Rugby: Fencer hopes to nail rep spot

Central lock Ben Bennett completes another day on the job as a fencer. Photo / Duncan Brown

Picture this ... Central rugby lock Ben Bennett gets a phone call from his boss to ask why one of his fencing jobs is running behind schedule this week.

One of three workers for MC Green Ltd, Bennett will tell him the smoko breaks have gone on a little longer than normal. His boss will understand as there probably would have been some rugby chat going on in the wake of Northfuels Central win at the weekend and Bennett's hot form.

First-season premier player, Bennett, 20, produced a player-of-the-match performance in his team's 23-13 sixth-round Maddison Trophy victory against K9 Petfoods Clive to become the 15th weekly winner as the tussle for the Tui-Hawke's Bay Today Club Rugby Player of the Year award continued.

"Most of the farmers we work for support our team. It's always good to talk rugby with them," Bennett said yesterday.

Bennett, who played all his junior rugby including two years of Ross Shield for Central before attending Central Hawke's Bay College where he had three years in the 1st XV, agreed the Central premiers have exceeded expectations with four wins to date this season. A top effort considering there were fears earlier this year the club may not be represented in the grade.

"It's been a pretty good year. We're quite a young team with 12 players new to premier play so we're pretty happy with ourselves," Bennett explained.

A son of former Central lock and now Taradale premiers head coach Steve Bennett, Bennett said he is grateful for the tips his father has given him over the years particularly when he coached him during his junior years. Although he made the Hawke's Bay under-18 team's training camp Bennett has never gone any further at rep level.

"Helping the Central Hawke's Bay College 1st XV win our Unison competition for three consecutive years has been the highlight of my career to date.

"It would be good to make some Hawke's Bay teams in the future. I'll keep playing for the Central premiers and see what happens ... if no opportunities arise I might head overseas with the aim of playing in England."

Bennett knows there are aspects of his game which need to improve including scrummaging and ball carrying. With his fencing work keeping him active, fitness is never an issue.

His hobbies - hunting, diving and cricket - help keep him in shape. He is an all-rounder for the Central Hawke's Bay seconds cricket team.