Rugby: Crichton keen to seize his shot at rugby's big-time

By CHRIS RATTUE

Loki Crichton is in that band of players whose rugby careers and lives have been shaped by the "Great Recruiter."

Crichton and three fellow members of the Samoan secondary schools side who toured New Zealand in 1994 were lured back to this country by Kelston Boys' High School, whose headmaster was Graham Henry.

Henry, of course, has been making waves (make that tsunamis) with his recruitment policies in Welsh rugby.

Back in the mid-1990s, Crichton and his Samoan team-mates were offered scholarships to Kelston, which Crichton says involved them not having to pay any school fees.

Crichton already had a couple of brothers living in Auckland, but was undecided on the Kelston offer.

To migrate, or not to migrate. Luckily, Crichton did not have to prove that he had a family tree rooted in the suburb of Kelston.

"I was in two minds, and I didn't want to leave my mother," said Crichton, whose father had died in the 1980s.

"I thought I would go home to Samoa after going to school here. But then I got picked for Counties. I'm very glad I came here now."

What has made Crichton particularly glad is that the Chiefs included him in their Super 12 squad for the 2000 season, meaning he could leave behind his job as a warehouse worker - for the Super 12 season at least - and be a professional rugby player.

Now, like many others in the Super 12, he must grab every chance and hope to do enough to win a another contract next season.

Crichton made his Super 12 debut at fullback in the first round against the Crusaders in Hamilton, and came on as a substitute against the Blues and Reds.

But the Chiefs side are loaded with fullback possibilities, and Crichton's real opportunity in the squad may lie at first five-eighths. His big chance comes tomorrow when he takes over from Glen Jackson for the match against the Stormers.

A top goalkicking performance would also do wonders for his cause.

The Stormers bring back some vivid memories for Crichton, who was an 11th-hour injury replacement in the Chiefs last season.

He was a non-playing member of the squad who played their final two games in South Africa and was overwhelmed by the crowd of 50,000 who watched the game in Cape Town." I thought 'I don't know if I want to play in front of this.' It was unbelievable - I think I was more nervous than the players who were playing," Crichton said.

There will not be anything like that crowd at Pukekohe tomorrow, but Crichton may well be able to look back on it one day as a critical point in his career.