Flanker reaches Chiefs dream

The road might have been long, but Bay of Plenty flanker Johan Bardoul is 'stoked” to have his rugby career come full circle after securing a Chiefs Super Rugby contract for the 2015 season.

The abrasive flanker was yesterday named in Dave Rennie's 38-man squad after an impressively strong ITM Cup campaign for an otherwise disappointing Steamers side.

Bay of Plenty Steamers flanker Johan Bardoul with ball in hand against Northland. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

It marks a number of years grafting at ITM Cup and club level while turning out for teams on both sides of the Kaimai Range.

'It's been a dream since I was a kid to play for the Chiefs or at a higher level,” he says.

'My goal this year was to make super rugby and I have done that. Stoked would be an understatement.”

Starting his career in Hamilton, the 26-year-old captained Hamilton Old Boys before playing in the Waikato Development side, on the cusp of the ITM Cup in 2012.

After finding himself surplus to loose-forward requirements he played a season for Thames Valley in the Heartland Championship before signing on with the Steamers for the 2013 season.

'I was pleased with my ITM Cup campaign,” adds Johan, 'then with two or three games to go in the season I was called to say I would be in the wider training group.”

Playing primarily at No.6 and some time at lock, Bardoul managed to get through a power of work this season for the Steamers, both in attack and defence, after helping Mount Maunganui secure the Baywide Bayfair Premier Club Rugby title.

And he credits his shift to the Bay as influential in helping him progress to the heights of Super Rugby.

'I got the call while I was teaching yesterday [as Bay of Plenty Rugby Union CBOP Regional Development Administrator] that I was in the full squad,” he explains.

'The Bay really looked after me. First of all they gave me an opportunity by signing me and then being able to cement the number six jersey this season really paid dividends.”

And he's already had a taste of the Chiefs environment having joined the camp in June 2013 for the rest of the season to cover for Michael Leitch, who was sidelined with a broken foot.

But come the start of preseason training in the lead up to Christmas, the flanker nicknamed Yogi will be soaking up as much of the professional environment as he can, particularly from the likes of coaches Dave Rennie and Wayne Smith.

At 112kg and 1.92cm, Bardoul expect to cover both No. 6/7 and locking roles in training while also learning his craft as a No. 8 during the preseason.

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