Garside ‘punished’ for crack at Saints
AMPTHILL prop Karl Garside fears his hopes of representing England Counties in Georgia next summer will be stymied by a recent RFU rule change.
Garside excelled on loan for Northampton in last week’s Premiership Cup match against Bristol, after previously playing two Premiership Shield games as cover for injured tightheads Jamal Ford-Robinson and Paul Hill.
But amended RFU regulations issued in October state players at levels three or below playing more than two Shield matches will no longer be eligible to represent their counties, thus barring them from England Counties consideration.
Lancashire head coach Mark Nelson last month described the regulation as “utterly nonsensical, antireally player” and that it was “unfair” on National League players aiming to further their careers with Premiership clubs.
Garside, 25, a PE teacher at St. Martin’s School in Northwood who toured Romania with England Counties in June and was a key member of the Hertfordshire side that reached the Bill Beaumont Cup final in May, said: “Because I’ve played Premiership Cup and A-League, I think that rules me out of counties rugby this season, it’s a bit of a bummer of a rule.
“But a door has opened up for me at Saints and I’m enjoying it. They needed another prop to fill in and my head teacher at St Martin’s is a big Saints fan, so they’ve been good about giving me time off.”
Garside was at Saracens before he was let go at 15, and then had a stint at Wasps before joining Old Albanians and then moving to Ampthill. He added: “I’m taking it day-by-day and don’t really know where it will go, but I’ve enjoyed working with (scrum coach) Matt Ferguson.”
Counties and Blackheath head coach James Shanahan said: “It’s frustrating for National League players and clubs who are helping out Premiership sides and to ‘punish’ a guy like Karl Garside for having a crack at Premiership Rugby is particularly annoying.
“If he earns a contract with Northampton, brilliant. But if he doesn’t, why should he miss out on playing for Hertfordshire or potentially an England tour to Georgia?”