AUSTRALIAN back row dervish Adam Korczyk hopes a fruitful spell at Ealing Trailfinders can pave the way for an eventual surge back into Wallabies contention.
The former Queensland Reds flanker came close to winning a first Test cap in 2017 before falling out of favour and being forced to seek pastures new.
However, Korczyk, 25, has proved an astute acquisition by Ealing and now has his sights set on following compatriot Jordy Reid back into top-flight rugby.
He told The Rugby Paper: “I got into the Wallabies squad for the 2017 Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship but never got into the matchday squad.
“The closest I got was being 24th man against Argentina, but I found the experience quite daunting at the time. It was a very different environment to the Reds – a lot more serious – but the aim is to get back there and if I keep working hard, you never know.
“Unfortunately, I didn't get as many chances at the Reds in 2018. Scott Higginbotham was there and Liam Wright and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto were coming through fast, so things got pretty tough for me and by 2019 I was hardly playing any Super Rugby at all.
“I was looking for another club but a lot of the Australian teams had finalised their squads, so when the opportunity came up at Ealing it seemed a good one.”
Korczyk explained: “I'd seen that Jordy Reid – another Australian I knew from Super Rugby – had come over to Ealing and done well. He's a great player who's got a gig at Gloucester now, so that was good inspiration.
“I have a Polish passport through my parents so that helped as well, and although it was a bit daunting moving to the other side of the world by myself in 2019, from my first day at Ealing everyone has been so welcoming and it's been a great experience so far.
“The goal of the club has been to make their way into the Premiership and, certainly for myself, the dream is to get back into top level rugby one day.”
With the Championship season just three weeks away, Ealing are hell-bent on reaching the play-off final and fighting Saracens for a Premiership place.
Korzcyk added: “It's been such a long pre-season but with playing these games in the Trailfinders Cup, it's beginning to feel real now.
“Winning friendlies against Newcastle and Bristol and then beating Saracens twice, it's told us we can play Premiership rugby and we don't want it to be a one-off.
“When the league starts, our aim is to show the wider rugby public that we can win games and make our way into the play-off final – then, if we get an opportunity to take on a full Saracens side with all their Test players, that would be a great marker.
“The boys are excited for the opportunity because we believe we have a Premiership set-up.”
By NEALE HARVEY
