‘Wreck-it Ralph’ chases title with Ohio Aviators
Former Stags captain Jamie Mackintosh is one win away from being part of the first USA Pro Rugby Championship winning team.
Mackintosh’s Ohio Aviators will play top of the table Denver Stampede this weekend in Denver.
Denver currently sit in first place with Ohio second.
The winning team will take out the title in the inaugural year of the professional competition in the United States.
Mackintosh was one of the competition’s big signings in the first year of the league.
The loosehead prop has indicated he is keen to be part of history by being part of the first title winning team.
Five teams have competed in the first year of the competition but another two teams are set to join next year.
Mackintosh made an appearance on a USA breakfast television show this week in the lead up to the final game against Denver.
For fun the host preferred to call Mackintosh Wreck-It Ralph after the large Walt Disney cartoon character.
Mackintosh told the Good Day Columbus morning show he had enjoyed the stint playing in America.
‘‘It’s been a pretty crazy turn of events. I was in France playing last year, I had been lucky enough to be playing in New Zealand for 10 years and this opportunity popped up to come to America and I’ve always wanted to come here and play rugby.
‘‘On my first day I didn’t know anyone and now four months later I’ve got some great mates and we’ve had a great season.’’
The 31-year-old, who played 123 games for Southland, was originally planning to return to play for the Southland Stags in the New Zealand provincial championship following the US competition.
However, the Stags decisionmakers made the bold call to leave Mackintosh out of the 2016 squad.