Returning to prop up the Bay

When James McGougan left school in Whakatane and headed for Auckland in 2002, he rang the Bay of Plenty rugby management and explained his shift.
He'd love to stick around, the talented prop said, but a slot in the Auckland academy was too good to turn down.
Three years later, that courtesy call has had a sequel.
When McGougan, an Auckland B player this year, called earlier this year to sound out a possible shift home, he was welcomed back with open arms.
The 21-year-old is the latest signing for the Steamers, sealing a deal with the union when he put pen to paper in the carpark of the Tauranga Golf Club on Friday before the annual Steamers golf classic.
The former New Zealand secondary school player admits there was a logjam of propping talent in Auckland but that wasn't his main motivation for the shift.
"There's two All Blacks up there now with John Afoa and Saimone (Taumoepeau) but I just wanted to come home," McGougan said. "I was always homesick being away from home, being away from the beach and the sun, so I got in contact with (Steamers manager) Craig Morris and he said they'd see what they could do. I'm stoked to be back."
The 123kg, 1.83m prop is a timely addition to the province. Tongan international Taufa'ao Filise is close to signing a deal overseas and has been mentioned in dispatches from both the Bath and Saracens clubs in England.
Bay need to strengthen their propping resources, especially with the rise of Ben Castle and Simms Davison exposing them to further representative honours, and it's especially pleasing to get Bay-born talent back.
He'll join James Afoa in contention for the back-up propping spot in next year's new NPC premier competition.
McGougan went to Trident High School in Whakatane, was good mates with league star Benji Marshall and was a regular Bay of Plenty representative since he made the province's under-13 team.
He's a smart, affable player who is comfortable playing both sides of the scrum, although only after being forced out of his tighthead comfort zone this year with Auckland B.
"I wasn't too impressed with it at the start but it opens up a few more doors. When I look at it like that, it's good I've played both sides."
McGougan was one of four Bay players to make the national secondary school training squad in 2002 _ along with Rotorua stars Willie Ripia, Steven Setephano and Liam Messam _ but is the only one to have transferred back.
The other three are still plying their trade in Waikato. Filise, meanwhile, was still waiting on contracts to look over before he decides where to head, but admitted he was leaning towards England or France.
As a Tongan test player with more than 10 caps, he's considered a local player in England and doesn't have to wait for work visas.