Time ticking for Stags hopeful
Tepasu Thomas is in a race against time to put his best foot forward and push his way into the Stags setup for this year’s provincial season.
The 25-year-old has made the shift south from Canterbury in a hope to impress in Southland club rugby and get a shot with the Stags.
Thomas played for the Linwood club in Christchurch and in recent seasons has been a fringe Canterbury player. However he was only able to notch up one preseason game for the red and blacks.
He played one game for the Southland Spartans last year in the lead up to the provincial season as the Stags management took the opportunity to have a look at him.
However, it wasn’t enough time for Thomas to state his case and he wasn’t picked up for the Stags’ 2016 season.
Thomas initially started the 2017 season playing his club rugby in Christchurch and was again on the Canterbury fringes.
However late in the club season, he opted to shift to Invercargill and give himself the chance to prove his worth in Southland.
The former New Zealand under20 trialist is a forward who can cover No 8, blindside flanker, and lock. But he feels his best shot in Southland is probably in the locking department.
The Stags squad it seems is close to being sorted, with maybe outside back and lock a place where players could still force their way in.
‘‘I’ve always been on the fringe. I’ve just come down here to have a crack and just give it a go and see if I can get a go down here.’’
Thomas is originally from Wel- lington but spent his secondary schools years in Manawatu where he ended up being picked up by the Manawatu Rugby Union academy before shifting to Christchurch.
He has played two games for Star this season and will also line up in his third game when Star takes on Woodlands in what is expected to be an intriguing fixture at Woodlands.
Thomas will then feature when Star lines up in a sudden-death playoff game the following weekend.
Players are meant to play four round-robin games to be available for the playoffs. However, in a vote at a Council of Rugby Clubs meeting, which came down to the casting vote, Thomas was granted a clearance.
He missed a game because of a funeral, while another weekend he was set to play there was no premier club rugby because of the Town-Country.
On Saturday at Woodlands both the ‘Scruffy’ Butt Memorial Trophy, which is played for between Woodlands and Star, and the AWS Legal Cup will be up for grabs.
Woodlands hold both trophies, and a win over Star should also ensure they finish in the top two after round-robin play to give them an extra life come the playoffs.
Thomas played alongside flanker Jordan Stewart last year in Christchurch, and is now living with Stewart in Invercargill, which is why he linked with the Star club.
In other premier fixtures on Saturday Marist and the EasternNorthern Barbarians will squareoff in a top of the table clash, while Pirates-Old Boys will host Blues.