Rugby: Fullback bowls 'em

Israel Dagg on the burst for the Highlanders. Photo / Getty Images

It was the type of challenge Israel Dagg couldn't turn down. Six balls to bowl out Highlanders skipper Jimmy Cowan.

He managed to send one down which rattled the stumps and became $100 richer.

Dagg is better known as a classy fullback but the 21-year-old is a former junior representative cricketer who in 2004 won a nationwide fast bowling competition for secondary school students.

For the record, he registered a speed of 143km/h - faster than most current Black Caps can fling it down.

He can't reach those speeds these days ("it's pretty difficult to get the arm over with weight training," he says) but was quick enough to bowl Cowan. He still wonders how far he might have gone in cricket.

He played a game of Twenty20 in Dunedin's third grade recently, scoring seven runs and bowling four overs for just six runs.

"I miss cricket," he says. "I watch the tests and go to all the [Otago] Volts games. It was a pretty big decision I had to make at school."

Dagg has had to make a few big decisions in his rugby career.

Arguably the biggest was sticking with the Highlanders despite a tasty offer to join the Crusaders.

Many young players would be seduced by the idea of joining the seven-time champions; a team who haven't missed the playoffs in eight seasons. By comparison, the Highlanders haven't made the last four since 2002 and are still some way from changing that pattern.

Dagg, though, re-signed with the southerners after some gentle persuasion from All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith.

"They [the All Blacks coaches] wanted me to stay," Dagg says.

"They wanted to keep building the Highlanders up and didn't want players coming and going. I thought it was fair enough, too. I don't want to be known as a player who is always chopping and changing.

"It was pretty tempting [to join the Crusaders]. I was pretty close to going there but I thought I would give it one more shot down here and try to help the Highlanders get back up. It was tempting but I am happy with my decision.

"The Highlanders were pretty good to me last year and gave me an opportunity. That was a big factor. Another big factor was the amount of game time I get and the fact I don't have to battle my way through the season getting a game here and there. It's good for my exposure and that's what I need for my career to kick on."

It seems to be progressing nicely. Dagg was first picked to play for Hawke's Bay as a schoolboy at Lindisfarne College and he played a key role in getting the Magpies to successive Air New Zealand Cup semifinals.

He also played every minute of the Highlanders' campaign last season, coming into consideration for the All Blacks' end-of-year tour, and has been the best New Zealand fullback in the first seven weeks of this year's Super 14.

He's chimed in with four tries so far this season and also shown himself to be a capable goalkicker.

Counting against him, however, is the fact his form dipped a little during last year's Air New Zealand Cup and he has also struggled at times nutritionally. "Maori boys like to eat," he says. "Some people can eat what they want and still be skinny."

It could be argued that Dagg could have also shone had he moved north of the Waitaki River where he would have played alongside as many as 15 All Blacks.

But playing at the Highlanders gives him opportunities to stand out in different ways. He's been encouraged to get involved more, often as first receiver.

"Players need to be put under stress every week," Highlanders assistant and Hawke's Bay coach Peter Russell says, "because it's the only way they are going to learn their trade. I think he's doing that at the moment.

"For him, it's about consistency in what he does but he also has to ensure he does more every week than just his 15 role at the back. He has to get more involved in the game as a ball player because that's when he can work his magic.

"We all know he has a lot to prove this year and he's doing that on and off the field. I think he has the potential to make the All Blacks World Cup squad."

To do that, he probably needs to make an All Blacks squad this year. Graham Henry isn't likely to experiment in World Cup year but Dagg needs to do something special to unseat incumbents Mils Muliaina and Cory Jane.

"It's make or break, really, if I am going to crack the World Cup squad," Dagg says.

"I was pretty gutted I didn't make the All Blacks last year. I think I will have to wait my turn but hopefully it comes. I just have to stay positive and try to play well every week."

Israel Dagg

* Age: 21

* Weight: 88kg

* Position: Fullback

* Super 14 games: 21

* Dagg has played for New Zealand at sevens, under-19 and schoolboy level. When he was picked to play for Hawke's Bay as a schoolboy, he was the first secondary school student since Danny Lee in 1994 to play for the province.