Rugby: Putting in hard yards for big clash

Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports player Ted Symes sneaks in some weight training while on the job at Expressway Landscaping in Napier. Photo / Warren Buckland

Check out the poster the Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports club produced at the start of the season promoting their recruitment programme.

Utility back Ted Symes is the sole premier player featured. When asked if this why he is playing so well this season Symes laughed.

"They asked me because my son Cyrus, who is playing in the sixth grade, and Billy Dagg are also on there ... it shows the family involvement with the club," Symes explained.

"I'm working hard on my game this season because this could be my last crack at winning a Maddison Trophy winner's medal before I join the police," Symes said.

That work is paying off. Tanalised Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports are second on the Nash Cup points table and Symes produced a player-of-the-match performance in the weekend's away 29-21 win against Northfuels Central to become the seventh weekly winner as the tussle for the Tui-Hawke's Bay Today Club Rugby Player of the Year award continued.

Symes, 26, and his teammates will get an accurate gauge as to where they fit into the Maddison Trophy equation when they host unbeaten Nash Cup leaders and defending champions Carters Frame and Truss Taradale at Tamatea Park on Saturday.

"Taradale are the top team. But we've got a few of our key boys back from injury spells this week. If we can get everyone to training and the boys can put in an 80-minute effort we can upset them ... in our last two games we've had two good halves and that won't be good enough against Taradale," Symes said.

Although most of his game time has been on the wing this season a couple of injuries saw him switch to centre last weekend. "I enjoyed the one-on-one defence which is better than being the cover man. It was good to have the forwards running at me ... I enjoyed dropping the big guys," Symes said.

A brother of former Magpies and Central Vikings loosie Paul Symes and cousin of former Magpies prop Tom Symes, who have also played for the Pirate club, Symes is in his fourth full season with the club.

After his first two seasons he had a stint playing for the Wannero club in Perth.

A father of two, Symes ranked playing his 50th game for the Pirate club last year among his career highlights.

Others include playing for the Hurricanes title-winning Hawke's Bay under-16 team in 2005 and captaining the Napier Boys High School under-15 team to national title glory at Hamilton in 2004.

While awaiting the call for Police Training College, Symes has been working for his father-in-law, Peter Vujcich, at Expressway Landscape Supplies in Napier.

"The physical work there is good for my rugby. I do a lot of heavy lifting so Peter doesn't have to do it."

Symes' father, the late Stuart Symes, who was once a Mahia fullback, will no doubt be giving his lad the thumbs up from above.

Expect Symes and his teammates to get more than a thumbs up from their loyal supporters should they upset the Mighty Maroons on Saturday.