Young Guns: Leeds Beckett No.8 Kade Bird
Skilful No. 8 Kade Bird endured heartbreak after being dropped by London Irish academy but has been presented with a golden opportunity to show what he can do in Australia's Shute Shield U20s.
Bird, 19, was let go by the Exiles earlier this year having been in the club's setup since the age of 12 but has since enjoyed a career revival.
He said: “I loved my time at London Irish and I played in the academy league but things didn't work out as I didn't get a contract at the end.
“I'm a London Irish fan and I'll continue to watch my mates who are still there. I joined Leeds Beckett this year and that's gone really well and I now have this opportunity to go to Australia, so it's all worked out in the end.”
Bird is relishing the opportunity to represent Eastern Suburbs in Australia's premier age grade rugby competition for the same club that former Gloucester lock Ed Slater and internationals Matt Toomua and Kotaro Matsushima previously played for.
Bird added: “I'm looking forward to the opportunity. I've got big aims in rugby and want to play at the highest level. It's a great chance to play for East Suburbs and hopefully I can play well enough to get into the Waratahs U20s for their season as well and just see what options are open at the end of the year.
“My uncle lives in Australia, so I've been speaking to him a lot and it looks like a great standard. I know a lot of players that have gone through it and played at the highest level afterwards. They've even got players playing in the competition who have already made their full international debuts, so it's a great opportunity. It's the level below where I want to be at and it can act as a stepping stone to play for big clubs like Waratahs and other Super Rugby sides, as well as European teams. If I'm playing well you never know.” Bird played all of his junior rugby in the backline, and successfully operated at fly-half and centre at Epsom College before a miraculous weight gain during lockdown led him to a switch to the forwards.
“I used to play 12 when I was younger but have played all over the backline,” he added. “Moving the ball about is what I love to do but over lockdown I got a lot bigger, so London Irish moved me to back row wand it's kind of moved on from there as I've played No.8 for two and a half years now.
“The transition was difficult at first. I came into my upper sixth year and had played very little in the back row. I'd gone from 13 stone to 16.5 because of the year off. It was difficult to begin with but I feel I'm really getting into it now and enjoying it. Over lockdown, I was going to the gym a lot to keep fit and it was really good for me because I kept improving my skill sets.”
