THE rugby gods usually play a big part in determining where players with the raw-boned pedigree to play the game land positionally.
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A finisher of the highest order, David Campese was born to be winger, the class of Stephen Larkham lent itself to the five-eighth spot while, as much as he tried, the robust Matt Dunning didn’t fit anywhere else but prop.
In the case of Orange City’s Harry Collins, the rugby gods had a little help.
“My mum told me I’d never get out of the frontrow,” Collins said ahead of Saturday’s Blowes Clothing Cup clash with the Bathurst Bulldogs at Pride Park.
“She said I was born to be a prop and that’s it. I played No.8 when I left school but I said nah, I’ll get back into prop. Everyone thought I was stupid, but it’s good fun. I love it. It’s a good challenge. It’s good niggle and it’s good fun.”
Naturally, Collins will line-up at prop for the defending premiers tomorrow at Pride Park.
The 22-year-old Kinross graduate will be tasked with dousing the impact of NSW Country Cockatoos bookend Chris Plunkett, and it’s an assignment Collins says he’ll relish as the Lions look take another step in the club’s bid to cement a top three spot.
“(Plunkett’s) a good prop, it will be a good battle ... it should be a good physical game,” Collins said, before shedding a little more light on the wonderfully weird world of a frontrower.
“I love a good scrum. You get a few people that niggle at you but you just laugh at them.”
The Orange City club will tomorrow replace the traditional orange in the club’s jumpers with pink in a bid to raise awareness and funds for the Cancer Council.
Hoping to ensure the day is capped off with a win in the top grade, Collins said the Lions will be looking to recapture the groove they enjoyed throughout last year’s unbeaten run to the 2013 Blowes Clothing Cup title.
“It’s just a matter of whether we can get back in that end of season rhythm. I don’t see why we can’t. We’ve got the coaches and got the players,” he said.
“Obviously it was hard with everyone scattered across the world, it was hard, but we’re starting to get back on the front foot.”
Saturday’s game kicks off at 3.15pm at Pride Park.
ORANGE CITY LIONS: 1 Scott Smith, 2 Josh Tremain, 3 Harry Collins, 4 Mitchell Pearce, 5 Chris Barrett, 6 Duncan Young, 7 Gus Brotherton, 8 Josh Maley, 9 Nick Quinn, 10 Mesui Lemoto, 11 Cameron Cole, 12 Matt Dillon, 13 Jackson Coote, 14 Mitch Green, 15 Sam Dwyer.