a huge amount of experience to bring.
He was a central part of the Premiership-winning season at Exeter Chiefs, making 14 appearances and scoring three tries en route to lifting the trophy at Twickenham for Rob Baxter’s side.
The 30-year-old hooker has also had stints at London Irish, Nottingham and the Sharks in Durban, showing an impressive rugby CV.
On the international front, he represented the Springboks at U18, U19 and U20 level, and will now be battling it out with the likes of Alun Walker for the starting shirt next season.
Malton said: “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.”
Ward says this signing is a real statement for the club: “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.
“In losing guys such as Sam Dickinson and Jordy Reid, it is important that we bring in some experienced players.”
Uzokwe is another key signing, having been snapped up from Newcastle Falcons.
The back-rower has spent the past four years at Kingston Park and was part of their Championship-winning squad this year.
The former England Students international joined the Falcons in 2016 from Darlington Mowden Park, where he played during his studies at Sunderland University.
Before that Uzokwe spent three seasons in Northampton Saints academy, and he made a name for himself with a prolific try-scoring run during Mowden’s 2015-16 season, much of which was spent playing at flanker, before earning his England Students cap.
Having helped Newcastle to the final of the 2017 Premiership 7s, he marked his Falcons first team debut with two tries in a win over Wasps, also scoring against Enisei-STM in the European Challenge Cup.
“I’m over the moon to be joining Ealing Trailfinders,” he said.
“The club is ambitious and play an exciting brand of rugby.
“I’m looking forward to getting into the club for pre-season and contributing as much as possible next season.”