Rugby: Prop will treasure the green and gold

By Chris Rattue

An injury to warhorse Wallaby prop Dan Crowley means Australia may start their "international" front row against the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday.

Coach Rod Macqueen has added prop Andrew Blades to his squad for the Bledisloe Cup/Tri-Nations clash, as cover for Crowley who has a leg injury.

So the Wallabies could start with former Argentinian prop Patricio Noriega packing alongside hooker Jeremy Paul and prop Glenn Panoho, who were born in New Zealand.

Both Panoho and Paul, who is from the Waikato, were teenagers when their families headed to Queensland.

Panoho was born and bred in Northland (initially Kaikohe) and his journey into the Australian side owes a lot to the coaching ability of his father Brian.

Brian Panoho taught at Whangarei Boys High where he coached the First XV, which dealt to the visiting Nudgee school team from Brisbane in 1982.

A Nudgee official was so impressed, he suggested to Brian Panoho that he move to Brisbane and coach the school's team.

"The Marsden Pt oil refinery expansion was winding down and dad believed Whangarei could become a bit of a ghost town," said Panoho, from the Wallaby camp in Queensland last night.

A couple of years later, the Panoho family - Brian, his wife Kaye, Glenn and two of his four older brothers - made the move.

"I had my friends there and I really wanted to stay in New Zealand," says the 28-year-old Panoho, the youngest of the clan.

But 15 years on, Panoho - who is studying for a law degree and is expecting his first child in eight weeks - is set to play his first test in New Zealand after making his debut last season.

"My memories are all about things like watching Andy Haden dive out of that lineout against Wales [in 1978] and McKechnie kicking the goal to win at Cardiff Arms Park.

"I was there last year and that was all I could think about. I remember all the times my dad got me up in the middle of the night to watch the All Blacks.

"When New Zealand plays South Africa, he's got a black jersey on and he's cheering for them. When we're playing, he's got a green and gold jersey on, but it's still hard for him.

"In fairness to the union here, and my wife Renee and her family, I'm loyal to Australia."

Panoho rates the Springboks as the strongest front row, but says they pick certain scrums for "big hits" to intimidate. For consistency and technical ability, he rates the All Blacks as the best.

"Saturday will be a moment I cherish. As a kid you dream about playing a test in New Zealand - I suppose I never imagined it would be for the green and golds."