Kemp fire burns bright

When Nathan Kemp sat down and thought about what he might do in 2005, playing for Manawatu was not high on the list. He pencilled in an end-of-year move overseas to play rugby, as well as earning his blazer for Auckland and playing 100 games for his club side Ponsonby.

But then new Greens coach Charlie McAlister rang. "Fancy moving to Palmerston North and playing for Manawatu?" McAlister asked of a player he worked with during his time as assistant coach of the Blues development side.

"Why not?" Kemp replied.

After all, he was about to embark on the biggest see-what-happens move to play overseas and had time to fit in something before that.

It's only about 300km from Auckland but Kemp feels like he's on a different planet.

"I'm an Auckland boy at heart and they do things pretty differently down here," he said. "If I can take one thing out of it (the move) then it's made me appreciate the Auckland scene because they are professional and really look after you there. When I came down here I had to do a lot of things for myself and then there are things like players being late for training because they are milking the cows."

The players aren't likely to risk being late on Tuesday when Kemp skippers the Greens against the Lions in what is arguably the visitors' easiest game on tour.

The 26-year-old former Auckland and Blues hooker is realistic about his side's chances, especially considering Manawatu, who were recently included in an expanded 14-team NPC competition for 2006, finished sixth in the second division last season.

"I would like to think we have a starter's chance but we are only a second division side up against a group of internationals who are the best they have," he said.

"They probably think it will be an easier game for them but in terms of a physical confrontation they are in for a bit of a fright because we will come at them."

Manawatu has a large number of imports who have converged on the region in an attempt to make a name for themselves.

Joining Kemp will be the likes of huge Auckland lock Sam Woods, Harbour five-eighths Graeme Smith and halfback Jonathan Hargreaves, Wellington lock Tiu Faleafaga and Auckland brothers Nicholas and Shaun Buckley, as well as McAlister.

Not only were these players brought in to bolster the Manawatu squad but also to provide a fillip for Manawatu club rugby to, theoretically, improve the standard of the game in the province.

Kemp is the only player with Super 12 experience, having turned out for the Blues eight times in 2004. However, with Keven Mealamu on the scene and now new All Blacks No 2 Derren Witcombe, he knew his chances of representative rugby were limited.

With seven years' experience with Ponsonby, including the last four as captain which culminated in a Gallaher Shield title last season, he's now drawing on his experiences as a part-time rugby development officer in secondary schools.

"It can be hard moulding the guys together to get things where we want them... but the present side has come a long way," he said.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY