Visitors chase Swede success

They've had six weeks of immersion into full-scale Kiwi rugby culture but the real education for five visiting Swedish players begins next week.
The five - Tim Johansson, Viktor Pettersson, Robert Dibell, Per Akersen, and Joacim Kotomaki - arrived in early February from champion Swedish club Enk?ping, and are spending most of the Baywide season with Te Puke Sports.
Te Puke kick off their Baywide campaign against Whakatane Marist next Saturday and Dibell, Pettersson and Johansson in particular are likely to figure largely in the premier team, with 110kg prop Dibell adamant the experience had already been worth it.
"The skill level is so much higher here and we've got a lot of catching up to do," Dibell, one of the four travellers in the Swedish national team, said.
"It's like a religion here so if you want to learn, this is the place to do it. The first time we came down to training, everyone was so welcoming and friendly and already before the season has started we feel like we're part of the club.
"We're learning loads already. Especially for me it's great - (Steamers tighthead) Matt Wallis is going to do some sessions with me and the other guys are just soaking it up."
Te Puke coach Rodney Gibbs admits the lessons haven't all been learned on the training camp.
"We took them to Motiti (Island) one weekend and they'll have a few stories to tell when they get home," Gibbs chuckled. The Swedish connection to Te Puke originated with Rangiuru School principal Bruce Jepson, who played for the Enk?ping club and Swedish national side.
Former Tauranga Boys' and Te Puke hooker Matt Youngman and former Mount Maunganui schoolteacher Andy Munn are current players, with Munn also coaching.
"Matt started emailing last year and said there were some guys keen to come over and have a whole season to learn as much as they could, so I got in touch directly with them," Gibbs said, adding Pettersson looked the most promising of the visitors, with the 108kg 21-year-old ideally suited to blindside flanker.
"Unfortunately when you come to our club and you're around six foot tall you're automatically a lock!"
Dibell, meanwhile, is the veteran of the troupe at 28, and has Baywide experience with the Mount Maunganui senior reserves, so isn't too daunted with the prospect of opening up this season against the physical Whakatane outfit.
"I came out in 2005 and played for the Mount so I know what to expect. But we want it tough and hard because that's how we're going to learn."