Rugby: 100 games for Northland's Hayden Taylor

When Hayden Taylor started his career as a Northland rugby player he never gave thought to the fact that he might one day play 100 games for the province.

Now that he's got there he wonders what he might do next.

Taylor clocks up the century of games for Northland against Waikato tomorrow, in the process becoming the youngest Northland player to achieve the milestone.

It's difficult to determine, but at 26-years-old he might just be the youngest provincial player in the country to get to three figures as well.

Not that it bothers Taylor too much, the talented fullback has learnt to take things in his stride since arriving on the scene as a confident teenager fresh out of high school seven years ago.

"I can remember it was against Manawatu, and being pretty keen to get out there but I don't know who else was there that is still there now, apart from Towers (Glenn Taylor)," Taylor says of his debut in 1994.

For the record there are two other surviving members of that 1994 team still playing for Northland today, loose forwards Brett Waaka and Graham Hilton-Jones.

"I haven't really thought about the 100 games really, but I suppose when you stop and think about it, it's a fair few games," he said.

"I suppose it was always in the back of the mind this year anyway, not that I spend much time talking about it.

"It's got better as it has gone on and I hope there are many more in the blue jersey for Northland, but it is out of my hands to be honest."

Which might indicate that Taylor's milestone might signal change in the wind, but is a subject he remains coy about.

With offers coming in from Italy and France chances are Taylor might take the opportunity to reap some rewards for his efforts with a cash friendly contract overseas next season.

He's not saying much in the meantime though, he's only got eyes for Waikato, a side many Northland fans will remember handed the Northland side a hiding in a Ranfurly Shield encounter in Hamilton last year.

"Yeah but then again I have better memories of the last time we payed them up here, because we beat them," he said.

The trouble is Waikato will front tomorrow with a side stacked with backline talent, armed perhaps with one of the most lethal back three combinations in the country: Todd Miller, Roger Randle and Bruce Reihana.

So the challenge tomorrow lies in the battle of the forwards, where Northland's tight five needs to front with a big one to counter Waikato's lethal backline.

"In the ideal world we will win in my 100th game and I will score a couple of tries. I'd be quite happy with that mate."

He's not alone there.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE