Rugby: Prop answers the call

Whaka supporters will be hoping Cedric Carston's boss will give him time off work every Saturday for rugby.

Carston answered a late SOS call from his side after regular prop Darrell Pereira was sighted for an alleged stomping incident in Whaka's loss to Tauranga Sport last weekend. Pereira has to stand down until the Bay rugby union can make a decision on the incident. A disciplinary hearing is expected to take place sometime this week.

Although registered to play for the club, Carston, a personal trainer at the gym Go 360, has been too busy at work to play rugby. "My hours [at work] are all over the place, I'm not sort of 9 to 5, you make your own sort of work."

However, a midweek trip to Pak'n Save alerted Carston to the team's plight. "I was told we were down on players so yeah, I thought I better get back."

Carston was named on the bench for Whaka's match against Paroa. However the prop had hardly warmed the bench when Sam Cameron limped from the field after only five minutes.

"I was only expecting 20 minutes, then Samo came off. The lungs weren't too bad, it was the muscles cramping up."

Despite the muscle cramps, Carston managed to touch down for his side. "The boys will be a little annoyed about that, my first game back getting a try, but yeah it was good."

Carston said he was hoping to be available to play more matches for the club.

"Hopefully if things [at work] clear up, I'll be back down here every Saturday."

Whaka take on Opotiki Sports at Puarenga Park. In the other fixtures in this weekend's rounds; Paroa host Te Puna, Rangataua go up against Greerton Marist at Ariki Park, Rotoiti are at home to Te Puke Sport and Tauranga Sports Mt Maunganui at Tauranga Domain.

In division one Kahukura host Whakatane Marist at Kuirau Park, Waikite travel to Moore Park to take on Katikati, Ngongotaha are at home to Poroporo, Ruatoki host Marist St Michael's at Tuhoe Park and Te Teko go up against Rangiuru at Dunderdale Park.