Rugby: Touch and go for Otago prop

Otago prop Scott Manson collars Magpies pivot Ihaia West. PHOTO/Otago Daily Times

Life was, as Scott Manson visualised it, pretty hunky dory at primary school.
In the first XV rugby team, the youngster loved the view from behind the scrum as a strapping No 8.
His father, Jeff, told him to lap it up because it was just a matter of time before he was going to evolve into a prop.
At the cusp of his tumultuous teenage years, Manson understandably switched into denial mode.
"At the time all I liked to do was run with the ball. At 13 that's what you want to do, don't you? You don't just want to scrum."
Who could blame him. Even a game of touch in the post-teen ages was hard work with adults telling him off for rough play.
"I'd go to touch and end up making a half-pie sort of tackle so I was much bigger than most kids at that age," says Manson.
Just as time is a phase between two points, deep down Manson always knew he was going to have to snap out from his perceived state of Utopia.
It was a blunt proposal of become a prop or see you later, mate.
A morose Manson reluctantly obliged but the reinforcement was instantaneous with his selection to the Otago under-14 squad.
Ironically the writing on the wall couldn't have been any clearer for the Otago Razorback tight-head prop as he reflects on coming to terms with life at the coalface.
"I've found my niche. I was pretty slow to be a No 8 and barely fast enough to be a prop," says the now 117kg, 1.88m player with a laugh, before Otago challenge the Hawke's Bay Magpies for the Ranfurly Shield in the ITM Cup match between two second-tier Championship teams tomorrow.
Regrettably the 26-year-old will not be at McLean Park, Napier, for the 4.35pm kick off because of "a bad run of niggly injuries".
Instead, he will join a group of mates at the Ratbags bar in the Octagon, Dunedin, to cheer on the Razorbacks.
"It's pretty frustrating to be watching when you want to get on the park to add value to the side but it's easier when the boys are winning," says the Alhambra Union player who is proudly following in the footsteps of his maternal great-grandfather, the late John Walker, who represented his club and province.
Manson's father played for the Southland juniors while his paternal grandfather played for Golden Bay in Tasman.
An ankle infection, after a screw was removed from his right leg about 10 months ago, had flared up.
"I have also had an injury on the bottom of the foot so I couldn't push in scrums or even run."
But things are looking good as he hopes to return with a week or two although missing out on the shield challenge is tough.
He has been biking, cross training and stair climbing to keep fit in case coach Tony Brown throws him into the equation much earlier than anticipated.
Manson echoes the sentiments of teammates when he believes winning the Log o' Wood means the don't-argue 40-23 defeat to the Northland Taniwha on Wednesday night in Dunedin can be forgiven and forgotten.
"It kind of makes up for it because it's a pretty special trophy," he says, emphasising the highs and lows of breaking the 56-year shield drought last season before handing it over to the Magpies in nine days following a one-point loss is still etched in their minds.
"Hey, you guys should know what that's like," he says, alluding to the Craig Philpott-coached Magpies dropping the log like a hot potato chip to Counties-Manukau six days later in their first defence.
Adhering to the game plan is pivotal for the Razorbacks tomorrow.
"Against Northland I think the boys were thinking too far ahead [of the shield game]," Manson reckons, suspecting an element of complacency had crept it.
Because perhaps it was a mid-week match, he feels, there were changes to the team so Otago didn't have the same leadership.
"Come Sunday, though, our attitude will be there because you don't want to get too excited. That's when emotions can take over."
With four props in the squad, Manson knows his work is cut out to regain his perch on the front row with hooker Liam Coltman.
Donald Brighouse is the scaffolding on the tight-head side but he slides to the bench to make way for Michael Mata'afa tomorrow.
Manson, who plays alongside Coltman in the Alhambra Union colours, says Craig Miller is out with shoulder reconstruction.
"Aki Seiuli has taken the bull by the horns."
For someone who enjoys beating Canterbury most, the painful experience of watching the Charlie O'Connell-captained Otago lose 23-16 in Dunedin last Thursday will have to be realised maybe next year.
For now, he is simply trying to get back on track to becoming the most imposing prop in the NPC.
It'll be like waiting to see if his favourite player, Springbok Bismarck du Plessis, comes off the bench tonight in the Rugby Championship test match against the All Blacks in Wellington.