Rico Syme's rise from CBHS 7th XV to New Zealand Schools squad

When Rico Syme laced up his rugby boots for the first time in three years earlier this season, earning selection for the New Zealand Schools squad would have been the furthest thing from his mind.

The 18-year old Christchurch Boys High School student quit rugby three years ago while in year 10, citing a lack of physical maturity compared to others as the defining factor. Instead, he focused on golf and cricket, before being signing up to play social rugby for the Christchurch Boys' 7th XV alongside his mates at the beginning of this year.

Last week, Syme recieved a call-up to the New Zealand Schoolboys rugby squad, a privilege reserved for few. His improbable selection is one of the great rugby stories of the year.

It was not until halfway through the UC Championship season that Syme's laidback return to the rugby field became more serious. An unlikely call-up to the school's famed 1st XV beckoned, and Syme was soon named on the bench for a round eight clash against cross-town rivals St Andrew's College.

With Christchurch Boys' trailing by 23-18 late in the match, Syme came on and scored a scintillating 60 metre match-winning try under the posts.

"We were down 23-15 with five minutes to go. Alex Hartford kicked a penalty to make it 23-18. In the last minute, we had the ball on our ten-meter line," Syme told College Sport Media.

"I took an offload from Campbell Reid which put me in a gap. I managed to beat the fullback and score under the posts. Alex kicked the conversion and we won the game."

"When I got onto the field, I thought I was just going to make a few tackles and pass the ball around, I never thought I'd actually get the try," he said to The Christchurch Star.

That exhilarating two-minute cameo catapulted Syme into the 1st XV's starting side on a permenant basis, allowing him to showcase his spectacular array of skills, highlighting his outrageous flick passes and electric pace.

As a result, he was called into the Crusaders under-18 side as an injury replacement to play the Hurricanes under-18 team at Westpac Stadium, a match the Crusaders side went on to lose 25-10.

Back at Christchurch Boys', Syme helped his side to the UC Championship title, defeating Timaru Boys' High School 28-10 in the final. However, their National Top Four aspirations were snatched away from them in the final minute of the South Island qualifying final against Southland Boys', going down 36-31 to the Highlanders champions in Invercargill earlier this month.

While that marked the end of the season for CBHS, Syme's outstanding campaign was rewarded by being named as one of two Chirstchurch Boys' players in the 49-man New Zealand Schools rugby development camp last week.

Following a three day camp starting on Friday, the enlarged squad will be split into the New Zealand Schools squad, which will play three matches in Sydney, and the New Zealand Barbarians Schools side, which will play two games in Palmerston North.

No matter which squad Syme ends up being apart of, his selection for national honours caps off a whirlwind three months after making his 1st XV debut just 13 weeks ago.

Syme will join the Crusaders academy next year to begin his journey into professional rugby, an astonishing feat for a player who, prior to this year, last played rugby in year 10.