Kiwi Twentyman concedes Boyne are in a sticky situation

NEW Zealanders Craig McGrath and Ene Fa’atau were the Boyne and Dundalk player coaches during the clubs’ most successful years and there is still a strong Kiwi connection in each of the two clubs.

Lining up on opposite sides last Saturday were Wilson Twentyman and Sam Weber and both were enjoying the banter ahead of that evening’s now-famous test match between Ireland and their home country in Aviva Stadium.

Twentyman, who signed for Boyne last year from North Island club Taupo, played at wing forward in the Leinster League clash and afterwards acknowledged that the Drogheda side have a battle on their hands to retain their top-flight status.

‘It’s always a battle against Dundalk,’ he reflected. ‘I’m only in my second season here and I know the passion between the two sides, being only 20 minutes away [from each other].

‘It was an arm-wrestle, maybe a sign of things to come tonight.

‘A draw might have been a fair result, but kicks are always hard under pressure and it’s hard at the best of times from the sideline. Karl [Keogh] gave it a good nudge and it didn’t quite go our way.

‘Potentially there’s a relegation scrap facing us now. That seems to be the way with Boyne. They keep scrapping on, but the second round [of games] is coming up and we’ll do our best again.

‘We’ve Ashbourne at home now and we’ve got to take advantage of those games and learn to put the knife in so to speak, so we’ll see how we go.’

Twentyman’s counterpart Sam Weber - whose elder brother Brad won a full cap for the All Blacks in 2015 - had a fine game for Dundalk at full back and the Napier-born player was relieved his side came out on top after that late scare.

‘Coming into it we didn’t think about the table,’ he insisted. ‘We were thinking it’s a local derby and we need to get a win over here or the rest of the season is tough.

‘Our backs were a bit against the wall after a few losses and so we needed to come back with something. It was tough out there, so to grind out a two-point win - we’ll take it.

‘We pushed them over to the touchline [when Boyne scored their late try].

‘Through the middle they probably would have kicked the conversion, but we made it difficult for them and came through in the end.

‘I’m just trying to have fun. That’s why we play rugby, to have a bit of fun, and it helps to get a win too, even if it’s an ugly one.’

It was handshakes all round at the end of a hard-fought match and both New Zealand natives have nothing but kind words to say about the Irish hospitality they’ve enjoyed.

Twentyman summed it up thus. ‘I’ve been well looked after since I’ve been here. I’ve turned up on the doorstep saying, ‘can I play some rugby’ and they found me work and a place to stay and that sort of thing, and I’ve got friends for life now as well.’

Agreeing, Weber added: ‘The boys look after me a heck of a lot, there’s some nice families in the club too and they look after me and my partner, who’s just come over, but it’s a bit cold for me!’

As for the Ireland v All Blacks showdown which was kicking off three hours later, Twentyman didn’t sound too confident as he disappeared into the clubhouse for a shower prior to the trip to the Aviva.

‘Being a Kiwi, I can’t be too cocky,’ he responded. ‘I’m going to the game, so that’ll be interesting. I’ll probably be one of about five All Blacks jerseys in the crowd, but we’ll see how we go.’

Not too well as it turned out - thanks to Louth’s own Rob Kearney and co!