Ealing Trailfinders sign Bobby de Wee

Ealing Trailfinders have confirmed that they signed South African Bobby de Wee from the Southern Kings. With the ability to play in the second and back row, De Wee was a target signing of Worcester Warriors, but the 26-year-old will be making his home in West London and not Worcestershire after all.

Protracted negotiations between the parties over the course of the last four months saw the Championship side win out in what is a significant coup for the Championship side.

The lock has been a regular in the PRO14 for the last three seasons, until the Kings went into administration in 2020, leaving many players forced to find new homes.

A product of the Bulls academy, the 6'5, 109kg forward moved to the Golden Lions in Johannesburg in 2014. He transferred to the Southern Kings in 2017 where he made 26 PRO14 appearances for the former Super Rugby side.

"Bobby is someone we have been looking at for a long time and it is great to have secured his services,' said Director of Rugby Ben Ward on the club website. "His ball-carrying will add another dimension to our attack, and his physicality in defence is a real asset for us.

"He has played consistently at the top level so we can’t wait to see him put on the Green and White shirt.”

Ealing Trailfinders take on Saracens in the opening match of the Trailfinders Challenge Cup this Saturday. The actual Greene King IPA Championship 2020/21 season won't commence until the weekend of 6th March.

The Championship league will be split into two conferences. Teams will play home and away within their conference producing 10 competition rounds, subsequent to which there will be a two-leg playoff final between the winner of each league to determine the team that will earn promotion to the Gallagher Premiership for the 2021/22 season.