Will Goodrick-Clarke brings physicality to Exeter Chiefs
DUBBED ‘Mr Incredible’ on his unveiling, Exeter Chiefs have not been shy in promoting the physicality of signing Will Goodrick-Clarke.
From announcing him single-handedly pushing the team bus around the Sandy Park car park to that of lifting 70kg dumbbells on each arm in the gym, the 28-year-old prop is certainly a tower of strength that the Devonians will be keen to utilise this season.
Up close and personal, he’s an imposing specimen with bulging biceps and an upper torso that’s as wide as it is tall.
It is, however, his on-field qualities that have drawn him to the attention of the Chiefs.
They believe he can be a cornerstone of their pack moving forward.
Planned addition
Having come across him previously at London Irish before their demise, the Chiefs continued to keep close tabs on the player last season.
At the time, he was on a season-long stint with the Ealing Trailfinders in the Championship.
Rob Baxter clearly liked what he saw.
And with the likes of Alec Hepburn and Danny Southworth both moving on this summer, he wasted little time in recruiting the forward to bolster his options at loosehead.
“We think he’ll be a fantastic addition to our squad,” said the Chiefs’ director of rugby.
“We know he’s desperate to get back playing in the Premiership and to push on and try to be successful and win trophies.”
Strong pre-season
Goodrick-Clarke is all of the aforementioned and has spoken glowingly about how he has settled quickly to life in the West Country away from the hustle and bustle of London itself.
“It’s certainly different, a lot slower, but it’s nice,” he says.
“I’m originally from the Cotswolds so I’m used to a bit of rural. Everyone has been very welcoming though and it’s a good spot down here, I like it.
“The beach is not too far away, everyone lives close, so there’s always lads about doing different things.”
Funny that he should mention the beach, which as always has again been prominent in Exeter’s pre-season programme.
The weekly trips to the nearby sands at Exmouth are anything but a jolly, but it’s an integral part of the club’s build-up for a new campaign in which they will once again press for honours.
“Pre-season is always tough, wherever you play,” said Goodrick-Clarke, who along with his team-mates were also put through their paces with the Royal Marines in the estuary mud at Lympstone.
“The training environment is very similar to what I’ve experienced in the past.
“It’s all very high-level training and stuff like that, but I guess the biggest difference here is the emphasis they put on the set-piece.”
London Irish alumni
In joining Exeter, he has been able to reunite with former Exiles assistant forwards coach Ross McMillan, whose own journey to Devon last season saw him make a significant improvement on the Chiefs scrum.
“I worked with Ross for two or three years prior to last season,” said Goodrick-Clarke.
“He’s got a good understanding of what I’m about and I’ve got a good understanding of what he’s about.
“His attention to detail is massive, so it’s good to come into this environment and see the similarities he’s brought from Irish, but also the differences that he’s made, because he’s taken things to another level.”
And armed with that knowledge, Goodrick-Clarke aims to once again make his mark on the Premiership.
“I watched a lot of the Premiership last year and year on year you can see it gets better and better,” he added.
“It’s quicker, it’s harder, and it’s definitely physical, but I’m pretty confident that this pre-season has got me in a great physical place, so I’m looking forward to getting started.”
Career back on track
Woodrick-Clarke has every right to be excited after his experiences at Irish left him and many others wondering where their careers would take them.
“I think I realised after about three months of no pay that I needed to find something,” he said.
“There were chats with clubs in France, clubs in the Premiership, but nothing was coming together.
“Thankfully, Ealing offered me a year to see what I could do there, but I always wanted to be stepping back up.
“Fair play to them, they let me do that.
“They let me sign a year, which they weren’t particularly keen on, but I’ve got nothing but good things to say about them.”
Now, Goodrick-Clarke aims to make the most of his second chance at the Premiership, powering the Chiefs onwards and upwards.
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