Rugby: Adams basks in southerly change

Snappy passing and good kicking have Tayler Adams rising fast in Southland. Photo / Getty Images

Tayler Adams made two career-changing moves last year and they're already starting to pay off. Fresh out of Auckland's Kelston Boys High School, he upped sticks and headed for Invercargill at the start of 2012 on the recommendation of a couple of his former first XV teammates and the persuasion of Southland's academy manager, Peter Skelt.

Then he decided to focus on playing halfback despite being a five-eighths, with some success, at schoolboy level.

Adams had played sparingly at the base of the scrum as a Year 11 in his maiden season in the Kelston first XV, but pivot was what he used to call home.

Fast forward the better part of 21 months and the 19-year-old has played for the New Zealand under-20s, made his first-class debut and ascended to being the first-choice halfback for the Stags.

When Adams arrived in the deep south he expected to tag along to a few training sessions with Southland after finishing his club campaign with Star, but he ended the season in Southland's playing 22 after the departure of the Cowan brothers, Jimmy and Scott.

It was a rapid rise through the ranks for the 81kg sport and exercise student who stands at 1.76m, even if he is still coming to terms with pulling on the No9 jersey every week.

"I've just grown to love it," Adams said. "Sometimes when I look at it and when I talk to people I think, 'Gee, why do I play halfback, all I do is run from side to side.' But when I'm on the field that's what I love doing. I love being around the ball and being close to the action, so I think that's where I'll stay."

Adams' debut came in Southland's record-setting 84-0 loss to Canterbury in Christchurch in round 11 of last year's ITM Cup, a day he remembers clearly.

"I try not to think about it too often," he said with a laugh. "I still cop a little bit of stick about it from my mates. It was a tough one because it was my debut, so I was excited about that but no one likes getting beaten by 80 points. So there were mixed emotions on the day."

Things haven't been too rosy in Stags country this year but they did manage to get their first win onthe board when they edged out Waikato 20-16 last Friday in a rousing come-from-behind effort.

Adams was thankful he didn't receive a burst from coach David Henderson after he was sent to the sin bin with the game in the balance in the 69th minute.

"He didn't say too much. I was a bit worried but thankfully he just said, 'Think a bit smarter next time,' and that was pretty much it. So I was thankful for that."

With a snappy pass, high workrate and a useful kicking game from his days at No10, Adams is a fast-improving player and Southland's next challenge comes in the form of Manawatu in Palmerston North tonight.

Both teams are languishing near the base of the championship and would dearly love a win to gettheir season on track.

"It's going to be a real testing game for us," Adams said. "But I think with the confidence that we're taking in from the last game and the game plans we have set, I think we should be fine."

Southland will be without regular skipper Jamie Mackintosh, who was suspended for stamping during last Friday's win over Waikato, and lock Josh Bekhuis will be in charge tonight.

Manawatu have made two changes to their starting XV, which beat North Harbour last Sunday, with Papa Wharewera set to start at halfback ahead of Nic Stirzaker, while Chiefs wing Asaeli Tikoirotuma is in the run-on side as Junior Tomasi Cama is unavailable. APNZ