Bardoul duo both capped by Steamers

• Author: RUGBY Jesse Wood
• Published date: 27 October 2022
• Publication title: Te Awamutu Courier

Now based in Perth, Johan, 35, flew over to see his 25-year-old brother don the 12 jersey in the match against Northland, while also giving the Steamers coaches a hand during their storm week (three matches in nine days)

“Seamus is my little brother and we’re both capped for Bay of Plenty now, which is quite cool,” says Johan, who also made his NPC debut at 25.

“We’re late bloomers, us Bardouls.”

As well as being a late bloomer, Johan has had a vast rugby journey over many clubs and four countries.

From a large family of Dutch descent, Johan, his siblings and his parents John and Christine moved from Tihiroa (near Te Kawa) to the Mamaku region when he was 5 — although the Bardoul name is still prominent in the greater Te Awamutu area as his Oma and Opa (grandparents), Peter and Mies, lived in Ōhaupō for years and his uncle Paul still farms there.

John, Paul and many other family members played for the Ōhaupō Rugby Club and Johan says his father has fond memories of those days.

“The old man loved playing for Ōhaupō when he was younger. I played against them a few times when I was playing for Matamata but we always got the wood on them.”

Johan took up rugby as a 5-year-old at Putāruru Rugby Club, playing there until he was 10.

“We travelled from the Mamakus where we owned Highland Hills, a big farm on the top of the Mamakus with the red woolshed. I went to Tapapa School, which was just out of Okoroire ... but it’s closed down now. Then we sold the farm and moved into Rotorua. That’s when I played for Marist St Michael’s,” he says.

He played rugby throughout high school, firstly at John Paul College before transferring to Rotorua Boys’ High School and eventually ending up at Matamata College, the area where his family has stayed since.

“I always played rugby and I loved it, but for Matamata College 1st XV I was on the bench. Then I went down south and lived down there for a year or so. I played for Heriot Rugby Club and went to Telford Rural Polytechnic.

“Between the age of 18 and 20, I grew a hell of a lot, then came back and I was going to play colts [under-21] for United Matamata Sport but I ended up trialling for the top side.”

The trial went well and Johan played for premier rugby for United Matamata Sports for several seasons.

“That’s when I realised I wasn’t actually too bad at rugby and started to take it seriously. I ended up getting player of the year and that’s when I got a look with Waikato Under-20 but I didn’t make the team.

“Nobody knew who I...