Back in 2016, Kieran Hardy's dream of pulling on a Wales jersey at a World Cup had never seemed so far away.
Then just 20, the scrum-half's career was already threatening to stagnate. Having trained for the Scarlets for free as a teenager, he had been rewarded with an academy contract and made his senior debut but had then hit a stumbling block, or rather three, in the form of team-mates Gareth Davies, Rhodri Williams and Aled Davies, all of whom had been capped by Wales in his position.
The young man from Carmarthen had a big decision to make and he rolled the dice, flying the nest and signing for Jersey Reds in the English Championship. It was a bold play, but it ended up being the making of him, as he helped the club to the final of the British and Irish Cup before being named Player of the Season after extending his contract for another year.
