Rugby: Fullback worthy of contract?

Trinity Spooner-Neera takes a spell from marshalling logs while working for C3 at the Port of Napier. Photo / Warren Buckland

It was an emphatic question from Napier Technical fullback Trinity Spooner-Neera.

On his way to completing his hat-trick of tries in Saturday's 44-38 win against Ansin & Monteith Hastings Rugby and Sports, at Elwood Park, he fended off Hastings winger Mason Emerson. It was as if the former All Blacks Sevens rep was asking "so Emerson has a Magpies contract where's mine?"

"Not quite. One of our water boys [Garry "Sarge" White] asked me to fire up the boys, and that was my way of doing it, to help us get over the line. Opportunities came and I took them," Spooner-Neera said afterwards.

"I do want to get back into the Magpies and I know performances like that help. I just have to go hard every weekend ... that's all I can do," Spooner-Neera said, as he reflected on his 29 point haul in a man-of-the-match performance.

This saw him become the sixth weekly winner as the battle for the Tui-Hawke's Bay Today Club Rugby Player of the Year award continued.

Despite this classy display, Spooner-Neera, 20, said he wasn't feeling too good out on the field.

"I haven't been training as much as I can. I haven't been going to Hawke's Bay trainings so I'm not at my peak. A couple of those would help."

The 2012 New Zealand Secondary Schools representative, who played in four 2013 tournaments with the All Black Sevens, knows top performances with the Magpies could see him achieve his long-term goal of selection for next year's Rio Olympics.

"It's going to be tough with a number of All Blacks coming back into the frame. All I can do is try and see what happens."

Steady employment with C3 Limited at the Port of Napier was a key factor in Spooner-Neera deciding not to leave the Bay earlier this year.

"I do between 20 and 30 hours a week, which fits in well with trainings and playing. The physical labour involved with moving logs is also good for me."

The former Havelock North player is in his first season with Tech Group of Companies Napier Technical and is impressed with the potential within the squad.

"There are a lot of good individuals. If we keep going the way we are there's a good chance we could take out the Maddison Trophy."

Spooner-Neera is equally adept in the centre and first five-eighth positions, as well as fullback.

He is pleased with how his goalkicking is going.

"Others at the club are giving me feedback and it all seems to be working," he added.

The fourth placed Texans host third placed Hawke's Bay Insurances Limited Napier Old Boys Marist in a seventh round Nash Cup fixture on Saturday.