LEIGH LEOPARDS have acted quickly following the injury to star centre Ricky Leutele – who has been ruled out for the rest of the 2023 Super League season – by swooping for former Wigan Warriors centre Oliver Gildart.
Gildart, who will be 27 next week, has spent the last two seasons furthering his experience in the NRL. Having signed for Wests Tigers, he spent time on loan with Sydney Roosters and this year has been at the Dolphins, who received a licence to become the 17th NRL club for 2023.
Prior to that he followed in the footsteps of his father Ian in playing with distinction for Wigan Warriors, making his Super League debut in 2015 and going on to win grand finals in both 2016 and 2018. In 2017 he was named as Super League Young Player of the Year.
Leigh Leopards Head of Rugby Chris Chester said: “Having received the bad news about Ricky it was important that we quickly brought in someone else of quality into the club before the signing deadline,” Chester said.
“Oliver is a top-class English centre who has represented his country and although contracted elsewhere for 2024 he is fully committed to helping Leigh Leopards achieve their goals this season.
“Adrian coached him at Wigan Warriors and knows him very well and he’s really excited to be working with him again.
“Oliver will be available for selection for the Betfred Super League Round 21 game at Leeds Rhinos next Sunday.
“I’d like to thank once again our club owner Derek (Beaumont) for his continued fantastic support in helping us bring in Oliver and also Oliver’s agent Liam Ayoub for his assistance in this move.”
Oliver Gildart played in all three test matches in England’s 2-1 series win against New Zealand in 2018 and the following year made his debut for Great Britain against Tonga Invitational at Hamilton, New Zealand when his new Leopards teammate Zak Hardaker was the other centre.
Gildart made 143 appearances for Wigan Warriors, scoring 65 tries. Alongside Hardaker he was a member of the Warriors side defeated 8-4 by St Helens in the 2020 grand final, a year in which then Warriors coach Adrian Lam was named as Super League Coach of the Year.
