Josh McKay picked up by Highlanders for 2018

It has been a big week for former Kaiapoi Rugby Club junior Josh McKay.

He won a National Provincial Championship with Canterbury and then he was named in the Highlanders squad for the 2018 Super Rugby season. New Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger named his squad of 38 players for 2018 which includes eight new players – including McKay.

The selection caps a stellar season for McKay. He was a World Cup winner with the New Zealand U20s in June and picked up a Christchurch Metro Division 1 title with Lincoln University, scoring a try in the 25-19 win over University. He then made his Canterbury debut in a successful Ranfurly Shield defense against Mid Canterbury, scoring a try off the bench in the 69-7 rout in Ashburton.

McKay, who played first-five eighth at Christchurch Boys’, then became a regular feature on the wing for Canterbury, starting as Canterbury recorded their third consecutive national provincial title with a 35-13 win against Tasman on Saturday.

Meanwhile, at the Crusaders another former Kaiapoi junior, Matt Todd, should bring up 100 caps for the side next year. The Hurunui Club had a player named with hooker Ben Funnell, who played a handful of games for the side this season, as did Woodend with Wyatt Crockett.