[1][2] A prop, Hardwick started his senior career with his home town club Coventry.
[2] The 1996-97 season, would be Coventry's most successful of the modern era, coming within touching distance of the Premiership.
Along the way, with Hardwick as Captain,[3] they beat a Newcastle Falcons side featuring 15 internationals by 19-18 at Coundon Road.
[4] They would eventually finish third behind the well- funded Newcastle and champions Richmond but lost a promotion play-off against London Irish despite taking a narrow first leg advantage to Sunbury.
[5] He went on to play 167 games for London Irish where he was part of the team that won the Powergen Cup (LV=Cup) in 2002.