Sio Tomkinson was a mainstay for the Otago Boys’ High School First XV. The second-five played 64 consecutive matches over three years and won the bronze boot award as the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ most valuable player against Australia.
Tomkinson is playing senior rugby for Harbour and is a strong contender to play for Otago in the ITM Cup.
Replacing such a player is no easy task, but Year 12 George Thomas is excited and ready to embrace the challenge.
The former prop played his first game of rugby at 12 when he was 12 and hasn’t looked back. He earns his first start in an interschool fixture on Wednesday against Southland Boys’ High School.
Tell us about your season so far?
I have been injured for two weeks, I sprained an ankle while being tackled in a game against Taieri. Otherwise I have really enjoyed it. I have grown to appreciate the hard work that goes in and have enjoyed the challenge of the Colts competition. It’s like a test match every week. All the teams are much bigger than us and they have players from all over the country in them which means were are losing a bit, but that’s better than winning every game by fifty points.
What do you bring to the Otago team?
It’s a tough gig replacing Sio, but I think I am up to it. I am a good runner, I love to carry strong. I also have a good rugby brain.
What did you most learn from Sio?
Work ethic. Sio set such a high standard both on and off the field. He was a beast in the gym and was his harshest critic on the field.
What are the strengths and weakness of the First XV in 2015?
The forward pack is much the same as last year and it’s a beast pack. Alex Frood, Liam Sharples and Sione Asi are all back. Sione is 138kg and he is really dominating. In the backs Hemaua Samasoni at centre is the key. He is 117kg and really underrated. We try to get him involved in as much possible because he breaks the line so often. He is also a good decoy runner.
In 2014, you spent a lot of time in the second’s. Tell us about that?
It was a good season, we played in the under-19 junior colts competition which was actually a harder grade than the Highlanders First XV competition. We won a few, we lost a few, made the semi-finals and lost. We won all our traditional games beating, Southland Boys’ High School, Christ’s College and Christchurch Boys’ High School by 50 points, that was the highlight.
What do you expect from Southland on Wednesday?
It’s always grudge match, especially at home in their conditions. They have a big pack and will be real physical. Because of the weather I think it will be a forwards game. I am looking forward to marking Pedro Bezanilla who is one of their best players. He has a lot of experience so it will be a great challenge.