Shute Shield Rugby Union: Winston Wilson swaps fairways for shot at Hunter Wildfires

A classy inside centre, Wilson played with Gordon in the Shute Shield in 2018.

He stepped back from the Highlanders the following season after the birth of their first daughter before shifting up the highway.

True to his word, Wilson, who is a teacher at St Phillips Christian College in Cessnock, signed up at Merewether Golf Club and attacked greens instead of the opposition tryline each Saturday.

Then, after the arrival of their second daughter, Wilson accepted an invite to "play with family" in the Newcastle Pasifika team against the Hunter Wildfires in February.

On Saturday, the 31-year-old will make his Shute Shield return for the Wildfires against Northern Suburbs at North Sydney Oval.

"I had a couple of years off and then we had that Pasifika exhibition game," the former Samoan under-20 representative said. "My wife said, 'you know what, I enjoyed watching you play again'. I got her on board and that was the green light."

After a late start to the pre-season and a couple of "niggles", Wilson "found my feet" in round six and has been a standout for the Wildfires' seconds.

"I had been playing golf over rugby," Wilson said. "I had no pre-season and it was a long road to get the body right. Playing first grade was definitely the goal. I didn't know how long it was going to take.

"If there was any opportunity in my career to play for a Newcastle team in the Shute Shield, I had to do it. The local comp will always be here. I wanted the chance to play for a Newcastle team."

Wilson's inclusion adds a different dimension to the Wildfires attack. Previous No.12s, Luke Nadurutalo and Peniloko Latu, are powerful ball carriers, whereas Wilson is more a ball player.

"With Winston at 12, we can play a bit wider with more creativity," Wildfires coach Scott Coleman said. "He also gives us another game controller and strong communicator. We will change our attack up a little bit this week. Given it is his first game in first grade. He will find his feet in the next two weeks."

Latu, who was switched to the wing, had a setback on Thursday at training and his place has been taken by Canberra product Jed Englert.

After consecutive losses to Warringah (42-21) and Southern Districts (31-24), Wilson said the seventh-placed Wildfires had benefited from the bye last weekend.

"Some of the boys have been putting in big minutes, especially in the forward pack," he said. "The weekend off was great. A few boys [from out of town] got to go home, reset their minds and get away from footy. Tuesday was a good session, almost a full contact session."

Norths, who have Nelson Bay 20-year-old Boston Kerapa playing lock, sit in fourth spot on 34 points, eight ahead of the Wildfires.

"Norths are a quality outfit," Coleman said. "They have a lot of ball movement and play side-to-side."

Meanwhile AAP reports, an unstoppable force will meet an immovable object when the Blues take on the Crusaders in the Super Rugby Pacific final at Auckland's Eden Park on Saturday.

The championship decider pits the attacking prowess of the host Blues on a 15-match winning streak against a Crusaders side that made a record 222 tackles against the Chiefs in the semi-finals to protect their perfect record in home playoffs.

With Australia's last team, the Brumbies, falling narrowly to the Blues last the weekend, the all-New Zealand final will play out in front of a sold-out stadium with players from both sides also keen to stake claims for All Blacks starting spots.

"This is set for a great occasion and is an opportunity to seal an excellent season in front of a full house at Eden Park," Blues coach Leon MacDonald said.

"We need to buckle down, do the basics right, provide good front-foot ball for our backs, and focus on doing the basics right, with discipline both with and without the ball."

The Blues finished top at the end of the regular season and are desperate to prove themselves against the 10-times champion Crusaders, who have consistently set the benchmark in the southern hemisphere competition.

The Blues won last year's one-off trans-Tasman tournament, their first championship in nearly 20 years, but the Crusaders picked up the domestic Aotearoa title, giving the South Islanders and their coach Scott Robertson a fifth crown in as many years.

The Blues' long slump before their recent revival has kept the teams apart at the sharp end of seasons but an intense rivalry built in the days of the Super 12 competition has been reawakened.

The Blues won the last time the pair clashed for the title, a 21-17 victory at home in 2003, avenging their 1998 defeat away to the Crusaders.

MacDonald, who was Robertson's teammate at the Crusaders during that period, has named captain Dalton Papalii on the bench after his recovery from appendicitis but the All Blacks flanker needs to prove himself with a late fitness test.

Robertson has brought back stalwart lock Sam Whitelock from a thumb injury in his only change to the Crusaders starting 15.

"We had a few sore bodies following the huge defensive effort last week, but everyone has come through the week really well," Robertson said.

With the All Blacks' series against Ireland kicking off next month, players on both sides have plenty to prove.

Beauden Barrett's standout season for the Blues have many pundits picking him as Ian Foster's starting flyhalf against the Irish, but Crusaders playmaker Richie Mo'unga may have something to say about that.

Blues: Stephen Perofeta, A.J. Lam, Rieko Ioane, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Mark Telea, Beauden Barrett (capt), Finlay Christie, Hoskins Sotutu, Adrian Choat, Akira Ioane, Tom Robinson, Josh Goodhue, Nepo Laulala, Kurt Eklund, Alex Hodgman. Reserves: Soane Vikena, Karl Tu'inukuafe, Ofa Tuungafasi, Luke Romano, Dalton Papalii/James Tucker, Sam Nock, Bryce Heem, Zarn Sullivan.

Crusaders: Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Jack Goodhue, David Havili, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Richie Mo'unga, Bryn Hall, Cullen Grace, Tom Christie, Pablo Matera, Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett (capt), Oli Jager, Codie Taylor, George Bower. Reserves: Brodie McAlister, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, Quenten Strange, Corey Kellow, Mitch Drummond, Braydon Ennor, George Bridge.

MORE IN SPORT:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: