Centurion - OBM’s Dickson to play 100th game

CENTURY IN SIGHT: Lance Dickson in action for OBM against YMP in last season’s club rugby final. Tomorrow, Dickson is to play his 100th game for the club fittingly at Te Karaka, where he first picked up a rugby ball. Picture by Paul Rickard

RUGBY

Front-row forwards in the thick of the action on the field can also be great value before and after games.

One such example is 27-year-old Enterprise Cars OBM loosehead prop Lance Dickson.

In his seventh season for the Lee Bros Shield holders, Dickson will play his 100th game for them tomorrow when he runs out against competition leaders GT Shearing Waikohu at Te Karaka.

The former Gisborne Boys’ High School second 15 captain joined OBM, then coached by Stu Blair, in 2012 and made his debut off the bench in the second half of a game against Pirates at the Oval.

Up against him that day was Tom Miki, who would go on to become an OBM man.

Dickson first picked up a rugby ball at the age of five at Te Karaka School, then went on to Gisborne Intermediate and Boys’ High.

He is very happy with where he has been and what he has done in the game.

“From my early days to as it is now, it’s about playing with your mates and competing,” he said. “What I’ve loved most are the people, the friendships I’ve made along the way.”

Dickson rates long-time teammate Jayme Barnett and Joe Mason among the best tighthead props to have anchored an OBM front-row with him in it and said Dan Marsh was a top loosehead prop of similar vintage.

He ranked Campbell Chrisp (Ngatapa), Toru Noanoa (Waikohu), Seymour Lambert (YMP), Russell Burns and Joe Aukuso (both HSOB) among the toughest hombres he has clashed with over the years.

“For personal reasons I haven’t been fully involved this year but seeing my mates struggle with injuries made me come back, and I’ve enjoyed seeing our young guys step up.

“They’ve shown plenty of heart and determination. In hard times you find out what kind of players you have and their having to work will benefit them going forward.”

OBM head coach Trevor Crosby has a high regard for Dickson, whose uncles Mark (Hek), Bruno, Calvin and Mike played for the former Marist club.

Dickson’s late Pop, Mokoera Kingi, was similarly a great influence and supporter of his rugby.

“Lance has attitude, mana (respect), leadership — we’re proud of him” said Crosby.

“He’s given an arm and a leg (right knee, specifically) for us in the last few weeks. He’s loyal and he trains at 100 miles an hour.”

Poverty Bay Heartland head coach and Boys’ High deputy principal Tom Cairns also respects Dickson.

“He was a good guy at school and always gave his best — a really good team man who played a lot of games for the second 15,” said Cairns. “He gives it everything and enjoys himself doing it. To play 100 games for your club, that’s a fantastic achievement.

“Guys like Lance persevere because they enjoy it. He’s a top man . . . with a penchant for hot sauce.”

Dickson has known many great days with OBM but winning the Lee Brothers Shield last year is at the top of his list.

“That was No.1. It was massive and what a way to do it (a record 65-5 win over YMP in the final). We made history.”