Schwalger sick of silver – only an NPC title will satisfy Lions forward

WHEN you strip back all the talk about ticking boxes and taking things week by week, there’s only one thing Wellington prop John Schwalger wants out of this season.

A win over Taranaki in New Plymouth tonight would be helpful, but it won’t get the 29-year-old the missing piece of his NPC rugby puzzle.

‘‘I want to win this thing. I’ve played in so many finals and I’m sick of getting silver medals,’’ Schwalger said.

The loosehead prop has five of those unwanted mementos, plus a semifinal loss in 2010, to show for a Lions career that began in 2005. After 18 months playing in France he’s back and desperate to help Wellington end a title drought that stretches back to 2000.

‘‘I was 17 and still at school [at Bishop Viard College]. It’s a long time,’’ he said.

Schwalger and company certainly began their quest for the NPC crown in emphatic fashion, crushing Counties Manukau 55-16 at Pukekohe. His form was as good as anyone’s, dominating opposite Attila Va’a at scrum time.

‘‘I was just having a good day at the office. It’ll be good if I have plenty of them to come.’’

Better yet was that the pretty boys in the backline actually did something with the quality setpiece ball Schwalger was winning them.

‘‘That’s what I was telling [centre] Tim Bateman. I was saying how good it was to be coming out of a scrum and see they’ve scored and all you have to do is jog back [with your] job done,’’ he said.

Taranaki weren’t much chop in last week’s 30-6 loss to Canterbury, but Schwalger’s been around long enough to know they’re unlikely to be that bad again.

‘‘Oh, I do feel old if that’s what you mean. Yes, I do,’’ he said, laughing. ‘‘There’s guys there [in the Lions’ front row] that are like 22, 23. But I’m glad Ross [Filipo] is back because he’s pretty much the grandpa of the team.’’

But not feeling it. Filipo might be 34 but, after a knee injury ruled him out for most of the Chiefs’ Super Rugby title run, he feels about 10 years younger than that.

‘‘I’m probably more excited than I’ve ever been,’’ Filipo said.

The elevation of Lions captain Jeremy Thrush to the All Blacks’ ranks will see Filipo start at lock instead. Motu Matu’u, in at hooker for All Black Dane Coles, is the other change to the tight-five which tamed Counties.

Filipo, too, is adamant Taranaki will provide Wellington with a stern test tonight.

‘‘They’re one of those sides that if you give them an inch, they’ll take a metre. We’ve got to shut them down at the beginning.’’

The inclusion of Charlie Ngatai at fullback is one of the more notable changes to the team that beat Counties. That’s pushed Matt Proctor to the right wing, with Joe Hill shifting across to the left flank in place of the injured Sinoti Sinoti.

Faifili Levave gets the nod at blindside flanker, with Brad Shields dropping to the bench after spending most of this week with the All Blacks.