'Outback Jack' gets the knack of 'Naki

By CHRIS RATTUE

Brock James' Taranaki team-mates call him Outback Jack, after the TV reality show character.

Which would appear to be a clear case of the pot calling the kettle black, considering the young man from bustling Sydney has ended up in in the rural charms of provincial New Zealand.

After arriving in New Plymouth, James was sent to play for Coastal, an amalgamation of the Okato, Rahotu and Opunake clubs - the last of which was made famous by the former All Black captain Graham Mourie who helped with the formation of Coastal in 1995.

James notched 202 points in a 19-game season to be the competition's leading points-scorer, and helped Coastal to third place.

Coastal, whose most well-known current player is Super 12 forward Brent Thompson, have an innovative income source. They have leased a farm, installed a manager, and put profits back into the club.

James and fellow Australian player Jimmy Hilgendorf are flatting near the coast, and James admits "it's a bit different from Sydney. It's nice and peaceful", he says.

The rural links took on a sinister turn when James copped more than the usual share of ribbing after a Pretoria ground announcer labelled the Waratahs "sheep rooters" during the Super 12.

"You always get a hard time being an Aussie in New Zealand, but generally it's not been anything too bad."

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