No8 in tune with premier grade

Central No8 Tomo Fogarty on the job as an apprentice automotive technician with Ruahine Motors. Photo / Warren Buckland

Good rugby players can still come from little country towns like Waipukurau.

That was the message from Northfuels Central No8 Tomo Fogarty after he became the fourth weekly winner in the battle for the Tui-Hawke's Bay Today Club Rugby Player of the Year award. Fogarty, 20, was the logical choice after scoring two tries as Central scored their first win of the season with a 47-16 walloping of K9 Petfoods Clive at Central Park on Saturday.

The fact it was the first-season premier player's first outing of the season after recovering from a shoulder injury collected in a pre-season game added to the significance of the feat.

"It was good to see the boys coming together. Previously this season we've had some decent first halves but not backed them up in the second spell ... this time we fired for the entire match it was awesome," Fogarty explained.

The Waipukurau-born Central Hawke's Bay College product, who had two years in the Central colts side before stepping up to the premier ranks, is enjoying the step up.

"Hopefully it pushes me to bigger and better things."

A Hawke's Bay Sevens squad member last summer, Fogarty, said this Saturday's home game against Progressive Meats Havelock North will give Central a more accurate gauge as to where they are at. The Anzac Day encounter will be the first time this season all three of the club's senior teams will be at home.

"With two of our players, Marcus Jackson and Andrew Martin, have recently played their 100th games and Liam O'Dowd his 50th it would be good to celebrate in the appropriate manner," Fogarty said.

An automotive technician with Ruahine Motors in Waipukurau, Fogarty, has 18 months remaining in his apprenticeship.

"Ruahine Motors are one of our club's main sponsors and they're really supportive of my rugby. When I was in the sevens squad last year they would let finish work early for trainings. It's a bit hard to keep up with the paper work when the rugby season is on but I'm really keen to complete the apprenticeship as soon as possible."