Rugby: Triple treat for teacher

Central rugby player Ben Carpenter teaches some of the children in his class at Terrace School. At the back are Maaka and Tiki Te Whaiti and in front are Zvante Ngarotata-Garnham and WiPahura Heremia. Photo / Warren Buckland

Central premier rugby team loosie Ben Carpenter is in triple celebration mode this week.

His Northfuels Central team last weekend delivered their first win of the season in Hawke's Bay's Tui Nash Cup competition with a nailbiting 13-12 eighth round victory against Tamatea at Waipukurau's Central Park.

Carpenter, 23, who is in his first season of premier play after playing all of his JAB rugby for the club, produced a player-of-the-match performance to become the eighth weekly winner as the tussle for the McDonald's-Hawke's Bay Today Club Rugby Player of the Year award continued.

Tomorrow, the Terrace School year six to eight teacher will return to Dunedin for his graduation ceremony.

This means he will miss Central's match against Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports at Park Island on Saturday.

Central head coach Exham Wichman was happy to grant the former Otago Maori representative a leave pass because he has seldom been missing in action this season. In fact, last weekend's three pointer was his second of the season, a tremendous feat considering his team has the one win on the points table.

"Our results don't reflect what we can do. We've been training hard ever since our sevens campaign in the summer, lots of young guys have returned to the team and we've built a good culture," Carpenter explained.

"We've been there or thereabouts in most games but we haven't been able to close them out."

Few would argue with Carpenter, too. Opposition teams have counted themselves fortunate to beat Carpenter and company on several occasions this season.

Central were pipped 26-25 by Napier Tech, were competitive for the first 65 minutes of a 27-19 loss to Napier Old Boys Marist, were unlucky to lose 23-21 to Havelock North and 23-14 against Taradale.

It's not surprising Carpenter, a 2005 Hawke's Bay Ross Shield rep, is featuring on the MVP leaderboard.

The regular No8 who prefers the blindside flanker's role enjoyed success during his five years at Otago University where he completed Bachelor Arts, Commerce and Teaching degrees.

In addition to making the Otago Maori team, Carpenter played in some handy southern club teams including the 2012 colts team which won their competition.

He considered this the highlight of his career to date.

"It's good to be back home around family and playing for the home club. You don't get the after-match feeds down in Dunedin like we get at the Central club," Carpenter said.

He is confident Central will climb further up the points table during the Maddison Trophy competition. There is also a chance of Hawke's Bay Saracens selection for him.

"I'll certainly take the opportunity if it comes but because this is my first year of teaching I'm really focusing on that. I want to enjoy a couple of years at least of work and rugby here in Waipuk before I think about some OE," Carpenter added.