RUGBY: Prop's in les bleus heaven

SHANE HURNDELL
It's time for Hawke's Bay Academy rugby prop Laurent Simutoga to be brought back to earth.
Simutoga, 19, has been making the headlines and television news in his home country of New Caledonia. With his selection in the France under-21 side last month he became the first New Caledonian to make a French rugby team.
"I was on TV and stuff like that ... it was crazy," said Simutoga who played in the second half of a 19-16 loss to Ireland and a 42-3 win against Italy, games played in conjunction with Six Nations matches.
The 2005 and '06 Lindisfarne College student knows there's no better way to be brought back to earth than some game time he will receive off the bench for the Hawke's Bay Academy against Taranaki Academy in hot conditions at Napier's Park Island this afternoon.
"We were training in snow over in Europe. I've heard Taranaki always come up with good front rows so I'm looking forward to it," said loosehead Simutoga who is also learning tighthead skills to enhance his chances of selection in the France side for next year's under-21 World Cup.
"I was the youngest in the French team last month and the coaches told me I've got a good chance of making next year's team. I've got some tough decisions to make, though," he said.
The EIT student has the option of playing six months in Hawke's Bay and then returning for a French club season with the Stade Francais Academy team or competing a full year of rugby in Hawke's Bay.
"My France under-21 coaches have told me I will still be considered even if I stay here, as they know New Zealand is the best rugby school in the world.
"Making the Hawke's Bay B team is my goal ... it will be good to get to that level," said the former Hawke's Bay under-18 and under-20 rep, who is in the third year of his Hawke's Bay Academy contract.
The first player from the New Caledonian island of Wallis Nfatuna to play in New Zealand, Simutoga also has to decide which Bay club he will play for this winter.
"It's hard to make my mind up. I've got that decision as well as the other one, plus my studies to worry about," said Simutoga, who has started a six-month Certificate in Sport, Health and Fitness course and will later in the year start a three-year Bachelor of Sport and Recreation course.
This afternoon he will put all that aside to fully focus on the Taranaki game.
"It's going to be good to play with Magpies like Aayden Clarke. Hopefully I can help the boys have a win ... I missed last weekend's loss to Wellington as I was still flying back to the Bay."
The Hawke's Bay Academy team for the 12.30pm game: James Rosenberg, Levi Armstrong, Joe Wright, Keven Manuel, Aayden Clarke, Greg Mullany, Anthony Bradshaw, Juston Allen, Matt Head, Josh Wyatt, Will Crutchley, Marcus Donovan, Jody Allen, Sam Ward, Christian Pera.
Substitutes: Forwards, Toby Allison, Laurent Simutoga, Joe Jensen, Rhys Evans, Trent Boswell-Wakefield; backs, Frae Wilson, Mangu Kemp.