Rugby: Josh Coffin selected for 2022 Ngāti Porou East Coast side

Ngāti Porou East Coast coach Hosea Gear in 2021. Photo / Getty Images

Former Te Awamutu College, Waikato Centurion Cup and King Country Rams player Josh Coffin has been selected for Ngāti Porou East Coast in the 2022 Bunning Heartland Championship.

The 23-year-old Ōtorohanga Rugby Sports Club lock, son of former All Black prop and King Country legend Phil Coffin, and was named as the 2021 Rams' player of origin through his junior rugby with Kio Kio United.

This year he has been loaned to the Hosea Gear coached NPEC side, based mainly out of Ruatoria.

"For me to be named in the squad means a lot. It shows that all the hard work I've put in this season is paying off and for a coach like Hosea to take a chance on me personally speaks volumes," says Coffin.

"It's another year in the Heartland competition and for me, more footy with a new bunch of lads is always the best - creating friendships on and off the paddock is amazing."

2021 King Country Rams lock Josh Coffin. Photo / King Country Rugby Union

Coffin managed only two appearances for the Rams last season due to Covid-19, border restrictions and "niggly injuries".

"It made me have to do a lot of self-analysis and be more accountable of myself than I've ever been going into the off season," he says.

"I'll be travelling over on Thursday (July 28) to have a waananga with the boys over the weekend. From there, we will decide what's best for myself and also the team in terms of my placement for the year."

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Coffin says his main goal for 2022 was to build on last year because he has only been playing in the forwards for a few seasons.

"Getting more time on the field and getting comfortable in the tight-five was one goal,' he says.

"Second, was to make another representative team and having this opportunity with NPEC has been a blessing! So, a good year with the boys is the next goal.

"For now I just want to purely enjoy every moment in this new environment and learn as much as I can."