Price set to raise his ton
Tukapa lock Leighton Price’s milestone has come at a good time for his club in week three of the CMK premier club competition tomorrow.
Not only will the 31-year-old play his 100th game in front of Tukapa’s ‘‘Old Timers’’, the side looks to continue its unbeaten record when it hosts Inglewood at Sanders Park.
Price becomes the second player to notch up 100 games this year after first five-eighth Jayson Potroz became a centurion in the opening round of the competition against New Plymouth Old Boys.
Price, who debuted for Tukapa in 2012, has built a solid rugby resume.
He represented Bay of
Plenty and
Hawke’s Bay before playing
31 matches for Taranaki. He played for the
Blues twice in 2017, was selected in the New Zealand Under-20 squad and has experience in the Chiefs and Hurricanes Development sides.
Tukapa co-coach Ben Siffleet said Price had been a true asset to the club.
‘‘His experience he offers is always outstanding and he’s always willing to help out and pass that experience onto others, giving 110 per cent at all times on and off the field.’’
Inglewood coach Ngatai Walker also congratulated Price and said he was looking forward to playing Tukapa.
‘‘They have strong coaching and leadership [and] will test our set piece and defensive systems.’’
Elsewhere, Stratford/Eltham coach Ross Williams is hoping his side ‘‘get the little things right’’ when they host Southern at Victoria Park.
Williams, who previously coached Border and assisted Whanganui, said the team lost key moments last weekend.
‘‘Defensively, we need to be better. A few slips in concentration cost us big time in the first two rounds. Conceding an average of 24 points makes it harder to get on the right side of the ledger, so there will be words spoken and work done this week.’’
Brothers and outside backs Jackson and Lewis Ormond will be key players for Southern, should the weather be dry.
Southern will want to bring last week’s second half momentum into tomorrow’s match.
A win for New Plymouth Old Boys will help keep their hopes alive when they travel to Coastal in a repeat of last year’s semifinal.
Coastal are joint competition leaders, while Old Boys are yet to register a win after two matches.
In the other match, Clifton will host Spotswood United at Tikorangi.