GBHS old boys get noticed

Impressive: Nik Patumaka in action during his time in the Gisborne Boys’ High School first 15. Patumaka impressed Hawke’s Bay and Saracens head coach Josh Syms in a Saracens/Hurricanes under-20 match. Picture by Paul Rickard

“With Amos, what you see is what you get.”

That’s Hawke’s Bay Magpies and Saracens head coach Josh Syms’s assessment of Amos Roddick.

Gisborne product Roddick, 22, who has been in the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Academy for two years and starts at No.7 for the Napier-Tech premier side, will — with fellow former Gisborne Boys’ High School first 15 players and Tech teammates Ted Walters, Sheridan Rangihuna and 2021 Civil Project Solutions Poverty Bay fullback Paoraian Manuel-Harman — injury permitting, turn out for the Saracens against the Manawatu Evergreens at 2.30pm at Bush Multisport Park at Pahiatua on Monday.

This Queen’s Birthday Weekend match, Hawke’s Bay’s last pre-season hit-out, has featured Wairarapa-Bush historically and is important in that Ranfurly Shield holders the Magpies will host challengers South Canterbury on June 29 and Civil Project Solutions Poverty Bay (should they retain the Log o’ Wood) on July 30.

Current Meads Cup champions South Canterbury will come hard. Syms was impressed by former Gisborne Boys’ High School forward Nik Patumaka’s play in the Saracens’ game against the Hurricanes under-20s last month, and is pleased to have Roddick, Walters and Rangihuna available for Monday’s fixture.

Former Wellington Lion Rangihuna plays halfback, and centre Walters — who played his 150th game for the club last year — are key men at Tech. Syms regards all of the Gisborne lads now playing in Hawke’s Bay highly.

He may well have need of them.

“We need to know who of our local and Academy players are up for Ranfurly Shield rugby, out of 32-odd guys, because during that period we’ll have four players away with Manu Samoa, four away with Tonga Ikale Tahi, maybe four away with New Zealand Maori and five or so in the United States,” Syms said.

“Amos is raw, abrasive, strong over the ball and we’ve seen No.7s from Gisborne here before — former Magpies captain Brendon O’Connor comes to mind —while Ted and Sherry bring first-class experience. We’re very impressed by Paoraian too — he has more than enough pace to get by.

“We’ll cobble a team together for the game against the Evergreens — two 15s, as we want all the guys involved to get at least 49 minutes of rugby — and name those on Sunday. First, we need to see how our players get through club rugby on Saturday.”

The Peter Russell-coached Evergreens will have within their ranks two former GBHS titans — Micaiah Torrance-Read, who has been capped for both Taranaki and the Manawatu Turbos, and a genuine springheels of the second row in Ofa Tauatevalu.