Lytton engage against the scrum machine

TOUCH, PAUSE . . . : Carters delivery truck driver Royden Ashwell, High School Old Boys premier coach Wayne Ensor and Lytton High School 1st XV coach Reweti Montgomery with the team and their scrum machine. In front, from left, are Harlem Peachey, Joseph Warren, Milan Ngarangione-Taare, Lavelle Rangihuna and Davonte Babbington. The boys were excited to test out the new machine, donated by HSOB and dropped off for free by Carters. Picture by Liam Clayton

A BIT of community spirit goes a long way. Just ask the boys from Lytton High School’s first 15.

The team started out with three players this year — Lytton is not typically renowned as a rugby school — but word quickly spread about the team’s formation and before they knew it, they had a full line-up ready to go.

There was one problem. Some players were brand new to the sport and without a decent scrum machine, practising scrums was dangerous.

Coach Reweti Montgomery asked around and High School Old Boys came to the party.

“Without a scrum machine, technique goes out the window and that is when necks get hurt, so we have been playing golden oldies rules.”

Mr Montgomery had just been on a coaching course in Rotorua with HSOB premier coach Wayne Ensor.

“He mentioned they needed one and I said ‘well actually, we just got a new one and we would like to offer our old one to someone who is going to use it’,” said Mr Ensor.

There are a few Lytton High School old boys on the HSOB committee, so the choice was an easy one.

“Either our old one sits there and grows grass or it helps these guys become better rugby players. I think that is what it is all about — creating better rugby players.”

Now came the question of moving the machine from the Oval to LHS, something Mr Montgomery says was not easy.

“Trying to find a truck was hard to do — a lot of trucks could not handle the weight.”

The machine is weighed down by two huge concrete blocks, so lifting it was no simple task.

“I was walking past Carters, so I went in and asked. They said they could do it and told me how much it would cost.

“When I said it was for a high school rugby team, straight away they said they would do it for free.”

Team captain Wiremu Reedy was on hand with the rest of his team when the machine was delivered.

“Now we can start setting up our scrum. No more ‘goldy oldy’.’’