Rugby: Counties to encourage Wesley 'factory'

Teenager George Stowers is the latest example of what is turning into a very useful school link for Counties Manukau in their NPC first-division campaign this year.

A few years ago Wesley College sent Jonah Lomu into the rugby world. Burly loose forward Koula Tukino followed a short time later, and now Stowers, a lock, has picked up the baton.

It is not exactly a carbon copy of the celebrated Welsh flyhalf factory, which for over half a century churned out a succession of gifted No 10s, invariably with twinkling feet and sublime kicking skills.

But the significance of strengthening the link with the small south Auckland college is not lost on Counties Manukau coach Mac McCallion.

"It's a breeding ground for very good rugby players," he said yesterday as his team prepared for their match against Canterbury in Pukekohe this afternoon.

"We want to really look after these boys."

Counties Manukau have missed out on three other Wesley College graduates to South Island unions, lured by scholarship programmes, and so Counties are keen to put training schemes in place as an incentive for the school leavers to stay in the area.

While Lomu is missing today - committed to pre-World Cup All Black preparations which has not done much for McCallion's blood pressure - Stowers and Tukino will be in the pack.

Stowers left Wesley College last year and McCallion is an unashamed admirer of the hard-working, strong-tackling youngster.

"I've been very, very impressed with his work-rate. He's caught my eye every game," he said.

"I've played him off the bench a couple of times at blindside and that's going to be his position. I don't think he'll be tall enough or big enough [for lock].

"But he's a little bit green and he needs to learn to run the right lines."

McCallion is also looking for Stowers to be a key figure in the crunching defence he wants to use as an offensive weapon today.

"He can put in some very big hits and we'll try to give Canterbury a bolt in that department."

Coming up against Canterbury captain Todd Blackadder, a diligent, hard-nosed and inspiring leader, today will not do Stowers' development any harm either.