London Irish prop forward Richard Palframan is swapping the Madjeski Stadium for The Athletic Ground for the 2018/19 season after agreeing a deal with London Scottish.
24 year old Palframan joined London Irish from Super Rugby side Natal Sharks back in 2012 and has been with Irish ever since. He made his Aviva Premiership debut for Irish back in 2015 against Sale Sharks having made his European Challenge Cup debut at the young age of nineteen in 2013.
When Irish dropped down into the Greene King IPA Championship during the 2016/17 season, Palframan made thirteen appearances and scored three tries before an injury ended his season.
✍? | Richard Palframan #BecomesAScot
The former @LiRFC prop will swap Exile allegiances and will join @LSFCOfficial for the 18/19 season ?➡️???????
Full Story ➡️ https://t.co/ktvCgcAa0r pic.twitter.com/OCUW7fVZ93
— London Scottish FC (@LSFCOfficial) June 5, 2018
Palframan was excited to be staying in London and switching Exile allegiances to Scottish and was relishing the opportunity of competing in the Championship again. “I am delighted at the opportunity to join London Scottish and to play for this great club. I am excited to play in the Championship again, it is a tough league and I’m looking forward to the challenge of helping the club achieve its full potential this season. I am thrilled at the prospect of working with Nic Rouse, the coaching team and some old teammates. I can’t wait to get started.”
The Cape Town native and Rondebosch Boys’ High School educated prop has made a name for himself as a very powerful scrummager so far in his career and a player whose physical ability is matched by an exceptionally good skillset with ball in hand, something that will lend itself to Scottish’s expansive game style.
Director of Rugby Dave Morris was hoping to bring the best out of the explosive prop. “We are delighted to welcome Richard to London Scottish. He is an aggressive scrummager and good ball carrier. The front row is the key battleground in the Greene King IPA Championship. I wanted to create fierce competition for places in our squad and good depth in the front row and feel we have that now.”
The former London Irish prop will add to a very talented group of front rowers, joining the likes of USA International Dino Waldren, Jonny Harris, Phil Cringle and other new signing Jimmy Litchfield.
Palframan will be familiar with London Scottish and the RAG after his time at Irish and will know many of the current 2018/19 Scottish squad including his former housemate, scrum half Ed Hoadley.
Palframan adds more quality to the 2018/19 squad after the landmark announcement of Richie Vernon’s signing yesterday.
