EALING TRAILFINDERS have pulled off the eye-catching signing of Leicester and former Wasps back rower Guy Thompson.
Thompson, 33, is set to leave the Tigers when his contract expires in a couple of months' time and his arrival at Vallis Way will help offset the loss of Australian Jordy Reid to Gloucester.
He was voted Tigers' newcomer of the season for 2018-19 after scoring five tries in 20 outings, but this season was cut short in January when he injured his neck against Bristol.
After false starts at Worcester and Gloucester, the Hereford-born player scored 16 tries in a total of 92 Premiership appearances.
Thompson, who can play openside or No.8, was told he would be let go by Leicester just days before the coronavirus lockdown began.
“It was a quick, ten minute conversation,” said Thompson, in an interview shortly after the bombshell was delivered.
“Geordie (DoR Geordan Murphy) is a really good man and it was as hard for him to dish out the news as it was for me to take it.
“I left the room thinking, “s***, what am I going to do now?”
Fortunately for Thompson, Ealing have enough cash reserves, despite the economic downturn, to take him to West London, where he could be joined by Luke Daniels.
The Bristol utility back spent three seasons at Ealing, between 2015-2018, and is being linked with a return to Vallis Way.
Thompson appears not to be the only memeber of the Tigers back row set to leave Welford Road at the end of June.
Last month TRP reported Sione Kalamafoni had attracted interest from the PRO14, with the Scarlets most keen on the Tongan international.
As the Welsh region transitions from All Blacks-destined Brad Mooar to Glenn Delaney, the former Nottingham director of rugby has identified Kalamafoni as a target.
JON NEWCOMBE
