STILL GAME
Hardie taking first steps in coaching career with his love for rugby undiminished
TI have a lot to give with my experiences in New Zealand and in Scotland
here is a resilience born out of adversity when it comes to John hardie. The former Scotland flanker has faced trials and tribulations, both personal and professional, during his 14-year career.
Off the field, there was a three-month suspension from edinburgh rugby amid allegations of cocaine use before SrU head of medical Doctor James robson helped him come out the other side.
Then there was a back problem that led to an operation when he was at the capital club and later he failed a medical because of it at Clermont Auvergne. Not to be put off, he managed to resurrect his career with Newcastle Falcons, where he played for two successful years before retiring at the end of last season.
he also suffered the heartbreak of being a vital member of the Scotland team that controversially lost the 2015 World Cup quarter-final to Australia after a penalty was wrongly awarded by referee Craig Joubert. ‘That is still in my memory bank and will never leave,’ said hardie. ‘I can’t watch it back and never will.’
Now, as he embarks on a new coaching career as assistant to Stewart’s Melville head coach Alex hagart, you can understand why the man who has had so many highs and lows in his career in his native New Zealand and in europe believes he has much to give the young players of today.
every Tuesday and Thursday night, this rugby obsessive can now be found training the first team and passing on his expertise.
The 33-year-old may be one of the best Scotland back-row players of recent years, yet he is so new to the club that when we meet in the stand at their Inverleith ground, the groundsman asks him who he is.
It’s a far cry from playing alongside All Black rugby legends Sam Whitelock, Israel Dagg, Mils Muliaina during his time in New Zealand, where he was part of the All Blacks Under-19 team. But this is where he wants to be.
‘I am starting out here this season and I am keen to soak everything up as it is my first coaching appointment,’ said hardie, who qualified for Scotland through his grandmother from Low Valleyfield in Fife.
‘We have a bunch of boys that are young and thirsty to learn, and I am thirsty to learn as well. I’m looking forward to cracking on. The league starts in September, so this is an exciting time.’
But how will a man who has played with some of the best in the world cope with starting at the very bottom of the coaching ladder?
‘My partner Lisa says I am a rugby obsessive and that will never change as I love the game so much and want to stay involved, so I’m sure I am going to love it,’ he said.
‘I have become a better spectator since I retired because I couldn’t really watch when I was playing and injured as I got too wound up. Now I have taken a backward step it is awesome to watch it with a different perspective. I feel I have a lot to give as I have a lot of experience from my time in New Zealand to begin with and since I came here to Scotland. I have learned a lot and feel I can help players improve and deal with everything that they face.’ That is improvement both on and off the field as the biggest test of his character came in October 2017 when he was suspended until the following January by Scottish rugby for ‘gross misconduct’ amid allegations of cocaine use, despite never failing a drug test. ‘I am not going to go into the details of it but I made a mistake and paid the consequences,’ said hardie. ‘It is in the past now and it has made me a better and stronger person. ‘At that time, I had the support from Doctor James robson and I
cannot thank him enough for the help he gave me. No wonder he gets all the accolades he gets. Scottish rugby is lucky to have him. I didn’t ever feel I was damaged goods because of it and showed it by continuing my career after it.’
After his three-month suspension, he returned to the edinburgh side, determined to get his career back on track, where he was up against hamish Watson for a starting place.
‘When I first turned up at edinburgh after the 2015 World Cup, I knew right away how good hamish was,’ he said. ‘We were competitive but got on well.
‘hamish has done so well and I
could not be happier for him as he has gone from strength to strength and it is quite cool when we competed for the same position as we brought the best out of each other. I was delighted to see him playing for the Lions against South Africa.’
Knowing they had Watson on a long-term contract and with Hardie struggling with a back injury, Edinburgh let him go despite him still being a vital member of the Scotland squad under Vern Cotter.
‘It didn’t work out at Edinburgh, so I went over to Clermont under Franck Azema where they rehabbed me but during a training session the back went again,’ he said. ‘My back had another hiccup when scans showed the problem, then Dean Richards at Newcastle contacted me and took a risk and I ended up with there.
‘I played Premiership rugby, which is the highest standard of rugby I have played over here. It is brutal. You don’t come up against any weak sides and I enjoyed it.’
After nearly three years at Newcastle, the body was hurting so, at the age of 32, he hung up his boots at the end of last season to return to Edinburgh to start the latest chapter of his career.
‘It got to the stage that I felt like roadkill every Sunday morning,’ joked Hardie. ‘Feeling like that the day after games is fine but I was hurting most of the time, which meant it was a good time to go. I have let my body get a good rest and am ready to crack on with the next chapter of my life.
‘There are important things ahead of me. It’s been over two years, not through choice, since I saw my parents in New Zealand. It is hard but we Zoom call, though it is not the same and getting back to see them is one of my priorities.
‘The other is to help coaching Stewart’s Melville, get involved more in strength and conditioning and stay in rugby. It has been my life and I love it.’