Rean’s special milestone in final season
Warren Rean came off the bench to collect his 200th Ashley cap in a memorable game gainst Kaiapoi in North Canterbury club rugby last weekend.
However, his overall tally of senior games is unknown.
‘‘There is no exact number,’’ Rean said.
‘‘I had a season in Dunedin and have played in Ireland and Canada, so I don’t have an accurate number but it would be up there.’’
Rean came out to the Ashley club 14 years ago after clocking up ‘‘160-odd’’ games for High School Old Boys, playing alongside the likes of Andrew Mehrtens, Justin Marshall and Reuben Thorne. ‘‘I had done my dash in town. ‘‘We won the title in 2001 and at the time I was living out in Rangiora and had been working in town but got a job out here so I thought it would be good to play out here too.’’
Since 2002, he has compiled 200 games for Ashley, with a season back at Old Boys in 2006 ‘‘to help out’’ in between.
Along the way he has also played some representative rugby.
He has had runs for Canterbury B, Canterbury Country and had two seasons with West Coast in the Heartland Championship.
Rean came off the bench for his 200th Ashley cao on what was an extra special occasion.
The match against Kaiapoi was also celebrating the memory of the late Andrew ‘‘Bus’’ Dunbar who played 259 games for Ashley before his sudden death in December.
‘‘It was a pretty emotional day as I played most of my 200 games with Bus and it was a major reason I played again this year.
‘‘As my wife could tell you, I’ve been retiring for a few years now but there is always an excuse to keep playing.
‘‘I love the club, the guys I play with and the game.’’
However, Rean has decided this is the farewell season for sure, a promise his supportive wife Jo and two daughters Jasmin and Ashlyn, will make him keep.
‘‘Without their support I wouldn’t have been able to do what I do.’’
But he hasn’t hung the boots up just yet.
This weekend Rean will look to celebrate his 44th birthday with a semi-final win against Saracens and set up a potential fairytale finish to a long career if Ashley can collect another North Canterbury title, after the 2014 triumph.