Rugby: First XV star ready for Auckland's ITM semi

Photo / Brett Phibbs

Close observers of Auckland First XV rugby will not be surprised at the swift ascent up the charts of loose forward Blake Gibson.

But the young man himself, at just 19, has been taken aback that he is gearing up for his ninth game for Auckland after racking up nearly 400, mostly quality, minutes, in this ITM Cup.

He captained the powerful 2013 St Kentigern College First XV from No 8 and then appeared for NZ Schools as an openside, his preferred position. Desperately unlucky not to make the New Zealand Under 20s - he is surely a sitter for 2015 - Gibson worked away for his Ponsonby club and at Auckland training. While it is true that injuries to Joe Edwards, another St Kent's boy, and Peter Saili have given him a leg-up, so well has he acquitted himself that it would not surprise if he made a Super Rugby wider training group. To that end, he aims to put on another 5kg to his 100kg frame.

"Even at the start of the year, I didn't think I'd be playing for Auckland. I'd just got out of school, but [Auckland coach] Paul Feeney showed a bit of interest and said I had a chance of playing some ITM Cup. I was quite surprised I missed out on the Under 20s, but I never thought I would have got nine games for Auckland in my first year out of school," said Gibson.

It helped that he came out of a professional training and rugby environment at St Kent's, where they have a fulltime trainer, but Gibson says the step-up is still significant.

"The guys are a lot bigger and more physical and have been doing it for 5-10 years."

The Wellington game was something of a watershed for Gibson. Thrust into the fray off the bench, he made a few errors, as did his team, but turned it all around with a quality second spell and a 31-30 win.

"To come out of school into an ITM Cup and start at six, seven and eight, it says something about him," said Feeney.

"Blake's enthusiasm, leg drive and just the knowledge of his game at his age ... you can't teach what Blake knows. He's been invaluable for us with our injuries and pushed himself into the starting line-up."

Gibson will line up at No6 for tomorrow's Premiership semifinal against Taranaki. Their muscular loose trio will know they will have to be on their mettle and strong over the ball or this mature young man will again assert himself.

There is good news for another Auckland loose forward. Sean Polwart, a specialist opensider, has won a full Super Rugby contract with the Chiefs for 2015, after some sterling displays for his province. The 24-year-old has already tasted the Chiefs environment, being called in as cover earlier this season.