Harry Potter swaps Super Rugby for Premiership

TRANSFER NEWS: Leicester Tigers have signed English-qualified, versatile back Harry Potter from Super Rugby side the Melbourne Rebels.

The 22-year-old, capable of playing in the midfield and outside-backs, was born in London and lived in the UK for a decade before his family emigrated to Melbourne, Australia.

Potter has previously represented NSW Country Eagles and Melbourne Rising in Australia’s National Rugby Championship before signing a professional contract with the Rebels in 2019.

Since 2016, Potter has appeared for Sydney University in the Shute Shield competition under the guidance of incoming Tigers attack coach Rob Taylor and played a starring role in the club’s back-to-back Premiership title-winning campaigns.

Speaking about the addition of the Potter, soon-to-be Tigers Director of Rugby Geordan Murphy said the “promising” young back was an exciting signing for the club.

“At only 22, he has a promising future ahead of him in the game and we are confident he will only continue to improve in our environment, while adding to our club.

“He is as equally as impressive off the pitch as he is on it and in our conversations with him ahead of arriving, he’s shown a willingness to want to be a part of our journey.”

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Potter admitted it didn’t take long after initial discussions with Tigers coaches to want to be a part of the club.

“It was a whirlwind really, over about a week, before it was proposed and then I agreed to the move to Leicester,” he said.

“I spoke to the coaches and was really impressed with the way they intend to run the club moving forward and it didn’t take much of a conversation to know Leicester Tigers is going to rise again.”

“Harry is a very talented young man who we are extremely excited about adding to our group here in Leicester,” said Murphy.

The young outside-back also admitted that the Premiership was a competition he had always wanted to be involved in and, after conversations with Murphy and senior coaches, that the opportunity was too good to miss.

“Coming over the Premiership has always been something I wanted to do,” he said.

“I was so inspired by what I heard in chats with the club and what is ahead for Leicester Tigers, it was too good an opportunity to pass on.

“It sounds like it has been a tough couple of seasons for the club but the right people are leading the way and it’s clear that with hard work and commitment to the plans in place, Tigers are heading in the right direction.”

Potter joins fellow new additions to the backline Nemani Nadolo, Matt Scott and Zack Henry, as well as Dan Kelly who will join the club’s Development Squad on July 1.