Sam Darry gathers a lineout ball. Photo / Photosport
Sam Darry gathers a lineout ball. Photo / Photosport
Sam Gordon Darry – the middle name is significant.
Last weekend was poignant on a number of levels for 2.03 metre Christchurch-schooled lock Darry.
Moving to the Blues this season, following two years in the Crusaders academy, Darry did not expect gametime so soon after arriving at his new team.
Having impressed during the pre-season Darry started in the second row, alongside captain Patrick Tuipulotu, in the Blues' second match of the year as they cruised past the Highlanders 39-17 to claim the Gordon Hunter Memorial trophy.
Hunter coached the Highlanders and Blues, as well as being an All Blacks assistant coach and selector, before dying from cancer aged 52 in 2002.
In the Darry household, the connection to Hunter ran much deeper than rugby alone.
"Dad knew Gordon Hunter really well," Darry said this week. "He was in the police with him, Gordy coached dad, and Gordy was actually dad's best man at his wedding.
"Unfortunately I don't remember Gordy because he passed away when I was about two but I'm named after him with my middle name so to have that trophy up for grabs in my first match was a pretty special moment.
"I don't think too many of the boys knew because I kept it quiet but it was an awesome moment to go out, play my first game and secure the trophy."
Sam Darry gathers a lineout ball. Photo / Photosport
Darry's father, former Dunedin rugby identity Hunter, played lock for North Otago, the New Zealand combined services and one match for Otago during the 1990s. He took great pleasure in presenting his son with his post-match tie following his debut for the Blues.
"It was a special moment for him to be there and have his son win a trophy named after one of his best mates," Darry said.
"Dad used to be a die-hard Highlanders fan but I've managed to convert him now – he may have found himself cheering for the Blues last week."
Darry's family weren't his only support crew at Eden Park with 12 former Christ's College mates, who now study at Otago University, surprising him by venturing north.
"I didn't know they were coming up. I got a photo sent of them leaving Dunedin airport about four or five hours before the game. I couldn't quite believe it. They hopped on the plane so I didn't hear from them for the next hour-an-a-half. I'm pretty proud to have friends that would make that effort for me. It was special to have them there after the game, I know they enjoyed it."
Despite Darry impressing on debut, Blues coach Leon MacDonald opted to omit the 20-year-old prospect from the squad to play Crusaders at Eden Park on Sunday afternoon.
While that decision may, in part, have been to protect him from the added scrutiny that will inevitably come when he faces his former team, MacDonald suggested he always planned to bring Josh Goodhue back from injury to start against the Crusaders.
As far as Darry is concerned, his calculated move to the Blues is already paying off.
"I came up here wanting to push my case. In any environment you want to play as much as possible, but I know I'm young and have a lot of physical development still to go. At the same time I thought I was ready. I was grateful to get the opportunity. I didn't expect it to happen so soon but I'm glad it did.
"I've loved it up here so far. It's a real eye-opener coming into a new environment, having a change of city. My whole life I've lived in Christchurch so it's good to get out, see how other teams operate and learn from some different people. It's been massive rugby and character development for me."
If anyone can offer insight into the championship qualities the Crusaders will bring to Eden Park on Sunday, when they seek to maintain their seven-year stranglehold over the Blues, it's Darry.
"They're ruthless. If you're not ruthless when you're at the top you're going to get complacent. I know their mindset down there they go into each week thinking any team can knock them over. We know there's been a bit of talk about us, but we haven't achieved anything yet."
