Wallace thrives on grassroots

Jackson Wallace feels at home, after all he’s a country boy at heart.

The 22-year-old halfback is in his first year playing for the Eastern-Northern Barbarians side in Southland’s premier club rugby competition.

The Barbarians side is a combined country team – it brings together the best players from Eastern and Northern Southland to challenge for the Galbraith Shield.

Wallace grew up in Waikaia before moving to Glenorchy when he was 10.

He then moved to Invercargill to study at Southland Boys’ High School where he stayed at the school’s hostel.

Following three years in the school’s first XV Wallace joined the Marist club to take his next rugby step in the senior ranks.

After a couple of seasons with the Invercargill-based club he decided this season to make the move to the Barbarians.

The thought of playing for a country team was appealing.

At Marist he also had Stags halfback Scott Eade in front of him and ended up playing a lot at first five-eighth. It is a move he hasn’t regretted. He still lives in Invercargill but is more than happy to make the trip to Gore each Tuesday and Thursday to train with his new team.

‘‘I grew up out in the country and have always been a bit of a country boy – and I had a lot of mates out there that I wanted to go and play with now that they’ve got a [premier] team out there,’’ he said.

‘‘It is a good move for myself, I get to play with a good bunch of guys and get to play in my [halfback] position all of the time,’’ he said.

Wallace has been one of the Barbarians better players to date this season.

As well his deeds with the Barbarians through the first eight rounds of the competition, Wallace was also a key figure in helping Country upset Town in the annual clash played at Rugby Park on Saturday night.

The more fancied Town team lost 25-12 to Country.

‘‘I’ve never been part of that game before to be fair, and it was great to come out of it with a win, especially being a country lad.’’

His individual performance should put him in contention for the Southland B team for the representative campaign later this year.

Wallace said he would like to be part of that but added he had not given it a lot of thought.

The focus is very much centred on the Barbarians and a push to win the Galbraith Shield

‘‘I think we can possibly go all the way if we really want to,’’ he said.

Wallace has previously been part of the Rugby Southland academy system but his focus, and much of his time, has since been poured into his work which made it difficult to juggle both. He has recently qualified as a engineer.

The next assignment for Wallace and the Barbarians team will be against Midlands on Saturday.

In other premier fixtures on Saturday Star will play Woodlands at Woodlands, while Pirates-Old Boys and Marist will meet at Marist. Blues have the bye.